My desert island disc - Number 6 Bolero

Number 6 on my list of Desert Island Discs is very evocative of hot summer nights. Here in this part of Europe the summer is enjoyed throughout the night and the parties start at midnight when it is cooler.

In my little village during the summer months the local council provides an outdoor night cinema. Films are projected against the church walls once a week starting at 10 pm, bring your own chair.

In the cities, concerts are held at open air theatres, stadiums and bull rings. Performances are usually light classics, modern flamenco and sometimes ballet.

It may be night but it's still hot. If you sit near the stage during a dance performance you can sometimes smell the dancer's sweat!

So my Number 6 is Bolero, but with a difference! This is dance set to Bolero by the late French choreographer Maurice Béjart. This video was recorded in Barcelona on a hot night, can you smell the anything?

Flamenco dancing

The flamenco season starts with a bang here in Andalucia and will continue over the summer. I'll take my little camera along with me whenever I go to an event, and take a few snaps for you.

These photographs are from last year. The top photograph is a performance of contemporary flamenco based on a Lorca poem. Notice the lightweight dresses.

The black and white images are of a more traditional dancer, they were taken at about 2am on a hot night. These traditional dresses weigh a ton and I'm always amazed at the stamina of these dancers.
This photograph is of a vintage dancing dress. I received an email from a someone who said she had a recurring dream, where she performed this amazing dance in this very dress. I like that!