National Geographic: The Soul of Spain Page #5

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feels trapped in the stifling atmosphere

This is a small town

There isn't much for me to do

I'm not sure whether so stay or leave

I'll probably leave

but I still haven't decided

The lack of entertainment

career opportunities

even participation in sports

all make teenagers yearn for greater

freedom

The old ways hold no allure

for the young generation

When Alicia's parents accept job offers

in Seville

she is thrilled to go with them

She will become one of the thousands

who seek new lives in big cities

Spain's new constitution

carefully spells out the equality of

opportunity for men and women

After high school

Alicia hopes to join the growing ranks

of working women

"Then after a couple of years

when I've mastered that job

I'll study business management

and after that join a big company

I'd work my way to the top

and eventually have my own company

As a businesswoman

I'd travel

I'd like to travel a lot in my work

Today, many women are entering

the ranks of leadership

in government

politics, and commerce

The unemployment rate of women is

twice that of men

But like Alicia

they pursue an alluring dream

Spain's greatest contemporary poet

Garcia Lorca

described flamenco as deeper than

the heart of the one creating it

and the voice singing it

It comes from the first sob

and the first kiss

Flamenco was born in Andalucia

when Arabic and Spanish music mingled

with the songs of the Jews

The gypsies were to adopt it and

in their wanderings

carry it throughout Spain

Francisca Sadornil

La Tati as she is known

was born here in Madrid

She learned flamenco dancing

from gypsies

married a gypsy in her youth

and remains among the rare outsiders

accepted by them artistically and

socially

A professional dancer from the age of 12

La Tati has dedicated her life

to flamenco

And flamenco has taken La Tati

from a working-class neighborhood

to the concert stages of the world

She reminisces

I can't remember a time

when I didn't dance

I was born on Toledo Street

and there all the neighbors

were Andalucians and gypsies

At No.5 of the Plaza de la Cascorro

was Quica

the dancing professor of Seville

I went to Quica when I was about seven

I never paid for a dancing class

because there was not money

in my family

I slept at the academy on a mattress

between chairs

I helped Quica clean the academy

and did the errands

and this way I learned to dance

Today, she passes her knowledge to

a new generation

She reflects on teaching

With recording

singers and movie actors can leave

their way of singing and playing music

but with dancing it's a little more

difficult

If you don't do it through teaching

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