Flamenco is a genre of music and dance originating in the Andalucia region of Spain. It involves colour, noise, rhythm and passion - all of which are typical characteristics of Spain and its people. The best flamenco dancers are superstars in Spain and around the world, but the beauty of flamenco is that it's accessible to anyone and everyone, whatever your age or fitness level. Here are some tips to help you learn to dance flamenco.
Learn the language
You don't need to learn Spanish to learn flamenco, but you do need to be aware that there are specific Spanish terms which you need to familiarise yourself with. There are no English equivalents to these terms, and the main ones are braceo (arm movements), cante (song), compas (beat), duende (the heart and emotion of flamenco, and floreo (hand movements - very important in flamenco). There's a full glossary of all the flamenco terms here.
Dress appropriately
There's no need to wear the full flamenco rig when you're learning, but you do need to think about your clothing and footwear. Wear a top that allows unrestricted movement of the arms, and ensure that your skirt or trousers are not so long that they hide your feet. Footwork is an important aspect of flamenco, and the instructor needs to see your feet, and hear the taps you make.
As for shoes, wear a firm, supportive shoe with a smooth base. Solid soles will make a sound as you execute the footwork, and smooth soles make for ease of turning during the dance. Sneakers or ballet shoes are inappropriate for flamenco.
Let the music take you
While there are patterns in flamenco - as in any dance genre - there is also a lot of improvisation. In the run up to your class, listen to flamenco music, and let your body feel the rhythm. Dance around the room with no witnesses, and listen to the beat of the music. Let yourself go - you know you want to!
Many dances follow an eight beat rhythm, but in flamenco, it's a six beat pattern, because the dance is fast, fluid and aggressive. Forget what your music teacher taught you at school, and get into the habit of counting out those six beats - out loud when you're alone, and in your head when there are witnesses.
Let yourself go
Flamenco is loud, aggressive and passionate, and if you want to learn how to do it, that's how you have to be. Put your inhibitions to one side, and don't worry about what people think of you, or how you look. You'll need to learn to co-ordinate the hand, arm and foot movements at some stage, but unless you can lose yourself in the rhythm of the music, you'll never truly learn flamenco.
Flamenco is an equal opportunities dance genre - anyone can learn to do it. However, if you want to do it properly, you need to learn the terms that are exclusive to flamenco, dress so you can express, feel the beat of the music, and let yourself be drawn into its spell. If you can do all that, you can dance flamenco.
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