The song [cante] bulerías are reported to have developed at the
end of the 19th century, most likely a creation of singer Loco Mateo (c.
1832-1890, Jerez de la Frontera), who concluded his specialty, the soleares,
with a remate por bulerías (ending). Others believe that the cante
bulerías were developed from earlier songs, including shorter,
lighter versions of the soleares, called the soleariya, and the alegrías.
Some think that the bailes bulerías may have developed from earlier,
similar though more ancient dance forms, including the jaleos and bamberas.
The word bulería is probably derived from burlería, the
root word of being burlar, meaning, "to make fun of." Like the
soleares, the musical scale of the bulerías is in the Phyrgian
mode but in the key of A.
The bulerías are considered by flamenco aficionados [experts] to
be flamenco's most flexible form: constantly changing, spontaneous, humorous,
and a favorite festival dance. Generally speaking, the dance is most frequently
performed in cuadro flamenco or at a flamenco juerga [fiesta, party, splurge].
In most contemporary settings the bulería is performed at a fast
pace, often at a rhythmic level exceeding 220 or more on the metronome.
Besides this rapid tempo, the compás [rhythmic structure] for the
bulerías is identical to the soleares [see Figures 1 and 2].
In traditional cuadro flamencos, the bulerías is presented with
each dancer performing a short variation and returning back into the cuadro
flamenco formation as another dancer enters the performance area. In bulerías,
dancers often try to technically "out-dance" one another, dance
teasingly about each other, spoof the audience, have fun, or dance one's
mind. Intricate combinations of palmas [rhythmic hand clapping] and jaleo
[shouts of encouragement] provided by the other performers, and often
by knowledgeable aficionados [experts] who are not performing on stage
or are in the audience often accompanies this dance.
Codified movement phrases have developed over time in the bulerías
and are an integral part of this dance. Because there is also flexibility
within this structure, the bulerías is widely interpreted by flamenco
dancers and choreographers.
In most traditional flamenco dance performances, and often in theatrical,
choreographed flamenco dance performances, the bulería baile is
a structured improvisation. This structure is necessary to direct the
singer [cantaor] and the guitarist [tocaor] into the various "set"
sections of the dance. The "set" sections, which provide a skeletal
framework for the dance, include
1) The entrada/salida [entrance];
2) The opening llamada [movement "call" to the singer and guitarist];
3) The opening dance variation – the “letra”;
4) The desplante/llamada [breaking movement "call"];
5) Marcando or an escobilla. Dancers can also repeat #2, 3 and 4 to lengthen
the dance, and then go to #5.
6) The closing llamada ["call" to the singer and/or guitarist];
and
6) The salida, often also called the cierre [exit/finish].
The improvisational aspects of the bulería baile occur mostly in
the variations. These are the moments when the dancer can choose any sequence
of flamenco steps, including marking steps [marcando], footwork on the
beat [zapateado en tiempo], footwork off the beat [zapateado en contra
tiempo], arm gestures [braceo], totally improvised steps [pellizcos],
palmas en compás [on the beat], and palmas en contra tiempo [off
the beat].
At the beginning of bulerías it is important for the dancer to
"call in" the singer and/or guitarist with a movement llamada,
or if a song is already in progress, to enter at an appropriate time (for
example, on the 2nd half of a compás). All of the performers know
exactly when this section of the dance is being performed because of the
movement and musical cues built into the structure of the guitar playing
[toque], singing [cante], and dancing [baile]. The opening llamada of
a bulerías is otherwise personalized by the dancer, allowing for
many movement and rhythmic variations.
However, the dance movements for the desplante, a type of llamada, have
become codified over time through decades of theatrical and festival flamenco
dance performances. Therefore, all flamenco performers instantly recognize
the opening moments in a desplante. Desplantes are incorporated into many
12-count flamenco dances, but are most recognizable in the bulerías
because variations between desplantes are usually short, quick, and direct.
Because of the structure of bulerías in general, and the quick
tempo at which it is performed, professional flamenco dancers and choreographers
often use the term desplante as a "catch all" phrase to describe
what is actually the desplante and the movement variation that follows
it. It is thus important to separate and examine the desplante, and the
movement variation that follows it more closely.
The clearly recognizable sections of the bulería baile described
above and the heavy accents of the bulería compás, provide
a skeletal framework for the dance. As previously described, the heavy
accents for bulerías, and for many other 12-count phrased flamenco
dances, including soleares and soleares por bulerías, fall on counts
12, 3, 6, 8 and 10. Contemporarily, count 7 often takes the place of count
6 as an accent in all these flamenco rhythms, especially in the bulerías:
| Soleares
compás cycle |
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
9 10 11 12 |
| |
|
|
Bulerías/Soleares
A 12-count
compás cycle
Twelve-beat/count cycle with heavy accents |
12 1 2 3 4 5 6
(7) 8 9 10 11
|
|
In
traditional flamenco settings, bulería is also counted as
two sets of 6 counts each, with the accent falling on count 12 and
6:
|
|
Bulerías
as two sets of 6 counts each
|
12
1 2 3 4 5 - 6 7 8 9 10 11
|
| In
the above cycle, counts 12 and 6 are often held silent. |
| |
|
| |
|
The accents are performed by the palmistas [persons who perform rhythmic
handclaps], bailaors (as), [dancer(s)], or cantaors (as) [singer(s)] as
gólpes [strikes] or palmas [hand claps]. The tocaors (as) [guitarist(s)]
perform the accents as gólpes on the surface of the guitar. In
professional flamenco performances, these constitute the basic accents
upon which all the flamenco performers rely. However, there are many variations
of palmas. For example, if two palmistas are accompanying the performance,
one may clap on the beat as the other claps off the beat (on the "and/&"
beat: 1 & 2 &, and so forth). Both palmistas may perform the heavy
accent with stamps on one foot. When a dancer performs a section including
footwork, the palmistas will usually assist with palmas secas that are
loud, and performed with three fingers striking the other hand. During
a quieter section of the dance, particularly if accompanied by a singer,
the palmistas will probably perform palmas sordas, which are softer sounding
palmas performed with cupped (muffled) hands.
© Katerina Tomás 2002/200
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