DANCING IN THE STREETS OF YAIZA
ON DIA DE CANARIAS .2023
As the Mayor of the municipality had been re-elected only the day before with a somewhat overwhelming 93% majority, and that today was the first of a new government of the island on the eve of Canaries Day, there was a pretty euphoric atmosphere in the Plaza Los Remedios in the centre of Yaiza on Monday 29th May 2023.
Free seating for around a hundred had been laid out in front of the stage, with a dance-performance area in between. The tables were brightly clothed and decorated and each seated around ten people. All other seats, of steps, park benches and boulder like stones were taken too, Not surprisingly, as they were serving free drinks and food, the bar tents were doing a roaring trade. There were long queues of couples and families in national costume at the service points behind the arena,
The tables filled up and no one looked aghast at these two cheeky English people taking two first come first served chairs at one of the round tables. From there we looked Down the plaza to ´loyal friends and front row dancers´ as the late John Stewart called them in his song, The Last Hurrah.
Toddlers were entranced by the stage lights as parents and grandparents were entranced by the sunset. All new arrivals into the arena were invariably engulfed in hugs and smothered in kisses as is the Spanish way.
The dances here always remind me of Cajun dance moves and there was quite a bit of whirling and swirling around the relatively small dance floor, — or concreted ground as we would think of it in England.
The band on stage was a six piece, occasionally seven piece, band that delivered up tempo feel good sounds, in Spanish, The music was whizzed along by some castanet like clackers and a fine accordion player, with support on lead guitar and bass. The voices were expressive and excelled not only in the ´rock´ songs but also on the folk-lorish ballads sometimes delivered.
This was the first staged concert of the night and much as we would have loved to see the second we had to head a way back home for the Masterchef programme. The four finalists were in Istanbul, learning about Turkish cuisine and its fusions with other continents and countries. It all looked fantastic and according to the two main presenters, it tasted fantastic too.
Michelin Star it may not have been, but the little Spanish tapas in plastic boxes matched it for sure, and all was washed down with a can of non-alcoholic.
THE BANDA MUNICIPAL DE YAIZA
Comfortable with a grand name and playing in pride of place in the busiest part of Playa Blanca, this ensemble was, of course, the real reason we had left the previous night´s concerts rather early. A ten a.m. start down near the town roundabout, now adorned by Cintia Machin´s wonderful fishing boat arts intervention, was about five minutes away when we arrived. Of course, this being a day of National celebration, governmental change and a bank holiday´, that five minutes stretched to twenty. That was no worry, though; The Daily Mail had arrived early at the nearby Spar, and the delay gave me time to read it from cover to cover missing out only the circa sixty two pages about Phil Sackedfield and Holly Whocares. I was also slowed down slightly by trying to read the paper one-handed whilst enjoying a Magnum iced lolly with the other.
There were politicians and television cameras in close proximity and interviews were taking place with all sorts of politicians in National dress.
The band struck up to coincide with raising of The Canary Island flags which, even to we who are residents here of only seven or eight years, somehow felt important and provided a hair on the back the neck moment. A vigourous and melodic and anthemic piece seemed perfectly selected.
The ensemble playing was all from the same page and sounded mighty fine but a couple of soloists also stepped forward and delivered impressively.
A good guide to the quality of the performance was that people walking into the vicinity stayed to listen rather hurrying on to wherever they had been heading.,
There were other musical performances along Calle Limones that took place throughout the afternoon, and similarly attracted wide attention and seemed to be well received by residents and tourists alike.
NEWS FROM LANZAROTE ART GALLERY
Discover curated artworks. Curating art doesn’t only mean to choose “nice things”; curating is a way to help read a work of art, both aesthetically and in its poetics. On the Art Space on line site Collectors, and our readers can pick excellent art pieces by following their heart, mind and, maybe, some good pieces of advice and good investments for the future.
So, why not discover curated artworks? Art Space is a virtual visit to The Lanzarote Art Gallery curated selection that adds a pinch of art to your daily life!
Art Space, edited, by Ladrón de Guevara, presents the section of curated works, in which you can discover in depth, the artistic universe of outstanding creators of Lanzarote Art Gallery.
Eduardo Farina is the owner and manager of the Lanzarote Art Gallery in Costa Teguise, which boasts not only a prime location, excellent space and perfect lighting but also an excellent web site that offers comprehensive and sensible advice on all aspects of art appreciation and collection. Both live and virtual spaces are complemented by a regular newsletter servece to media and patrons.
This week´s newsletter invites us to look particularly at the work of Begona Lafuente and includes pieces on works of her such as Camouflage, Life Is Beautiful and Resurgir.
Also recommended is Fabio Hurtado who works the past that looks to the future, according to Josep M. Cadena. The art critic suggests that he pictorial universe of Fabio Hurtado is set in the United States of America in the twenties and thirties of the last century, with scenes and characters that refer us both to the canvases of Edward Hopper and Tamara de Lempicka and in the films The Great Gatsby and Bonnie & Clyde. The women wear cloche hats and short bob cut hair, dress with modernity and elegance and exhibit independence. The presence of means of transport – car, train, airplane, ocean liner – supports the futurist Marinetti’s claim that a racing car can be more beautiful than the Victory of Samothrace. The animals bring the virtues and characteristics that are their own, so the dog expresses fidelity and the peacock symbolizes glamour. If we pay attention to playing the paintings we will hear clearly jazz, the music that reigned in the Cotton Club.
You can also discover contemporary artworks by Carlos Parra, browse recent artworks and buy online.. You can even buy the latest works by Carlos Parra at Art Space. Also, you might like to explore Parra´s catalogue and buy original artworks or high-end prints., so check out his Gopali Silencio series of works.
