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SHOES
SKIRTS CASTANETS
LONDON PEÑA
SPANISH DANCE SOCIETY
SHOES
“Proper”
flamenco shoes (boots for men) are strongly reinforced and have nails in the
toes and heels. These are generally
only available in this country at THE flamenco shop “El Mundo Flamenco”
which is in Duke Street, off Oxford Street, London (opposite Selfridges –
nearest tube Bond Street). The
makes Gaillardo or Coral are recommended and they cost from about £70 - £120.
If you can’t get to the shop, you can buy them over the phone:
telephone
no:. 020 7493 0033
However,
some cheaper (lesser quality) flamenco shoes with nails are available at Dancia,
the Dancers Shop, 27 St.Benedicts Street, Norwich Telephone:
01603
619713 These are called "Gladis"
cost £45 and the shop currently has 3 sizes available, but can order more.
A
cheaper substitute for beginners are character shoes or “Spanish shoes”
which have a heel and a bar but no nails. These
are available at both Porselli, (now
situated at 4 Frensham Road, Norwich, in the industrial estate just off
Sweetbriar Road, entrance opposite Rhone Poulenc, not far from Asda Telephone: 01603
406700)
and at The Dancers Shop, 27, St.Benedicts
Street, Norwich.
PRACTICE
SKIRTS
It
is not uncommon for women to dance and practise in trousers these days so a
skirt is no longer essential.
However
traditional flamenco is still danced with a skirt. A limited range is sometimes available at the local dance
shops.
A
much wider choice is available at El Mundo Flamenco as above.
If
you have access to the internet try other sites such as:
www.flamenco-world.com
This
site is based in Madrid and is very extensive. It sells and covers everything
you can think of to do with flamenco! It used to provide a very reliable
service, but popularity seems to have slowed it down lately.
Other
sites to try are:
www.flamencoexport.com
www.esflamenco.com
Or
you could have a skirt made. June (Juanita) Jimenez is a very good and
experienced flamenco dressmaker and makes skirts in a variety of styles and
colours. Telephone her on 01279 730795
CASTANETS
Castanets come in all sorts of qualities.
When I researched it several years ago, I found only one shop in Norwich
selling
castanets. WILLIAM ELKIN MUSIC SHOP, 31 Exchange Street, just along the
road from Jarrolds, had some which at the time were Lucero Tena (a good make) and the
cost was £8.99 (cheap!!) Telephone 01603 666332, website www.elkinmusic.co.uk
Gibson Music Shop has moved to London
Street. Telephone 01603 663262
The best choice of castanets is at El Mundo Flamenco, Duke St.,
just off Oxford Street, London. You can buy them by mail order by phone telephone 0207493 0033. These
castanets are NOT cheap. They have 3 makes, Galiano at £95 and £70 (no, they
are not gold-plated), Lucero Tena ranging from £14.90 to £44.50, and Filigrana
ranging from £12.95 to £39.95. The mail order by phone is very
good. I have used them to buy CD's which only took a couple of days to
arrive and that was just before Christmas! But at those prices I would
hurry along to Elkin Music while stocks last!!
Of course, you could always get some frog-shaped castanets from
Cookes, St.Benedicts, when they get some more in............
The
London Peña meets once a month on a Sunday at St Aloysius
Social Club 20 Phoenix Road, NW1 Nearest Underground: Euston.
Check the shows
page and their website for dates and details. You pay to go in, and it
usually takes the form of a flamenco show, with tapas available. Twice a year it
takes the form of a juerga night, which is spontaneous contributions by the
members, like the Norwich Peña always is, although the spots are booked in
advance.
The
London Peña
produces a very good periodic Newsletter, packed with useful information,
including top class shows, classes and courses around the country.
Well worth the annual membership fee of £15.
Telephone:
Vera King 020 7703 6893
email:
info@flamenco-london.org.uk
website: www.flamenco-london.org.uk
The
Spanish Dance Society runs an intensive summer school course in London for 6 days in July.
This covers Spanish Dance (a balletic form), flamenco, and bulerias and
is usually very good value for money.
They
also produce a periodic Newsletter which can provide useful information, for
£14.50 per annum to become an associate member.
Contact
Sherrill Wexler: 01784 460419
TOP SHOES
SKIRTS CASTANETS
LONDON PEÑA SPANISH
DANCE SOCIETY
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