Below are the patterns for all four verses, but first the 5-word
vocabulary you need to know in order to speak "Castanet":
pi: dominant hand (middle finger, or middle and ring together)
a: non-dominant hand (middle finger, or middle and ring together)
ta: two hands together
ri: dominant hand (one finger at a time, always in the following order:
baby, ring, middle, index)
chin: slap the castanets together (dominant hand on the inside, but
facing out)
I suggest following these steps:
1st step:
Hold the print-out in your hands and read them off while dancing sevillanas with feet only. Learn the
patterns off by heart before trying to perform them in conjunction with the dance.
2nd step:
Perform the castanet patterns with your hands without dancing (if necessary, reading them off the
print-off placed on a table top). Perform them slowly so that you can develop your technique at
the same time.
3rd step:
Incorporate the castanets into the dance. You may be better off working on only one letra until you get a
good grasp of it, before moving on to the next.
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VERSE ONE
left knee on ta, beginning of sevillana:
a ri a _ chin _ ta _ a ri a pi
1 & 2 & 3 & 1 & 2 & 3 &
5 sevillanas, 1 pasada, 1 sevillana
a ri a ri a pi (x 13)
1 & 2 & 3 &
4 esquinas:
a ri a ri a pi a _ a ri a pi (x4)
1 & 2 & 3 & 1 & 2
& 3 &
1 pasada, 1 sevillana, 1st three pasadas:
a ri a ri a pi (x10)
1 & 2 & 3 &
last pasada (start with right foot), two quiet steps on ta ta:
a ri a ri a pi a ri a ri a _ ta _ ta _ _ _
1 & 2 & 3 & 1
& 2 & 3 & 1 & 2 & 3 &
final vuelta, close on ta:
ta _ a ri a _ ta _ _ _ _ _
1 & 2 & 3 & 1 & 2 & 3
&
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VERSE TWO
left knee on ta, beginning of sevillana:
a ri a _ chin _ ta _ a ri a pi
1 & 2 & 3 & 1 & 2
& 3 &
finish sevillana, golpe golpe on ta ta:
a ri a ri a _ ta _ ta _ _ _
1 & 2 & 3 & 1 &
2 & 3 &
two country dance steps:
a ri a ri a pi (x4)
1 & 2 & 3 &
last country dance step closing on ta ta:
a ri a ri a _ ta _ ta _
1 & 2 & 3 & 1 &
2 &
vuelta (right knee up on 3, right foot down on 1 to turn left):
a ri a _ a ri a _
3 & 1 & 2 & 3 &
pasada:
chin _ ta _ a ri a pi a ri a pi
1 & 2 & 3
& 1 & 2 & 3 &
sevillana (start with right foot behind), golpe golpe on ta ta:
a ri a ri a pi a ri a ri a _ ta _ ta _ _ _
1 & 2 & 3 & 1
& 2 & 3 & 1 & 2 & 3 &
4 pasos de basco:
a ri a ri a pi (x4)
1 & 2 & 3 &
last paso de basco closing on ta ta:
a ri a ri a _ ta _ ta _
1 & 2 & 3 & 1 &
2 &
vuelta (right knee up on 3, right foot down on 1 to turn left):
a ri a _ a ri a _
3 & 1 & 2 & 3 &
pasada:
chin _ ta _ a ri a pi a ri a pi
1 & 2 & 3 &
1 & 2 & 3 &
sevillana (start with right foot behind), golpe golpe on ta ta:
a ri a ri a pi a ri a ri a _ ta _ ta _ _ _
1 & 2 & 3 & 1
& 2 & 3 & 1 & 2 & 3 &
paseo (start with left foot):
a ri a ri a pi (x6)
1 & 2 & 3 &
final steps (start with left), close on ta ta:
a ri a ri a _ ta _ ta _ _ _
1 & 2 & 3 & 1 &
2 & 3 &
final vuelta, close on ta:
ta _ a ri a _ ta _ _ _ _ _
1 & 2 & 3 & 1 & 2 & 3 &
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VERSE THREE
