ED2012 Children's Shows ED2012 Interviews ED2012 Week2 Edition

Lucia & Scot: On that flamenco bug

By | Published on Wednesday 15 August 2012

Lucia & Scot

Last year one of our reviewers saw Lucia and Scot (sitting at the front of the picture there) do their thing at Alba Flamenca and came away impressed. Which made us think that, with the show back this year, we should speak to the folk at Alba Flamenca about the show. But then we thought, well, hang on; puppets are an oppressed minority. Isn’t it time we allowed the stars of the show to speak for themselves?

CC: Hello Lucia, hello Scot – are you all set for another Fringe?
Lucia: Hola! Yes, we are very excited! We love having a blether with all the children who come to see us during the Fringe and telling them all about flamenco! Everyone else in our show is a real human and not puppets like us, so we have been bossing them around for weeks to make sure they’re ready for the Festival.
Scot: We sometimes visit children in flamenco classes at Alba Flamenca with Pam, who is the storyteller in our show. Also, during the year we sometimes visit schools with her, but August is our favourite time to meet new people.

CC: Lucia, the ‘Big Flamenco Adventure’ sees you taking Scot on a journey – why do you do that?
Lucia: Well, Scot loves flamenco, but he doesn’t really have very good rhythm… in fact, if I am honest, he looks a wee bit silly when he is trying to keep time with the music!
Scot: At least I’m not covered in spots like you are, in your frilly flamenco dress – you look like you’ve got the measles!

CC: And where do you go?
Scot: We go to Spain, silly! Even I know that’s where flamenco comes from! Although we have lots of flamenco in Edinburgh, Spain has soooooooooo much flamenco going on that I get really tired saying ‘Ole!’ all the time!
Lucia: When people come to our show we get them to practice saying ‘Ole!’ a lot too!

CC: How did you learn Flamenco?
Lucia: Well, I am quite good because my family come from Andalucia in Spain – did I mention that’s how I got my name – Lucia? Also my dad plays the flamenco guitar, although he’s not as good as Andrew who’s the guitarist in our show – he’s ‘estupendo’ (that’s excellent!).
Scot: I am still learning, but each time children come to our show I get better and better. It also helps having them there because Lucia can get really bossy with me! Oh and did I mention I am called Scot because I come from Scotland?

CC: What’s your favourite part of Flamenco?
Lucia: I love the flamenco dancing! Marta and Aroa, who are dancers in our show. are really good and do super-fast ‘taconeo’ – that’s when you tap your feet in special flamenco shoes to make a drumming sound! I love their costumes as well.
Scot: I like the singing. When I grow up I want to be a flamenco singer like Inma in our show… although I don’t want to sound exactly the same – her having a girl’s voice and all that!

CC: And what do your audiences seem to enjoy most?
Scot: Well, they seem to enjoy watching me, but apart from that I think they like coming up on stage and joining in all the flamenco fun!
Lucia : When you come to our show
you’ll be expected to join in – so no lazy bones allowed! And daddies, don’t think just because you’re boys that you don’t have to wear a flower in your hair!

CC: If audience members young or old catch the Flamenco bug during your show, is there anyway we can learn more?
Lucia: Oh we love it when people catch the flamenco bug! It’s easy peasy to get more flamenco – just come back to Alba Flamenca in September when our classes start. We also have flamenco shows all year at Alba Flamenca, although Scot and I tend to have a rest then!
Scot: Millions of dance students come to Alba Flamenca. Well maybe, not millions, but lots! Pam told me that the youngest is 2 years old and the oldest is 72 years old!

CC: And what if it puts us in a Spanish mood – where do you go to eat a good Spanish meal in Edinburgh?
Lucia: My dad says the bestest tapas in the whole of Edinburgh is in El Bar, which luckily is next door to Alba Flamenca! He says it reminds him of being back home in Spain! When he comes to collect me from my flamenco dance class, Raul and Ray from El Bar always let the flamenco children sneak a wee tortilla pincho when they come out of classes! Yum! Yum!
Scot: My mum comes to the flamenco classes at Alba Flamenca and she always tells me that when the class finishes that she has to stay at El Bar for some rioja and gambas with Saliha her teacher… I’m not sure but I think it must be new dance steps she needs to learn?!

CC: And finally, do you have time to see the rest of the Fringe during August? What’s your favourite thing about the Edinburgh Festival?
Scot: Well we’re kept quite busy during the Fringe so we don’t get out as much as we’d like. Though, being a puppet you sometimes feel a wee bit different to everyone else, but at this time of year in Edinburgh you feel really normal!
Lucia: Yeh, I saw a tap dancing horse in the High Street the other day! I didn’t think his footwork was great and he wasn’t making much pocket money… I maybe should have suggested he take up flamenco dancing instead!

Lucia and Scot appeared in ‘Big Flamenco Adventure’ at Alba Flamenca at Fringe 2012. 

LINKS: www.albaflamenca.co.uk

Photo: Kat Gollock



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