Por Fiesta Flamenco (Eastside Location) - Wednesday evenings
Learn to dance improvisational bulerías and tangos then practice with live musicians. It can be easy to feel intimidated or stressed out at the prospect of dancing on your own. If you're a beginner you don't need to think about that just yet; the focus will be on learning the structure of the improvisational flamenco dance and how it relates to the music along with basic palmas and jaleos which form the basis of it all. For you who has previous experience, are you ready to move beyond the barriers and become more comfortable “improvising” in a por fiesta setting? In the intermediate level class you will learn new moves as well as how to respond to the singing while you dance.
LOCATION: 5516 SE Foster Rd, Portland
Wednesdays
NEXT DATES TBA
Who are the musicians? CANTE: Randa BenAziz, Diana Bright & Lamiae Naki GUITARRA: Mark Ferguson & Nat Hulskamp
“I appreciate your authenticity and deep experience with flamenco. Your class is one of the most useful classes that anyone has offered recently,” Lynn De La Torre
How do I sign up?
"I like how you break down each component to bulerías and don't just teach a choreography. My brain is so full - but I know things are starting to click together simply by how much I think and dream about it...it's like learning a language - I've been learning all these words - or mimicking sentences through memorization and repetition - but finally, my brain is starting to realize these words and sentences have meanings and can make other sentences - they communicate with others too - and eventually, you can maintain an entire conversation..." Seana Yee
"If you know Flamenco, even a litle bit, then you know that Bulerias CAN BE scary, and/or can be SUPER FUN! I was brave enough to take Laura's monthly Bulerias workshop for 5 weeks, and I am so glad that I did!!! At the first class, I was almost going to feel left behind because in the class, everyone already seems to know what's going on both structure-wise and choreography-wise. BUT, Laura carefully watches every one of her students and gives advice and encouragement! By the end of each class, I left the studio with more and more confidence and just couldn't wait for the next class! Class is a very friendly atmosphere, and oh I'm so thankful to Laura, for how she teaches, and how she actually makes students be able to BULERIAS! Laura's class is TOTAL FUN!" - Harue Hirai
Laura has a super rare and highly marketable niche in the flamenco world. She's breaking down the structure and language of flamenco for those of us who weren't raised in the culture. It could take me years to crack this code on my own. It's exactly what I need, and exactly what I've been looking for. She's bringing the culture to us, serving it up in bite sized portions, even spoon feeding it when necessary. So grateful!" - Heather Cogburn
“Laura is a great dancer, and you can learn a lot just by watching her. But she is truly a teacher as well, and she has been willing to share her experiences of learning this complicated art form. As she absorbs and distills the vast ocean of flamenco stuff that we Americanos aren’t born into and don’t grow up with, she is dedicated to passing what she has learned on to us. Ok, that sounds like an obvious thing that a teacher would do, but actually, it might be a rare combo. There are inspiring teachers who can show you great moves, but they’ve grown up doing those moves, so it’s just hard for them to explain how they do it. Laura has gotten there the hard way, which is how most of us are going to have to get there, and she is determined to give us the benefit of all her hard-earned knowledge as a gift. This is what great teachers do: they open the door for us, and tip us off to shortcuts when they find them, and encourage us by their presence ahead of us on the road. Laura is a very generous teacher.” – Mia
"(Class) was amazing ... felt like a whirlpool at one point but with occasional glimpse into the total brilliance of this art form I found it so ... inspiring! THANK YOU, and you all are so understanding of the beginner's situation. Very good." - Sheila Augustine
"Wow, I am so impressed with how far we have alll come in the bulerías series! Seriously, everyone seemed so much more comfortable on Saturday and I love all of the support and smiles. ¡Gracias! That is all because of you and your effective, encouraging and challenging teaching!!" - Erica