While in Beijing not long ago I went, on a whim, to a Spanish tapas restaurant and bar in the lively Sanlitun (三里屯) district. There was a special performance by the instructors and students of a local flamenco dance studio, and the evening stirred up a long-ago desire to live the dream myself.
Flamenco is a percussive and passionate music and dance style from the Andalucia region of Spain (read its history!). It's difficult not to be entranced by the proud carriage of the dancers, from their sculpted back muscles to their intricate footwork. And there is, of course, the seduction of the music itself.
I've never studied flamenco dance, but it's one of my goals to do so. I grew up watching the classical perennials Bizet's opera 'Carmen' and the oft-maligned ballet 'Don Quixote', which introduced me to the first flavors of Spanish dance and music as a small child. I am promising myself now that I will take a flamenco class before the year is out! In the meantime, I can always dream and play - the springboard leading to the realization of passions.
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