The HCOS Weekly Vol. 2 Edition 2
Fiona Malena in Kelowna By Kristina Fedorov And Taria Soames
(Guitar), Baile (Dance), and Palmas provised and can never be replicat(handclaps). ed. Over the years many different styles of flamenco have formed. In total there are 151 styles of flamenco that are practiced all over the world. Andalucía was where flamenco was formed. The gypsies would sing, clap, dance, and play guitar. Over a number of years flamenco’s popularity spread out and beyond the gypsies. Many people all over Spain started dancing flamenco, and it became an actual dance style.
Fiona Malena, a Calgary-born Spanish Flamenco dancer was performing in Kelowna this past week. She started dancing Flamenco in her late teens, and moved to Spain at age nineteen for formal training. She now lives part-time in Spain, and part-time in Canada; or as Fiona puts it, “Wherever my work takes me.” Flamenco dancing is a beautiful art form practiced all over the world. It is a Spanish art form but many other cultures perform and practice it. Flamenco originated in Andalucía, and many of the gypsies practiced it before anyone else. Flamenco consists of Cante (singing), Toque
We asked Fiona what her favourite style of flamenco was and she replied, “Every year it is different.” This year though, it is the Peteneras. The Peteneras is a very mystical dance. It is claimed that the verses of the song are cursed and therefore it is rare to be performed. “The Peteneras is very flexible, it requires a lot of personal involvement and improvisation so many people find it very hard to work with,” Fiona said, “It is extremely deep.”
Solea, Alegria, Buleria, Tangos, and Fandangos are some of the more popular styles; They all have a 12 beat rhythm that’s a little confusing. Like I said, there are 151 styles of flamenco and these are only a few of the vast and beautiful styles of flamenco that are performed all over the world. The very unique thing about Flamenco is the fact that it is not just a dance, a song or a rhythm; it is an expression and contribution of many different people. Fiona describes it as a “multi-dimensional art, like a full relief painting… There are so many layers to it.” It is very rhythmic, extremely expressive and always different. Each show will be different because the “La Cueva” (The Caves) Fiona troupe works with each other so Malena’s current show, was creatclosely; half the performance is im- ed in the historic caves in Cap-