Class Offerings:
Click on each individual class below for pricing and further details.
Beginning Bonanza Beginning level. Go crazy with the basics! We look at five elements: upper body technique, footwork, rhythm and palmas, turns, a brief choreography, and an introduction to the relationship between the dancing and singing. Beginners, join me, and learn what you need to know to dance flamenco! (Higher level dancers, you're welcome to join us if you'd like to reinforce and enhance your current skills.)
Intermediate/Advanced Comprehensive Baile Advanced/Intermediate level: instructor permission required. Contact me if interested. More demanding movement and rhythm patterns. Combination of body technique, turns, footwork combinations with more complex patterns, greater speed and choreography. Learn and perfect a dance to later use for a solo! Understand the different parts of the dance and learn how to adapt it to different situations and how to communicate to the musicians what you need.
Other Classes Not Currently In Session
Contact us if interested.
Flamenco Fundamentals Introductory level. The basics! Learn primary dance steps, body positions, palmas. For new students to either prepare you for Beginning Baile or beginning students who want to review. We cover footwork and upper body technique focusing on correct use of core and supporting muscles and posture and positioning necessary to successfully execute movements. Repetitive, slow movements support dancers as they learn to combine steps in succession. We learn basic palmas (rhythmic hand-clapping) and how the baile (dance) relates to the cante (singing). This is the class for you if you are brand new or if you just want to slowly work on basic skills & principles.
Flamenco 101 Get a taste of flamenco with this introductory course. Learn some primary dance steps, body positions, and rhythms. You'll be introduced to some basic footwork and upper body movements. Repetitive, slow movements support the beginning flamenco dancer in learning to combine steps in succession while incorporating hand movements. This is the class for you if you are brand new or if you just want to slowly work on basic skills & principles.
Técnica de Cuerpo Multi-Level All skill levels. Polish and enhance your upper body technique while strengthening your core and arm muscles. Learn to better execute body movements you are learning in other classes focusing on correct posture and body/arm positioning. Repetitive, slow movements support dancers of all levels.
Solidifying Bulerías Multi-level. If you've taken the Understanding Bulerías Series or any bulerías at all, you know this dance is about doing it and doing it. Taking it to the next level: Whatever level you're at, we'll meet you there. Some people will be focusing on learning the structure of bulerias and where to come in with the cante, others on responding to the cante within the letra, some on dancing our choreography as-is and memorizing it, others mixing and matching the components to "improvise." We'll ALL work a lot this month on our job as palmeros, because this is everybody's job in bulerías. And it is so much fun to do. The study of bulerías is an ongoing process. Here we work at becoming VERY comfortable responding to the cante and the compás and as a time to allow both the dance moves and the jaleos to happen more naturally. We'll stand and dance. We'll sit and accompany with palmas. We'll do Bulerías de Jerez in Portland, olé.
Private & Semi-Private Sessions All skill levels. Targeted sessions focusing on the student's individual needs, wants, and abilities. For the student who is looking for rapid-growth, in-depth instructionfeedback, advanced level focus, or who just enjoys working in a 1-1 format. Students may use private sessions to go more deeply into the material from a group class, to look at technical details or individual habits that require additional attention, to learn their own choreography, etc.
Sevillanas All skill levels. Sevillanas al estilo de Jerez. You may have learned them all before, but probably not this way. This multi-level series of classes is ideal for both those who know sevillanas and are interested in learning a new (and muy flamenca) variation and for those who are brand new! A class that is perfect for beginning students or flamenco dancers who never learned or want to brush up on their sevillanas. A slower pace helps build a strong flamenco foundation and prepare students for the regular flamenco courses. Many of the sevillanas steps are commonly used as marking steps in flamenco dances such as bulerias and even tangos. And, without a doubt, the study of arms and upper body through sevillanas can be transferred to flamenco dancing. In addition, many people enjoy learning sevillanas as there is a clear formula for the dance, no guessing about what to do when. (Of course, there is always room for creativity later on!) It is also fun learning to dance with a partner, and this helps the dancer become comfortable changing directions and turning (no partner necessary for class). The repetition of movement tends to deliver quite a nice workout as well!
Castanets Exercises to strengthen & train fingers, learning to play castañuelas while moving the arms through basic postions followed by choreography. A fabulous opportunity to work the brain and body.
The Ins & Outs of Bulerías de Jerez Multi-level. Workshop Format. To TRULY understand the structure of bulerías and how to respond to the cante. Leave this workshop confident in dancing a bulerías by yourself, in compás, and with the cante
Bulerías: The Next Step Intermediate level. Workshop Format. Unlock the mysteries of Bulerías de Jerez, and have fun doing so. Dancers will learn pequeñas coreografías as well as various markings, remates, and salidas and how to combine and use them in an improvisational setting in relation to the cante.
Ins & Outs of Tangos Multi-level. Workshop Format. To TRULY understand the structure of tangos and how to respond to the cante. Leave this workshop confident in dancing a tangos by yourself, in compás, and with the cante
Beginning Baile Beginning level. Develops the skills and processes of flamenco then applies them to the dance. Incorporates both upper body technique, footwork, combinations and choreography. Pace is a bit faster than Flamenco Fundamentals.
