A True Artist – Interview with Clara Ramona

Clara Ramona is one of the most beautiful and dynamic artists in the world of Spanish dance and flamenco whether as a bailarina, or a bailaora, choreographer, director, producer or teacher.

She started studying Ballet, and traditional dance since the age of 5 in her native Philippines. Also spent years of studying in Modern dance, Jazz , Spanish classical dance and Flamenco. 

Owing to her thorough training, Clara developed her professional career in the United States as the lead dancer and choreographer in the Ramon de los Reyes Spanish Dance Theatre.

She furthered her studies of  Spanish classical and flamenco with masters such as Ramon de los Reyes in Boston, Manolo  Vargas and Antonio de Cordoba in Mexico and in Spain with Ciro, La Tati, Jose Granero, and Tomas de Madrid among others.

Bellydance V.S. Flamenco

What’s the difference between Bellydance and Flamenco for Clara since both dances have rhythms and instruments with dancers?

“Both are rhythmical. For me, Flamenco has Rhythms but dancers also create more beats, rhythms, music from their feet and hands clapping. Therefore, Flamenco dancers not only dance to the rhythms, but also create music on the top of rhythms and music. They will need more sense of musicality than other dancers to create music as well as movements.  For Flamenco, body is just 50% of a performance, creating beats and music by their feet is another 50% to complete a great Flamenco Performance.

About instruments, Belly dancers have Cymbals (also called Zills or Zagat) and Flamenco dancers have Castnuelas. In my experience, I feel that Castnuelas has more variety because dancers can use four fingers on each hand, and create more sounds as we can.” Clara says. 

Dance with Live Music

In most Flamenco performance, it would have live music and singer within it. “Dancing with live music is Flamenco’s neutrality. A truly flamenco performance should have live music. If you dance with recording, technically it is not Flamenco. Flamenco dancers need to dance with guitars, singer, Palmas (hands clapping), and lately Cajon (box-shaped percussion instrument). You create music as well as interaction between musicians and dancers, make it much more exciting. Also dancers and musicians are more related to each other. Make it complete.” Clara explains.

“But the truth is if you were not surrounding with live music, it would be difficult to have good musicality dancing with live music” Clara says. “For Flamenco, it is hard when you are outside Spain because you don’t have that environment. Then it becomes a challenge for dancers.” Clara believes.

The Foundation of all Dances - Ballet

For Clara’s studies and experience, Ballet is very important to any dancer, not just for Flamenco dancers. Ballet is the foundation of all dances.

Clara was a well trained Ballet dancer. Also she believed her transition to Flamenco was very easily because of her Ballet training. “But it doesn’t mean from Ballet you can become a truly Flamenco dancer. It just means Ballet can help you a lot. Even till now, I still does ballet class to keep her same shape.” Clara explains.

Clara confesses, “But if you ask Flamenco dancers from Andalucía or Spain, they may tell you, ‘Oh, Ballet is not good for Flamenco’. Actually, that’s not true. In fact, many professional or famous Flamenco dancers there, they studied lots of Ballet. Sometimes they don’t want to mention that because people usually like to say, Flamenco comes from the streets.

Well, it does. But it is not the only way to be a real Flamenco dancer.” Clara says. “For me, I believe more dancing training you have, the richer dancer you are. You will have more vocabularies to express your feeling, to say your story.”

“In the other way, every dance needs new involved, or it won’t grow. For dancers too! If a dancer just can do one type of dance, he or she will get bored, and audience will get bored too. And also on the growing way, you will need information. In my experience, Ballet can help you more creative and flexible, also make you as longer,“ Clara says. “For example, if a belly dancer just do bellydance, and don’t add any elements or styles, or don’t study any other dances else, I believe you will get boring soon, no matter how good you are.”

Dancer, Artist, and Choreographer

Clara shares her views about what is the difference between a dancer and an artist, “A dancer won’t be more if they just do one thing.  An artist knows how to go beyond, not just dance. An artist can give people something more else, and have more expression; also they continue their dance journey longer. People said Artists are like good wine, when you get older, you will get better.”

“There are lots of dancers but few artists in this world. For me, I believe usually it’s a gift from God. You have to have that potential to be an artist. Not everybody can be an artist. It’ is not when you keep dancing and you will become an artist automatically,” Clara confesses. “An artist is like born with, or maybe you can become an artist by working on one dance style for many years, with years and year’s experience. If you have enough knowledge, also try to grow, try to learn more, try to develop more, you may also have chance to be an artist.”

Not just a dancer is not necessary an artist. A good performer is not necessary a good teacher. A good teacher is not necessary a good performer. Also, a good dancer/ performer is not necessary a good choreographer. Or a choreographer is not necessary a performer.

