Floreo on Okonkolo - OUCH

[windhorse]

I've been playing Folkloric Afro-Cuban for about 10 years, but just started to learn bata repertoire.
Wow,, now I feel like like a raw beginner. It has me off balance and wondering why I'm such an idiot.
I want you guys to feel my pain!
I'm just playing the Okonkolo, the simplest of all, but the last session left me feeling like I had wasted the other guy's time. Here's what I was trying to pick up. It's the floreo to Chachalokefun.
Chacha starts out with just.
|o-s-o-s-|o-s-o-s-| ki-la-ki-la easy right?,, but then the floreo - we start this after "the long call"
|t-s-to--|t-s-to--| I've been working on this for two weeks and still fall out of it like a baby falling out of a crib.
|t-s-toto|t-s-toto| I wrote that with touches since I'm still working it out, but our teacher doesn't use the touches.
I find this much harder than responding to the call between Llango and Chacha.
I think me next step is to get out the metronome and try to fit the pattern to the pulse.

Anybody share this pain?

[seisporocho1]

I just started bata also.
Except I have not been taught any floreo yet. I am focused on just learning the 101 of the part on Okonkolo (he doesn't want me to deviate from the okonkolo until I have down pat) and learning that the most important thing is to just do your part and THAT's IT! At least for now.
My teacher is Lazaro "Tato" Alfonso. He really focuses on keeping things simple and conceptual. I can't imagine myself floreando already, I would be all over the place! I can barely sing the chorus while playing the basic parts.
So I do understand how frustrating it must be for you! I feel your pain!!
Stick to it and remember that most of that stuff will come to you when you least expect it. Like cooking dinner or taking a shower and then all of the sudden : "oh shit! THAT'S what the part is. Now I get it!!!!"...

6x8

[windhorse]

Good point Seisporocho...
Thanks for the bit of reality.

[windhorse]

Okay, breakthrough at yesterday's lesson! For the first time able to play a floreo and successfully move between Ki-La and floreo almost seamlessly while noticing how I fit in the rhythm.. We were playing Iyesa. So my double tones came right after the Itotele's doubles. Really cool pattern!
It's such a slow and difficult practice, that I feel that I have to celebrate these small victories!

[bongosnotbombs]

Hey Dave,
Are you learning Havana or Matanzas style? You going to be taking bata at Humboldt?
I'll probably be in those classes with you if you are.

[windhorse]

We're learning Havana... Yep, I definitely plan on getting in the bata classes! I'll be glad to have some more friends like yourself there!
Thom, my bata teacher is going also for sure.
Rapa says he's going,, but we'll see about that. He's said that before, and didn't follow through.
One of our Denver Rumberos might go as well.

[bongosnotbombs]

Dave,

Well it looks like I'm going to be studying Matanzas style bata over here before too long,
I wonder how different they are.
At Humboldt I'm going to try and take classes of stuff I don't get over here,
song, dance and some bata technique I think would be good.

[Congadelica]

Okay . is about time I joined in on this one . I have had my first lesson a few weeks ago , Im learning Matanzas style too geordie . Im waiting for my DVD tutorial recomended by my tutor .
He told us that there a big differences in Matanzas style to Havana . not many people study Matanzas style for some reason over here in UK .

next lesson in a few weeks , I also feel your teething pains with Bata but Im focused and hungry to learn

Also on the lookout for a set of bata . but most seem out of my price ATM .

Marco