GIPSY DUENDE
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Surrendering to what is... transforming suffering through music and dance.
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Gipsy Duende is one of the branches of the Danza Duende International Network, founded by Franco-HungarianYumma Mudra, Yumma, whose birth name is Myriam Szabo, a former soloist dancer of the Ballets Russes Irina Grjebina, struggled on how to best convey an art that required a total surrender, not only of the body and the mind, but also and especially of the heart, while trying to preserve in its teaching its spontaneous and free nature. Out of this reflection was born Gipsy Duende. It is a
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vision of art and dance as instruments to return to the freshness and sincerity of the gesture, cultivating simplicity, improvisation and a sense of humor. Inspired by the universal soul of Romani dances, focus is given to foot work, rhythmic games, the swiftness of changes and the speed of execution, while using accessories such as the shawl and wide skirts. But these elements are at the service of a deeper work of expression and interpretation, aiming at appropriating ourselves of the technical tools, so as to build a dance that is born of our own experience and becomes one of joy and celebration, both individual and communal, of the present moment.
In the Gipsy Duende teaching, as in all other specific forms or branches of our network, key resources are used in regular classes, workshops and residencies. These include exercises for the development of perception, intelligence and braveness, such as space awareness practice, the ability to improvise and create new movement forms; to develop a quick adaptation to changes; deepening our communication skills, such as learning how to express ourselves in a clear and intense way; being flexible and empathetic towards others… All in all, cultivating basic goodness in our daily lives, courage, and nourishing a spirit of joy and generosity.
Mónica is a direct discipline of Yumma Mudra. She directs the Gipsy Duende branch of the Danza Duende School along with Carolina Fonseca. Both were invited to teach by Yumma since 2003, and later to direct this area of the school.
In the Gipsy Duende teaching, as in all other specific forms or branches of our network, key resources are used in regular classes, workshops and residencies. These include exercises for the development of perception, intelligence and braveness, such as space awareness practice, the ability to improvise and create new movement forms; to develop a quick adaptation to changes; deepening our communication skills, such as learning how to express ourselves in a clear and intense way; being flexible and empathetic towards others… All in all, cultivating basic goodness in our daily lives, courage, and nourishing a spirit of joy and generosity.
Mónica is a direct discipline of Yumma Mudra. She directs the Gipsy Duende branch of the Danza Duende School along with Carolina Fonseca. Both were invited to teach by Yumma since 2003, and later to direct this area of the school.
ph. credits: Paulo Escoto
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ph. credits: a friend
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ph. credits: Paulo Escoto
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GIPSY DUENDE classes & workshops
The Gipsy Duende training is mainly focused on transforming suffering and pain through music and dance. It is really about understanding the true meaning of celebration. You may also be fond of this proposal if you are a lover of Romani culture, music and dance art expression.
There is no previous dance experience required to follow the classes. If you cannot resist the romanticism of Hungarian violins, the raspy voices of the Romanian gypsy tarafs, the fiery and passionate rhythms of the Russian gypsy choirs or the intriguing cadence of oriental influence of the southern Balkan dances, why not hop on? It may help you let go, loosen up, forget your daily setbacks for a moment or turn them into art, With romanticism or fierceness, intensifying or dissolving... let us dance our lives.
Danza Duende is a network of people who share a vision of art and a method of teaching dance, which stands out for proposing students different tools that allow them to investigate their own form of expression. In the case of Gipsy Duende, we do it inspired by the universal language of Romani dances, following Yumma Mudra's - the school founder - background. In this sense, the "form", the vocabulary, the “step” become a means rather than an end.
From a more technical point of view, we study Romani dances from several regions of Europe, with a particular emphasis on the Russian and Central European ones, but not only. We investigate the source of their expression, as well as their musical and sound variety, within a cultural framework.
We develop and refine our rhythmic sensitivity and our motor skills. We work on becoming aware of our physical and mental posture, and our external and internal bodies, gradually entering into contact with our intrinsic natural harmony. While doing footwork, accompanied by palm clapping, finger clicking or our own voices, our whole being becomes a single rhythmic instrument.
But underlying the execution of our steps and sequences, our turns, jumps and movements in space, we deeply work on grounding and breathing as our most present and paramount reference. In a carousel of energy, rhythm, shawls and skirts, we dance stories, our stories, the others’ stories, the community stories, the world’s conscious or subconscious stories. We dance them, we sing them, we honor them, creating a playful and community environment in which everyone is an active participant, creator and discoverer of their own authentic movement.
(check out timetables and the workshop agenda HERE)
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Dance and Life in conscious interdependence
Danza Duende promotes a work on our own selves that is based on an ethical and joyful approach in the transmission of art.
The training proposed by the Danza Duende international network is recommended to all artists and teachers or just about anyone who feels the need to explore their creative inspiration and intensify their ability to being present, here and now. It is a long-term training that allows us to visit the very sources of form in our own minds and to discover our intrinsic talent so that we can work in all spheres of our lives as if we actually danced our lives!
(more about DANZA DUENDE)
Press
Gipsy Duende - a review by Karine Butchart
“Wild and Free Forever” was a great sub-title for this gypsy duende workshop with Monica Roncon held recently in West Cork, Ireland. Whilst learning gypsy dance techniques from Russia, Hungary and Romania, the main focus of the weekend was really on the spirit of the gypsy style or the duende of dance. Monica, who is Portuguese living in France, was knowledgeable, skilful and playful as she inspired the group with her energy and enthusiasm. The room became a swirl of colour and joy as we swished our huge skirts and shawls feeling exhilarated by the music and energy of the dance. The whole weekend was well paced with good warm up and stretching.
This workshop was one of a series of danza duende workshops held in the beautiful location of An Sanctoir – a place set amidst the emerald hills of Ballydehob. All the teachers on this project have a lovely quality of clarity and purpose that they bring to their work – constantly seeking new ways to deepen the experience of any style that they share. (...)
The beauty of the danza duende project from my point of view is that it deepens one’s understanding of dance, movement, the impulse from which we dance, the authentic, true nature of dance, bringing self investigation as well as sharing with, and being inspired by others. By exploring space, shape, pace, expansion, breath and stillness there is an enhanced sense of being very present and alive. Technique has its place but really that is only the beginning…….! The approach deeply resonates with my own background of body work, movement and dance.
In Mosaic Magazine (2008)
“Wild and Free Forever” was a great sub-title for this gypsy duende workshop with Monica Roncon held recently in West Cork, Ireland. Whilst learning gypsy dance techniques from Russia, Hungary and Romania, the main focus of the weekend was really on the spirit of the gypsy style or the duende of dance. Monica, who is Portuguese living in France, was knowledgeable, skilful and playful as she inspired the group with her energy and enthusiasm. The room became a swirl of colour and joy as we swished our huge skirts and shawls feeling exhilarated by the music and energy of the dance. The whole weekend was well paced with good warm up and stretching.
This workshop was one of a series of danza duende workshops held in the beautiful location of An Sanctoir – a place set amidst the emerald hills of Ballydehob. All the teachers on this project have a lovely quality of clarity and purpose that they bring to their work – constantly seeking new ways to deepen the experience of any style that they share. (...)
The beauty of the danza duende project from my point of view is that it deepens one’s understanding of dance, movement, the impulse from which we dance, the authentic, true nature of dance, bringing self investigation as well as sharing with, and being inspired by others. By exploring space, shape, pace, expansion, breath and stillness there is an enhanced sense of being very present and alive. Technique has its place but really that is only the beginning…….! The approach deeply resonates with my own background of body work, movement and dance.
In Mosaic Magazine (2008)
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