Guitar
In Andalusia, Flamenco is not just a music but a philosophy of life. I have been playing flamenco guitar since I can remember and I cannot imagine what my life would be without it or without listening to the music of Paco de Lucia, Vicente Amigo, Tomatito or Rafael Riqueni. This ancient music is my heritage and embodies the struggle of my ancestors. It can be tragic and sorrowful but also a soulful flutter of fast paced beats. A famous flamenco singer once said “when I sing at ease my mouth tastes like blood”.
Capoeira
Capoeira is a martial art created by Africans enslaved in Brazil. I fell in love with this profound and majestic art since the first time I heard the berimbau (the arched bow in the picture). In Capoeira, the jogadores enter the roda and play this beautiful game while following the beats and songs that recall the struggles and freedom songs of their enslaved ancestors. The chants and rhythms surround the players and bring their bodies and mind to a different state of consciousness where gravity becomes just a suggestion.
Ocean
I have been surrounded by water since I was born. Those that come from an island know of the intimate and spiritual relationship that one develops with the ocean. There are some unique and distinct feelings that cannot be equated elsewhere: the scorching crackling white sand, the omnipresent drifting of the waves and their salty pollination of your skin. Surrendering yourself to the embrace of Yemaya, the Mother Goddess of the Oceans, is the most vital reminder of our eternity and frailty.
