Duende on #wordymonday

Angel Munoz performing “Angel. From White to Black” at Sadler’s Wells Flamenco Festival 2014, (c) Carole Edrich 2014

Duende. An ambiguous concept that can only really be understood when you’ve felt it for yourself. It’s a way of describing that still, sharp state where anything’s possible; the ‘Zone’; the Zen Moment; the quiet place of passion in the middle of the tornado. It’s when the artist feels at one with both his tools and the audience, when the sportsman is in tune with body, mind and environment, where it all comes together and all actions make sense. An intuitive, visceral, experience, it grabs all participants whatever our role and we think ‘Yes!’.. ‘That’s it!’.. or we’re so staggered that for a while we think nothing at all.

As you see, I don’t think duende is exclusive to flamenco (where the concept has evolved from the idea that a spirit or angel posesses one). I’ve found it in surprising places and believe that with hard work, the right approach and maybe some luck anyone can achieve it. Duende is a result of the inextricable link between creativity, risk, sensuality and passion, and of the connection between joy and pain. It reflects the extremes of performance, intensity, discipline, dedication and desire. It can arise from the cutting edge of creativity where risks are taken to achieve a vision, from the drive to create the perfect moment, from the need to push mind and body through established limits, from selfishness, generosity, guts and determination. It’s about sensuality and sensitivity, intellect and intuition, projection and perceptions, fantasy and fulfilment, and seems only to come as one strives towards a demanding goal.

The roots of my love of dance are in flamenco, a respect for the drive to ‘achieve’ from running a business, an appreciation of art, talent and creativity are from my heart, I need extremes, fun and fantasy as part of my life but the search for duende is straight from my soul.