Flamenco Festival Madness: setting the scene
Random camphone shots of things I’ve done on days off, because there won’t be another for the Flamenco Festival’s duration. (c) Carole Edrich 2019
Every year I say I’ll do nothing other than the Flamenco Festival. Every year I forget and find that there aren’t enough hours in the day. Every year I keep it to myself. This year is different. I’ve decided to share some of the madness with everyone. At best it’ll help me remember to organise myself better next year and at worst friends will understand that when I say I don’t have enough time I really mean it. Next year will be different.
I’m writing this blog post to set the context. Flamenco Festival starts on Tuesday. I missed the big preview in Spain because I was so busy with DanceGRiST at the RSA that I didn’t know it was happening. DanceGRiST at the RSA happened later than originally planned because I had underestimated how long it would take to get from agreeing to do an event to getting an agreement in place. It was a great success and you’ll hear more about it later, but events – mainly dancers’ availability – conspired to postpone the research and production date of the related magazine from the end of June to July.
We have another DanceGRiST issue to produce. This will be on dance in Brussels. Originally planned for research and completion in May, dancers’ availability necessitated a second visit to Brussels which I managed in early June. While there’s no official deadline for this one, I want to enthuse the sponsors with the production quality, which is unlikely to happen before it’s done.
I’m not on my own, I have a great team to help. That’s just as well. But even they have to be briefed, mobilised and trained, though not in that order. And we need photos. Unique, exclusive high-quality photos. Two of my three cameras are out of commission. One is a write-off and the other needs repairs. I’m waiting for insurance to replace them. DanceGRiST is still pre-seed so it’s all early days. Other things on the critical June and July list include grant application deadlines, a couple of Sharings, some articles, seeing the absolutely unmissable dance stuff I can, and staff mentoring.
DanceGRiST at the RSA was so exhausting that I booked 10 days away in July too. I need it and it’s not going to get moved.
But that means there’s more to complete during the Flamenco Festival or soon after. It’ll make for an interesting and amusing time.
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