Clara explains, “Being a choreographer, just like an artist, it is more like born with. That is kind about creativity. Usually they start to create something when they were young. Maybe you can study very hard then become a choreographer, but I need to say most are born for it.”

“In my case, when people asked me when I started to be choreographer, my father always said that I started from my second grade. Even I didn’t realize that is choreography in that time. I just did it with nature, combined dance movement together.“ Clara says.

Inspiration From Music and Life

What is the source of Clara’s inspiration? She confesses, “Music is a very important inspiration for me. When I listen a song and I like it, I can’t stop making choreography for it. Sometimes life experiences are also my sources of inspiration. No matter good time or bad time, happy or upset. For instance, good time may make you happy, and make you more creative; Depression mood may make you more emotional, have more passion.”

“Just like people said, there is nothing new under the sun. Everything is already done in some way, some how, or somewhere. But you still can change colors, tones, or rhythms. It will depend on how you put all together.“ Clara says.

“Music is VERY important also because when we have an idea, then we need to search and search a music to use, unless you are fortunately to have musicians around you.“

“I don’t have specific preference for music. If it really needs to choose, I will say Spanish. But the truth is I can find Spanish themes in many types of music. I don’t know what the influence comes from, it just happened to me.” Clara explains.

Dancers in Eastern V.S. Western

Since Clara travels around this world a lot, does she find out anything special or difference about students from Eastern to Western countries?

Clara confesses, “I feel like in Asia, it’s a bit more difficult to break down the barriers. It may course from their shyness and cultures. For instance, in western countries, people have more willing to try new things, expose more in music or dancing, they will have more open minded to learn and they are also more musical. Asian people start slowly, not immediately. But Asian people have strong work ethnics. They usually work hard even they can’t do that. It makes them to catch on soon.”

Clara lived in American and Europe for many years, now she just moved to Hong Kong three months ago. “I stayed in American for 20 years, then I stayed in Spain 15 years. But in that time, most of my work in Asia: Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, China, Singapore …… I feel I will have some contributions to Asian and I like Asia! Then I tried to move. I stayed in Philippines first to be my Asia base, then I move to Hong Kong just now.” Clara says.

Behaviors of audiences are also different

Clara says, “I remembered my professor told us, between Boston and New York, if Boston gives you three claps, then you know in New York you will be the biggest hit! So Boston always is a testing around Broadway shows or big productions. Not because it’s necessarily correct, but it shows you would be nervous if audience don’t show lots appreciation.“

Clara explains, “And also, I perform in London as well, and London has another way that they don’t show their feeling in the middle of shows, and in end they go crazy! So from beginning to end, you are very nervous that don’t know if they like you, you just need to believe you are doing your best, then to the end, when you know they are crazy for you, then you are realized.“

“But in Asia,” Clara confesses, “Maybe you will know after the show, or you will never know! For instance, last time when I was in Shanghai, they told me people love my show, and I asked, ‘they did?’ It’s hard to find out.”

Lack appreciation of Art is a problem everywhere

For Dancing Industry, Clara confesses, “There are some things I don’t like. For example, too much politics, but I think many industries have this same problem. Also they lack of appreciate of art. Do not care about the quality of art.

For artist, it’s not selling a product like a machine or fruit, but you are selling your art also it’s a very personal thing. It is about emotion. So when people take it very lightly, just think about numbers. They can’t understand the value of are, and how long you studied, and how much you invested in. All these things when people invite an artist, they don’t think about these. Just think about dollars”

“They should think about it!” Clara explains, “You are not paying me for 10 minutes dance.  You are paying my 30 years studies in my life! People never see that. In contrast, when they didn’t argue about price so badly, it makes me more satisfied because it means they believe you.”

“But it’s not always about money, Sometimes appreciation from audience also can make you satisfied,” Clara continues, “And also I think western audiences much more express their appreciation. Asian audiences are…quieter, not willing, or afraid…I don’t know how to explain it. It’s not their culture to show their feeling. For dancers, it would be more disappointed when they perform in Asia sometimes. They are not willing to show their feelings, or maybe they don’t know HOW to show their appreciation! “

“I had an experience in Taiwan years ago,” Clara says. “I taught basic classes there, and one day when I finished my performance, one audience was shock and told me, ‘Wow! I don’t know you can do that! I thought you just can do basic Flamenco!’ It made me very upset in that time. Sometimes people just want to learn something DIFFICULT directly when they don’t know too much, even they don’t understand why! But I studied to be a teacher for years, and also I had my system. I know how to do is better for them, but they just judged you from this.“

Clara’s next plan: You would never know!

“As artists, we are never satisfied.” Clara continues, “Sometimes I just go with the flow, see what will happen. For example, now I’m in Hong Kong, but who knows what will happen in the future? You would never know about the next moment. Everyday is changing, right? Let’s see what is the next !! “