| Form |
A favorite dance among professional artists, Soleá por bulerías consists of a series of letras that include breaks of one or more compáses within the letra. Dancers will include "remates" - fast finishes or moments/spurts of footwork, for example, after the 1st line of a letra, which is standard practice, and even at the end of a compás while the singer is still singing. This creates a lively structure, though the dance and music also retains a majestic quality.
There is no standard music for the escobilla in this dance, though it's parent form. the Soleares has easily recognizable music for its escobilla. Dancers usually request rhythm music in the tone and key of Soléa por bulerías for extended footwork sequences. The dance follows the same structure as the Soleares.
Guitar falsetas are often included as both an introduction to the song/dance, and throughout the dance as a vehicle for the dancer. Singers admire this song, and if they perform solo versions with the guitarist only, they usually sing anywhere from 2 to 20 letras in a performance. The Soléa por bulerías and Soleares por medio are often performed together.
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| For Dancers |
Soléa por bulerías is considered a hybrid form by dancers, combining the music and choreographic phrases of the Soleares and Bulerías, but with the rhythmic structure of the Alegrías. As well as performing the dance as a solo, dancers often use this form as a transition from the Soleares into long rhythmic sections (long sequences of footwork/escobillas), and/or as a rhythmic and melodic bridge into the bulerías.
With its driving rhythm, beautiful, powerful guitar music and unique letras, the dance has become very popular, and it is frequently performed as a solo, duet or larger group number in cuadro flamenco and theatrical shows.
The basic framework for Soléa por bulerías choreography is noted below, and this same framework could also be used for the Soleares. Dancers rely on the basic rhythmic structure to create choreography, a 12-count cycle with accents on counts 12, 3, 6 (or 7), 8 and 10, as well as the standard palmas noted above, which lend the dance it's "aire" - feel, or special quality. Count 12, is the heavy accent in this dance, and often used as the beginning beat for choreographic phrases and for the choreography in general. Count 1 in the cycle is also significant, since it is the cue count for the llamadas, and the start count for an escobilla.
ENTRADA/SALIDA (ENTRANCE):
The dancer enters the stage via marking steps (marcando), and performs footwork/an escobilla, which culminates in a rhythmic cue (llamada). This cue is to “call in” the singer. The dancer can also simply perform a llamada with no escobilla.
LLAMADA - this is the call for the singer to sing the first letra.
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FIRST LETRA The singer sings 7-12 sets of 12 count phrases (standard for 12 count songs), that the dancer interprets lyrically with choreography, many and varied rhythmic punches (remates), turns, poses, and other choreographic devices. When the singer concludes the song verse (letra), the dancer will “walk out” of the verse with rhythmic palmas (CONTRA TIEMPO), marking steps, footwork and/or a SUBIDA (a rhythmic build up of tempo via repetitive footwork). This section ends sharply, usually on count 10, or will lead directly into the:
SECOND LETRA OR FALSETA - The falsetta is a musical phrase or phrases that the guitarist has composed or improvises that the dancer interprets with choreography.
NOTE: You can perform as many letras and falsetas as you wish. Most dancers perform two letras and one falsetta.
ESCOBILLAS - a set series of footwork patterns that occur in sequence (several sets of 12 count footwork phrases). Patterns can be performed “A PALO SECO”, dry without guitar music, or with guitar music, and both are often performed in the same dance, one after the other.
SUBIDA/PALMAS/CHOREOGRAPHY that transitions into a BULERIAS. Usually, a REMATE/LLAMADA, a finish and a cue that are performed together in sequence, will occur here to call in the singer for the BULERIAS FINALE.
BULERIAS – FINALE for all 12 count dances. Here, the Bulerías is a structured improvisation with set phrases/choreographic patterns, a set structure, and learned or improvised choreography.
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