Flamenco para la Familia: For kids (& their parents) Kids and parents, all levels. Students will have fun learning basic rhythms, palmas (hand-clapping), counting, even some singing and Spanish, and, of course, the dance steps! While actively moving and developing coordination skills and playing around with rhythms, students will learn about the structure of the dance and how it relates to the singing. They will learn to support each other as dancers using palmas and jaleos. And, I usually manage to sneak in a bit of reading and writing to help them get there.
Get Your Guapa On: A Performance Workshop Instructor Permission Required. Contact us if interested. You want to be a good PERFORMER?! Perhaps you DON’T want to perform but want to reap the benefits of learning to do so. This workshop is for YOU. It will equip you with the tools to perform flamenco and actual performance opportunities.
Get Your Guapa On 2 TOO Instructor Permission Required. Contact us if interested. This workshop is for the beginning performer. Or the person who has never performed but wants to start learning the skills to do so. You want to be a good PERFORMER?! Perhaps you DON’T want to perform but want to reap the benefits of learning to do so. This workshop is for YOU. It will equip you with the tools to perform flamenco and actual performance opportunities.
Flamenco Para Todos All skill levels. Get ready to exercise your body and your brain. This class will introduce you to or remind you of flamenco technique then give you a chance to get into the dance as we move, move, and move some more. We look at body positioning, hand movements, footwork, turns, palmas, mind preparation... If you've had NO flamenco, this is a great class for you as we'll go over the very basics and if you've BEEN DOING it for years, this class is for you as well as you will have a chance to reexamine your technique. We'll start slowly with the technical focus then you'll be given a chance to let loose a bit following along (i.e. dance even if you don't really think you can or realize that you are) thinking about and applying as little or as much the technique as you wish.
Palmas Multi-Level All skill levels. Palmas to accompany dance, cante, guitarra. Work with different accents, compás, and contratiempo and LOTS of fun playing with patterns. In other words, this is a time to both learn and practice funky patterns and groove with them as well as to learn how through different patterns and dynamics we can accompany and enhance the dance, singing and guitar.
Jaleos para Bulerías Multi-level. Workshop Format. How to dance and more importantly how to give incredible jaleos so the cante is not missed. If bulerías is all about the cante, what happens when there is no singing? You'll leave this workshop ready to do bulerías anywhere, even if there is no singer, no guitarist, no music
Bulerías Solidification of it All Intermediate level. This FINAL workshop of the Understanding Bulerías Series is about taking all of the material and concepts studied thus far and sinking it deeply into our brains. Here we'll further enhance our understanding of it all. In other words, it's about serious solidification so that we’re ready for the next series of bulerías workshops. [New concepts, new challenges, the fun never ends...really, it doesn't.]
En Condición All skill levels. Finally a flamenco class that doesn't break your brain! Don't worry, we still get to do the moves, we just don't worry really about how they turn out. Our main concerns here are having fun and exercising. Repeated routines, upper-body conditioning, non-stop movement, and no thinking necessary! Here you get a good aerobic workout and strength training incorporating flamenco movements in quick succession. This is a follow-along class, no need to worry about technique or choreography, only having a good time listening to great music and burning calories, ahhhhhh! (That being said, you do develop technique without really realizing it, learn simple choreographies, again, without really realizing it or meaning to…) We also dance to a variety of palos (styles), expanding your flamenco knowledge and understanding of the different compáses just by being present. No flamenco shoes in this class. Bring your sneakers!
Palmas in the Parks All skill levels. Palmas to accompany dance, cante, guitarra. Work with different accents, compás, and contratiempo and LOTS of fun playing with patterns. In other words, this is a time to both learn and practice funky patterns and groove with them as well as to learn how through different patterns and dynamics we can accompany and enhance the dance, singing and guitar.
Create Your Own Baile: A Choreography Workshop Advanced level. Coming Soon
Multi-Level Por Fiesta Baile and Palmas All skill levels. Some prior experience necessary. Bulerías de Jerez &/or Tangos. The goal is for the student to become more comfortable with rhythm and improvisation and learn how to dance with cante (singing) and how to accompany dance and singing with palmas. Dancers will learn markings, remates, and salidas and how to combine and use them in an improvisational setting in relation to the cante. Practice accompanying other dancers with palmas as well. Expect to be well supported as you become more comfortable in an improvisational setting, dancing on your own, and keeping the rhythm with palmas. Lots of laughter guaranteed!
Flamenco Practice Session All skill levels. This is a chance for students to practice choreographies learned in class with live accompaniment. It's one-on-one time between you and the musicians with guidance, a time to take what you've been learning in class a step further. Dancers will take turns running pieces of their choosing (pieces learned in class.) When not dancing you will practice accompanying fellow dancers with palmas and jaleos. I invite flamencos of all skill levels to participate; it should be lots of fun, and, with regular participation , you are bound to see improvement in your compás, comfort level, conocimiento of the different dances, and improvisational skills!