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Flamenco Forms
Bulerías
by Susana
Navalón
Translated by Yasha
Maccanico
(From burlería, mockery, fun or from bullería, racket, shouting, din). It is
a boisterous, festive and happy palo (form). It can be distinguished for its
fast rhythm and its double-quick meter that makes it better suited to the jaleo
(encouragement and loud expressions of admiration, through shouting interjections
or gestures) and palmas (hand-clapping) than other styles. It is often used
to finish off songs in other styles, mainly the soleá, although it also tends
to be the dance that finishes off any flamenco get-together. When this is the
case the entire company gets together in a semi-circle in the centre of the
scene and, one by one, the performers come out to dance a section of the piece.
Normally, it starts with a llamada (call, signal) and ends with the exit, with
which the bailaor (dancer) returns to the position in the circle that s/he
was occupying previously. |
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 Sometimes, steps from different folk and popular dances are performed in a bulería
style, although this is done in fun and with a touch of mocking about it.
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| Dance |
It is a style of dancing that is laden with intuition on the part of artists,
allowing them to flaunt their skills and to have plenty
of communication with the audience, because it is the
style which allows the most space for improvising. The
meter plays a crucial role in the freedom that exists
for spontaneous, graceful and roguish movements. Absolute
control of the offbeat is required, alongside a wealth
of dance steps, speed, as well as strength in the feet
in order to zapatear (making a rhythmic combination of
sounds by stepping with the toe, sole and heel of the
foot), and absolute expressiveness of the arms, the body,
and even the face. At times, the steps of different kinds
of folk and popular dances are performed in a bulería
style, although this is done in fun and with a touch
of mocking. It is also the only flamenco style that allows
jumping in the male performance.
It has the same meter as the soleá, but it is a lot quicker:
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or, also:
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| Guitar |
It can be executed in whatever key one prefers, with a middle or higher key usually
preferred. In the middle, it involves playing the same
chords as in the soleá, in LA major and B flat major.
There are other bulerías which are suited to the chords
of alegrías in the middle, in a dominant LA major, whereas
these are in a dominant E major when playing at the top.
The desplantes (the simple strumming that goes at the
end of the melody) in this dance are the same as for
alegrías when they end and go into a bulería, and its
rasgueo (strumming) is also the same, although there
may be someone singing. |
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| It is often used to finish off songs in different styles, mainly the soleá,
although it also tends to be the dance that finishes off
any flamenco get-together. |
| Singing |
Bulerías appeared in the middle of the nineteenth century in Jerez, although
their core region also includes Utrera and Cádiz. Its
coplas (poetic composition, in verse, used as lyrics)
have three or four eight-syllable verses and its lyrics
are inconsequential, although they may gain strength
in their delivery. Within its heterogeneous nature, it
is possible to single out bulerías al golpe and bulerías
ligadas. The former are also known as bulerías por soleá
and have a slower rhythm. The latter are frantic.
In the last few years it has become fashionable to perform
the lyrics of songs and coplas that are not originally
flamenco in a bulería style. The important aspect is
to deliver the lyrics properly adjusting them to a precise
meter.
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Getting
started in flamenco
What is meant by cante jondo, duende, jondura, quejío, garbo…?
Everything you need to know to get started in flamenco.
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You
can start dancing straight away
Finding a jersey, skirt, fan, or dance school is easier than
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the magic into it.
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The skirt shapes your figure and highlights your movements.
Here you can learn how to pick the one that suits you best.
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Paso
a Paso.
Flamenco Forms
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