It's the time of the year again!

The say i't smells of the Fair...

How to dance Sevillanas

My plan is to enjoy the next Seville Fair to the fullest, but I have a slight problem - I can't dance Sevillanas. I'd like to join the people dancing in the stands and streets. I'm not sure about the dress yet (whether or not to use an authentic, though modern one), but I want to go for longer hair and smoother dance moves.

Grace of Sevillanas. Image taken from ABCdesevilla.es

Sevillanas is an Andalusian folk dance made up of a series coplas (verses), each one with a different choreography, the first of them being considered the easiest. Each of the four coplas the Sevillanas consists of are split up into three sections (partes) and last approximately 1 minute to 90 seconds depending on the tempo, making the entire dance 4-6 minutes long. The music and cante (song) can vary in each copla, but there is a traditional structure that remains the same for all four coplas. This dance is never improvised, however, Sevillians tend to vary the choreography of it. Luckily, its unique and clear structure allows dancers who have learned different styles to perform Sevillanas together. 

For me, the starting point to get the "ball rolling" and make the learning more effective is to visualise its composition. Here you have a scheme from a study assist website (sorry about not translating this).

The structure detailed as follows applies to whatever versions of Sevillanas. For starters, before the actual dance steps there is an entrance (salida) and cante introduction followed by an opening pose (or vuelta normal). The first section of each copla includes standardized steps and choreography, particularly pasos sevillanas and is followed by the first pasada that consists of a series of short steps in which the dancers pass each other, front to front or back to back, switching places as they do so. In traditional versions of the dance, the pasada always ends with one paso sevillana. The second section has different steps than the first one, but lasts the same number of beats, followed by the second pasada. The third section differs from the first two and ends with the cierre, which can include a final turn or a closing dance gesture that is a highly stylized and personalized series of steps ending with the bien parado - a traditional pose. 

Watch out some videos on YouTube to learn:

 

If you find the videos provided very confusing and not helpful, below is an explanatory table (by Marisa) showing the steps in each copla (named, respectively, in Spanish: Primera Sevillana, Segunda Sevillana, Tercera Sevillana, Cuarta Sevillana). Hope it does the trick!

FIRST COPLA
1st section	2nd section	3rd section
5 sevillana steps 1 pasada	1 sevillana steps 4 esquinas 1 pasada	1 sevillana step 4 pasadas 1 vuelta (left)
SECOND COPLA
1st section	2nd section	3rd section
1 sevillana step 3 rond de jambe 1 vuelta (left 1 pasada	1 sevillana step 6 pas de basque 1 vuelta (left) 1 pasada	1 sevillana step 8 pas de basque (circle) vuelta
THIRD COPLA
1st section	2nd section	3rd section
1 sevillana step 1 vuelta (left) + mark 1 vuelta (right) + mark 1 pasada	1 sevillana step 3 zapateados 1 vuelta (left) 1 pasada	1 sevillana step 1 pasada + mark 1 pasada + mark 1 vuelta (left)
FOURTH COPLA
1st section	2nd section	3rd section
1 sevillana step 1 double spin (left) 1 sevillana step 1 double spin (right) 1 sevillana step 1 pasada	1 sevillana step + double stamp 1 careo 2 pas de basque 1 careo 1 vuelta (left) 1 pasada	1 sevillana step + double stamp 4 careos 1 vuelta (left)

Dance terms that can be read from the table are commonly undestood with the meanings given hereunder:

• Careo - type of passing step used in the fourth copla only
• Esquina (corner) - side to side step
• Pasada - passing step, changing place with your partner twice in each copla
• Sevillana - basic dance step performed in Sevillanas that includes a front and backward stepping pattern
• Vuelta - regular (i.e. vuelta normal), upright, pivot turn; or stepping turn (i.e. vuelta de paso), similar to a slow chain turn in ballet
• Rond de jambe and Pas de basque (basque step, a waltzing, 3-count step) - steps from ballet, used in the second copla
• Zapateado - stamping footwork

It'll do, I guess. I wish those of you who choose to get there too all the patience. See you at the 2014 Fair in about ten months!

