Outing of the Heart Read Online Free Page B

strict about beginning promptly. Studio time was precious. Her eyes flicked quickly over the assembly. Today she would introduce castanets. She liked to start them early. Young women with sedentary occupations didn’t have strong hands, or the required stamina. But for now, it was arms. As she stood in front of the class, facing the mirror, her back to them so they could follow her movements, she checked each one in turn. Devon was right, that new one had a natural grace and style which was perfect for flamenco. The carriage of her head and upper torso had the right lift. Could she maintain it during footwork?
She put on practise music for a run-through of the basic routines. The heavy guitar strums seemed to speak directly to Tenille’s soul. She had never been to Spain, but she knew she would love the country. Belen had slowed down an Alegrias, one of the lively dances from Cadiz, whose origins lay in the Jotas of that region. Jotas were the traditional music of Aragon, brought to the Andalusian town during the War of Independence.
‘It wasn’t clear,’ she elaborated, ‘whether the Gypsies had brought a new musical tradition which we now know as Flamenco, about the middle of the 15th century, or whether they developed their own form of music from what was current in southern Spain at that time.
‘Many people believe the Hondo style of Flamenco dance came from Hindustan because of the similarity to the way they sing their ragas, as well as the similarity to their dances,’ she explained. It was important for the students to have an understanding of what they were getting into.
‘Hindustan is the region of origin of the Gypsies and this is the reason why Spanish dancing has this distinctive look. Can you try to be Gypsies?’ She smiled as they all laughed.
Tenille’s body was invaded by the earthy sensuality of the music as they went over and over the different sequences of footwork. She had practised diligently all week, to be ready for the lesson and this fact did not go unobserved by Belen. She could always pick the ones who had put in the time. When she went on to new material she made sure Tenille understood exactly what was expected.
Devon arrived just before the break. Her practise clothes accentuated the lithe angularity of her body, so different from Tenille’s curves. She was spare and strong; the movements powerful and controlled. The pelvic bones protruded, but the thighs below were well defined beneath the skirt. Her dancing was compelling. Belen didn’t show any surprise or displeasure at this tardiness.
Tenille’s face lit up when she saw her, her lips parted in eagerness and Devon gave her a golden smile in return. Marissa picked up on this exchange as her eyes took in the details. She was intrigued to know who had caused Tenille to shimmer just then. She maintained her interest, but this week was more discreet. That sultry face had haunted her dreams and even in waking, visions of her had formed, unbidden, behind her eyelids. Somehow she would find a way to get close to this woman.
Sevillanas time. They went through the first two coplas following Devon on the right side of the room and Belen on the left. After two ‘goes’ with the music, Belen paired everyone off. As it happened, she’d decided to put Tenille with Marissa. Marissa came to her Monday class too and was a strong dancer. She would be good for Tenille, helping to bring her along. Also, they looked good together, being similar in height and build. Marissa couldn’t believe her fortune. Never had she enjoyed dancing Sevillanas so much. Belen and Devon walked through how movement of the two bodies should flow around each other and stressed the importance of eye contact during the steps. No problem.
Break time and Marissa had a better chance for a chinwag. They got to know more about each other and enjoyed the exchange. Eventually Belen clapped her hands and called for order. She