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footwork

Basic Flamenco Footwork Terminology

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Basic Flamenco Footwork Terminology

Sound made with the feet in flamenco is most commonly called zapateado, coming from the word zapato (shoe.)  It can also be called taconeo coming from the word tacón (heel).  Here are the basic flamenco footwork techniques that are used to create sound patterns with the feet.

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Five Things Jesús Carmona Says You Must Include in Your Flamenco Dance Practice (With Videos)

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Five Things Jesús Carmona Says You Must Include in Your Flamenco Dance Practice (With Videos)

What should you do if if you have just 15-20 minutes a day to practice?

That’s what a student asked me to find out when I interviewed Jesús Carmona last month.

Here are the five recommendations he shared along with videos to help you get started on your own at home. (Some of what he advises might surprise you.)

1. Abdominal Exercises

The first thing Jesús mentioned was the need to strengthen our abs. Don't know where to start? Try this:

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Seven Essential Flamenco Dance Lessons From Jesús Carmona

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Seven Essential Flamenco Dance Lessons From Jesús Carmona

Read on for my seven biggest takeaways from this month's workshops with flamenco maestro Jesús Carmona followed by a challenge for you.

Jesús is all about working hard, breaking things down, and holding high expectations all while having fun. A true master teacher. He sees everybody and expects maximum effort from all. He worked us HARD during the workshops in Portland. It was truly satisfying to see and feel the progress that we made in just four days. How can something be semi-torturous yet completely wonderful at the same time?

Here are seven pieces of advice from Jesús that will help you become a better flamenco dancer.

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Eight Flamenco Dance Lessons Learned From Emilio Ochando

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Eight Flamenco Dance Lessons Learned From Emilio Ochando

Last weekend we studied flamenco dance with Emilio Ochando. In class we were reminded that learning steps is one thing while learning how to execute them and use our bodies well is another thing. Below find eight lessons I took away from the workshops with Emilio: 

1. Accent

Create accents with the body, the hands, the feet. This gives your dance dynamics and personality.

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