It's Seville I want to be living in

A Spanish poet, Antonio Gala, widely considered an Andalusian because of living in Córdoba, though from Castile–La Mancha, has said something I can't help but agree with: „The problem isn't that the Sevillians think that they have the most beautiful city in the world, the worst is just that they may even be right.“ 

See the gallery and decide yourself:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

Posted images taken from Facebook page Para vivir, yo sólo quiero Sevilla (To live I just want Seville).

A singing gypsy. El Turronero

Today I want to present you another great artist from the province of Seville, a flamenco singer (cantaor) Manuel Mancheno Peña “El Turronero” (1947-2006), one of my favourites. Manuel Mancheno Peña was born in Vejer de la Frontera in the province of Cádiz, but grew up in Utrera (which is Sevillian) and lived later in Madrid. He was nicknamed El Turronero after his parents, who earned their living as turrón sellers. He used to work with many flamenco guitarists, but his usual tocaor was Francisco Cepero (known as Paco Cepero).

Listen to this beautiful piece of art, a song written by Antonio Fernández Díaz “Fosforito” and Paco Cepero to honour Andalusia, sung by El Turronero and accompanied on the guitar by Paco Cepero and "El Tato"; all Andalusians and knowing what they talk about: apart from El Turronero being an utrerano (from Utrera), Paco Cepero is a jerezano (from Jerez, the province of Cádiz), and Fosforito from Puente Genil, the province of Córdoba.

Here you see him sing Soy sevillano (I'm Sevillian) saying charmingly that he's siempre de juerga (always partying), and take actively part in the April Fair.

Now enjoy more of his work below:

Food at the April Fair

At the April Fair (Feria de Abril), that is a traditional appointment for all Sevillians, there are partying, dancing and singing, as well as horses and dresses, and of course, good food, shovelled in and washed down with a lot of wine (fino, manzanilla and rebujitos).

Sevillanas in the Alfonso Mora's stand (Photo by Intercambio de Idiomas Sevilla)

Eating isn't the main focus, nor is drinking, dancing or singing; this is all done merely passingly. Being there is an event in itself. Being together, exchanging looks and words, and sharing a passion for enjoying life. Chatting and eating, you know. It's a rite to chat while eating, as it is an authentic act of socialisation to eat while chatting. More often, it's snacking (tapeo, picoteo), not eating full meals. It's having a little bit of this and a little bit of that. 

Spanish omelette with a jarful of rebujito (Photo by my friend Alexánder Sánchez)

I found a website, where it was said that the Fair's origin dates back to the year 1846, when Narciso Bonaplata (Catalonian) and José María de Ybarra (Basque) submitted to the city council a request for an authorisation to hold an annual livestock fair on 19, 20 and 21 April to promote cattle ranchers and farmers. So, it was initiated as a countrymen's simple celebration.

The April Fair in its early days (Image taken from a blog)

In a way it still has its original traits. The latter also extends to food. Sevillan snacks (tapas), for the most part, and tapas at the Fair, for sure, are homey, no muss, no fuss kind of meals that are hearty and taste good. Nothing pretentious or extraordinary. Just solid, nutritious, rustic food. The list of the tapas offered in the stands is really long and it takes some experience to know what to order. Taken as a whole, it is all very Sevillian, it's just that some of the tapas are especially typical to the Fair.

A typical moment in a stand at the Fair

Tapas are served hot or cold. Typical hot tapas at the Fair (not the fried ones) include pork fillets (los filetitos de lomo), paella, Spanish omelette (la tortilla de patatas), and variety of seafood dishes, like grilled prawns (las gambas a la plancha), clams with seafood sauce (las almejas a la marinera), scrambled eggs with garlic sprouts and prawns (el revuelto de ajetes).

