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Flying to Flamenco…But Not Really

By asthaa

Have you ever had your breath-taken away by a spectacular performance? By people doing what they do best for a whole audience to marvel? I had the opportunity to see Carmen, a story told through the lens of flamenco, earlier last week and I fell in love. With fast-paced feet and lean, graceful arms, the dancers of Antonio Gades Company conveyed the anger, sadness, and intimacy of Carmen so well that the audience was left clapping for minutes after the show. An ensemble of singers and guitarists completed the story, singing and playing some of the most beautiful music I have heard in Spain.

But that was not my only dose of flamenco this week. Along with two of my friends, I finally started my practical flamenco classes. In fact this week, we attended two flamenco classes, saw a fabulous flamenco performance, and finished our theory of flamenco class too. All three of which were located in different parts of Madrid. The flamenco performance was in an area of Madrid I didn’t know too well, our dance class was in the center of the city, and our theory class was in La Autónoma, in the outskirts of Madrid.

So how did we make it from class to performance to class and find time to eat at home in between? Luckily, moving around Madrid is easy. The metro is simple and clean, and the buses run regularly. And much like D.C. and New York, if you can, you walk. Anywhere and everywhere - to your home, to the pub, to the shops, and to the museums. Walking has become my excuse for enjoying my host family’s meals, tortillas, and European coffee as much as I do. In fact, I think many of GW Madrid students feel the same way: We can walk it off. Many of our daily commutes to the university include switching trains and getting on Cercanias, what I like to think of as Madrid’s version of the Long Island Railroad.

Can a 45-minute commute early in the morning be the bane of my existence at 8:00 am? Of course, but it’s doable and Madrid has made getting from place to place easy, especially when purchase an unlimited monthly pass as we do. After all, I can’t complain when I’m bouncing between a class at the Prado, flamenco lessons at a famous studio, and a performance of Carmen.