An opportunity to be dazzled by a live performance on a little-seen percussion instrument, the castanet, will take center stage at the “Music on the Menu” performance at Texas A&M International University’s (TAMIU) Center for the Fine and Performing Arts Recital Hall at noon Wednesday, Feb. 28.
The performance is free of charge and open to all.
Leading the performance of “Las Castañuelas” will be Altagracia Azios García, legendary Laredo dancer and instructor who has long championed the art of Spanish flamenco dance here. The use of castanets (castañuelas in Spanish) anchors traditional flamenco dance performances.
García will join a 10-member performance group and will also provide insight into the performance and the group’s history. Some members have been part of the group for over 20 years.
Performing members include García, Anna Isabel Alvarez, Elvira Jackson, Sandra Muñoz, Jackie Jacaman, Dr. Carmen Rathmell, Shawn Young, Erica García, Tracey Sánchez. and Lizzy Villarreal. The group usually meets weekly for rehearsals or performances.
Castañuelas are a hand percussion instrument with origins dating back thousands of years. They have long been a part of Spanish dances and folklore. Most consist of a pair of concave wooden shells joined along one edge by a string. Held in the hand, they create clicks that act as rhythmic accents and are made of hardwoods such as chestnut.
In classical play, castanets are usually attached to each thumb on each hand. One simple rhythm is played on the left-hand pair while the right-hand pair usually plays a more complex rhythm. In the folkloric playing style, they can be attached to multiple fingers on each hand, are usually bulkier, and have a lower pitch. Sounds occur by flicking the wrists against the palms.
García, a dance teacher for over 43 years, has long been fascinated with castanets and although many might see them as complements, she has a larger view.
“Usually dancers use them to complement their dances…but they have a language of their own,” she said in a 2022 interview.