Revuelto (Photo by E. Agudo)

As Spain makes 44% of the world's olive oil, and as more than a quarter of Spain's oil (i.e. 10% of the total world production) comes from Jaén that is another province in Andalusia, most of the items on the menu at the Fair are fried food (los fritos, las frituritas), such as:

• seafood, like prawns (las gambas), prawn dumplings (las gambas con gabardina), shrimp cakes (las tortillitas de camarones), cuttlefish strips (los chocos), squid rings (las calamares), baby squids (los chipirones, las puntillitas);
• fish (el pescadito/pescaíto), including young hake (las pijotas), red mullets (los salmonetes) and anchovies (los boquerones);
• meat, like chicken strips (las lagrimitas de pollo);
• croquettes (las croquetas);
• vegetables, like peppers (los pimientos), or breaded pepper and onions rings (los calamares del campo).

Fried anchovies (Photo by R. Doblado)

Prawn dumplings

You can also choose from many cold snacks (las tapas frías), such as:

• Iberian cuts (las chacinas ibéricas), like cured ham (el jamón), pork loin (la caña de lomo), spicy sausage (el chorizo), strong cheese (el queso, el cabrales);
• crustaceans, like prawns from Huelva (las gambas de Huelva), common prawns (los camarones), king prawns from Sanlúcar (los langostinos de Sanlúcar), crayfish (las cigalas);
• fish dishes, like tuna in oil (el atún en aceite), anchovies in vinegar (los boquerones en vinagre), marinated dogfish (el cazón en adobo);
• meat dishes, like small sandwiches with pork topping (los montaditos de lomo), cheese stuffed meat rolls (flamenquines);
• salads and other dishes with oil and vinegar seasoning (el aliño de tomate, el pimiento aliñado, las patatas aliñadas), or marinated vegetables, like olives (las aceitunas);
• cold vegetable soups, like el salmorejo and el gazpacho andaluz.

Prawns (Photo by R. Carmona)

Montadito with pork fillet and ham (Image taken from the news site abcdesevilla.es)

Cheese stuffed meat roll (Photo by E. Ruz)

Thick tomato soup salmorejo (Photo by R. Doblado)

Then, all the stands usually feature spoon foods on the menu as a daily special (stew of the day, guiso del día), like spinach and chickpeas stew (las espinacas con garbanzos), chickpeas and cod stew (los garbanzos con bacalao), potato and cuttlefish stew (las papas con chocos), oxtail stew (el rabo de toro guisado), fish or lamb stew (la caldereta de pescado/cordero), pork cheeks (la carrillada), kidneys a la Jerez (los riñones al Jerez), eggs a la flamenca (los huevos a la flamenca), Andalusian stew (el cocido andaluz), etc. Stews are normally served late, not before 3 PM. 

Spinach and chickpeas stew (Photo by E. Ruz)

Potato and cuttlefish stew

Oxtail stew (Photo by Lola Monforte)

Typical desserts are fritters (los buñuelos, los churros) that are had nightly, before going home to sleep. Fritters are traditionally sold wrapped in paper cones or bags and served with sugar or hot chocolate.

Buñuelos (Photo by R. Doblado)

Churros

Seville Fair through the camera eye

Here's an El País photo gallery and a series of YouTube video clips to share the core essence of the April Fair (Feria de Abril). I encourage you to take a look at them if you haven't already, but you are curious about the parade of carriages (paseo de caballos) or interested in flamenco dress fashion, or you want to see how the Sevillanas is danced by Sevillians or what are the Fair stands (casetas) like.

Understanding the Sevillanas through examples

Today, I also want to bring to your attention the Sevillanas usually heard and played at the Seville Fair, especially in the stands (casetas) where live music is not performed. First, I want to share with you a list of the top 10 Sevillanas that made history drawn up by M. Moguer, which I found on the news site ABCdesevilla. Based on this list the most typical ones are the following: Mirala cara a cara; Cántame; Esta niña viene tarde; ¡Ay que te como!; Sevillanas de los bloques; Cuando un amigo se va; Sueña la Margarita; Historia de una amapola; Me casé con un enano; and, A bailar sevillanas.

Here are some more examples for you to enjoy:

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