left knee on ta, beginning of sevillana:
a ri a _ chin _ ta _ a ri a pi
1 & 2 & 3 &
1 & 2 & 3 &
end of sevillana, left foot behind, right foot to side, two golpes with left, vuelta to the left,
and the 1st touch with right foot (next to left foot):
a ri a ri a pi (x4)
1 & 2 & 3 &
2nd touch (right foot forward), and the 3rd touch (right foot next to left foot):
a _ a ri a pi
1 & 2 & 3 &
4th touch (right foot forward), two golpes with right, vuelta to the right, and the 1st touch with
left foot (next to right foot):
a ri a ri a pi (x3)
1 & 2 & 3 &
2nd touch (forward with left foot) and hold foot for two beats:
a _ a ri a pi
1 & 2 & 3 &
pasada, sevillana:
a ri a ri a pi (x5)
1 & 2 & 3 &
3 esquinas with footwork on beat 2:
a ri a ri a pi a _ _ _ _ (x3)
1 & 2 & 3 & 1
& 2 & 3
close:
ta _ ta _
1 & 2 &
vuelta (right knee up on 3, right foot down on 1 to turn left):
a ri a _ a ri a _
3 & 1 & 2 & 3 &
pasada:
chin _ ta _ a ri a pi a ri a pi
1 & 2 & 3
& 1 & 2 & 3 &
sevillana, pasada, two steps to get into diagonal position, first touch with right foot (next to left
foot):
a ri a ri a pi (x5)
1 & 2 & 3 &
2nd touch (right foot backward), third touch (right foot next to left foot), fourth touch (right foot
backward):
a _ a ri a _ a ri a _
1 & 2 & 3 & 1 & 2 &
last half of pasada with right foot, starting with sweep:
chin _ ta _ a ri a pi
3 & 1 & 2 & 3 &
two steps to get into diagonal position, first touch with left foot (next to right foot):
a ri a ri a pi
1 & 2 & 3 &
2nd touch (left foot backward), and then bring right foot back to close with feet together:
a _ a ri a _ ta _ ta _ _ _
1 & 2 & 3 & 1 & 2 & 3 &
final vuelta, close on ta:
ta _ a ri a _ ta _ _ _ _ _
1 & 2 & 3 & 1 & 2
& 3 &
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VERSE FOUR
left knee on ta, beginning of sevillana:
a ri a _ chin _ ta _ a ri a pi
1 & 2 & 3 &
1 & 2 & 3 &
end of sevillana, left foot behind, right foot to side, two golpes with left, vuelta toward
the left, lift right leg:
a ri a ri a pi (x4)
1 & 2 & 3 &
place right foot forward:
a _ a ri a pi
1 & 2 & 3 &
right foot behind, left foot to side, two golpes with right, vuelta toward the right, lift left leg:
a ri a ri a pi (x3)
1 & 2 & 3 &
place left foot forward:
a _ a ri a pi
1 & 2 & 3 &
pasada:
a ri a ri a pi (x2)
1 & 2 & 3 &
sevillana (start with right foot behind), golpe golpe on ta ta:
a ri a ri a pi a ri a ri a _ ta _ ta _ _ _
1 & 2 & 3 & 1
& 2 & 3 & 1 & 2 & 3 &
2 carreos, 2 pasos de basco:
a ri a ri a pi (x4)
1 & 2 & 3 &
1 carreo, close with feet together on ta ta:
a ri a ri a _ ta _ ta _
1 & 2 & 3 & 1 &
2 &
vuelta (right knee up on 3, right foot down on 1 to turn left):
a ri a _ a ri a _
3 & 1 & 2 & 3 &
pasada:
chin _ ta _ a ri a pi a ri a pi
1 & 2 & 3 & 1
& 2 & 3 &
sevillana (start with right foot behind), golpe golpe on ta ta:
a ri a ri a pi a ri a ri a _ ta _ ta _ _ _
1 & 2 & 3 & 1
& 2 & 3 & 1 & 2 & 3 &
6 carreos:
a ri a ri a pi (x6)
1 & 2 & 3 &
final carreo, close on ta ta:
a ri a ri a _ ta _ ta _ _ _
1 & 2 & 3 & 1 &
2 & 3 &
final vuelta, close on ta:
ta _ a ri a _ ta _ _ _ _ _
1 & 2 & 3 & 1 &
2 & 3 &
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