Ole’

Seville, Friday 9 October

The 420 km drive from Lisbon to Seville is boring. We pass funny looking bushes with white trunks which grow acorns that the regional pigs are feed to produce a very special Iberian black ham, learning that was the highlight of the six hour trip. But we make up for it with a night at El Patio Sevillaho.

I have seen a handful of Flamenco performances, all in New Zealand and Australia and all good, however they don’t have the x factor that the Flamenco dancer of Seville had last night. Flamenco originated here in Andalusia and is supposedly the music of the Spanish gypsies. All you need is a Spanish guitar and dancer and some audible shoes, but throw in some castanets and a cape and you can tell stories especially about bullfighting all night long. They say that one should watch the face, hands and feet of a Flamenco dancer and you will know how good they are. The main act in last night’s show was an older female who with a single glare could turn you to stone at 20 metres. Her hand movements were as elegant as a Margot Fonteyn pirouette and her feet were as fast as Ben Johnson. She was AMAZING! I couldn’t tear my eyes away and could have watched her all night.

To show appreciation of the performance it is the audiences job to go Ole’ at the appropriate time. A resounding Ole’ will provide encouragement for the dancer to do even better in the next movement a pathetic one isn't that motivational but it’s a bit like applauding at the symphony… you need to know when the time is right to let loose. While our Ole’s weren’t always timed to perfection they did convey enormous pleasure and appreciation for some fabulous entertainment. My new thing for the day - Flamenco lessons. Ole’.