Happy World Flamenco Day!
Feliz Día Internacional de Flamenco!
An Alegrias de Cadiz to express the joy dancing brings to my life.
Thankful to those who came before us to create this captivating art form, thankful to those who continue to mold it today, thankful for the opportunities to manifest ideas and grow with friends, thankful for another day able and surrounded by the luminosity of the beacons among us — to dance, express oneself, and feel joy 🌞💖
Main Plaza Nov 16th @arte.y.pasion
Sometimes I update my website, today is one of those times, please check out the link in my Bio or in today’s story for more information on upcoming projects — hope to see you all at a class, at a show, or just right here working it out one day at a time on this ongoing, ever-flowing flamenco journey 🌎 👣 💃🏻 🎶 ♥️
Each class, each year is as Mr. Forrest Gump would say, like opening a box of chocolates — “you never really know what you’re going to get.”
At the start of the academic year in Child Flamenco II, I was presented with a group of joyous 9-12 year olds— a few of whom were absolutely brand new to flamenco (as any flamenco dancer knows… they were in for a shock)!
After their first semester learning a totally age-appropriate, cutesy hat-donning Garrotin, they informed me emphatically that…. They wanted a “serious” dance! Haha…Well, ooook, I thought, sure — let’s do Tientos.
They impressed me with their quick grasp of the timing, even mastering a double time llamada in a few short lessons (!!!), their ability to retain the material really reminded me of the mental gifts of youth haha… but as one might expect it was the emotional projection that was the challenge. Over the weeks, I brainstormed how to get them to connect to the emotional depth and maturity of the piece and after lots of coaching and persistent good faith effort on their part, I am proud to say that each and every one of them found their way to embody the spirit of Tientos and I could not have been prouder of their progress!
I am thankful to them for reminding me what it’s like to simply be a kid who loves to dance, for sharing their smiles and their stories with me, and I fully look forward to watching them continue to blossom artistically but more importantly as human beings with the capacity to influence the world around them ♥️💙♥️💙♥️
Had a captivating time last night at the Leah Glenn Dance Theatre master class on Movement as Communication. I was thrilled to delve deeper into the transcendence of movement and was so pleased to share the space with artists of many genres — a circle of women harnessing our voices through our work! Don’t miss tomorrow’s performance by the Lean Glenn Dance Theatre at the Big Carver, it’s sure to be beautiful! ♥️♥️♥️
Apparently I missed International Day of Dance yesterday while recital prepping — oopsie! Little known fact, I did not start in folklorico nor flamenco. The dance journey for me started at the Parks and Recreation center at Almaguer in Miss Jeannie Dove’s tap dance class and.. we LOVED it (can you tell?) I can still remember bopping around to Paula Abdul like it was yesterday (and frankly I wish it was). Sooooo glad my parents chose dance for us and taught me to stick to my commitments, dance has forever been one of the best parts of being alive, and I thank the universe for it everyday. Happy dance day, week, month, and year, ‘cause every day we have with health is a good enough reason to keep grooving!! ❤️👯♀️✨ Dancers and teachers and students and colleagues, I LOVE you all ☮️
Sometimes when I’m dancing tangos I’ll remember that one time someone told me “body percussion wasn’t lady like” 🤣 like, mam, do you think that’s anything I care about when we are getting doooown?!
The answer is NOOO! I like a slap and a clap and now I’ll have to do it MORE! 🙊
P.S. Flamenco Forever! Tangos Forever! Dance ecstatically to your heart’s desire! Mmmkay!? ☮️❤️💃🏻
It’s been a hard two weeks and sometimes you just gotta shimmy your shoulders, shake it off among friends, and remember brighter days will come— what better way than with a little rumba flamenca — a bailar se ha dicho! 🌦️🌈🤍✨
Today was the end of our first ever San Antonio Flamenco @armedservicesartspartnership 5-week workshop at @guadalupeculturalarts . We had 5 hours to introduce flamenco to absolute beginners and they did wonderfully. The end of the session is bittersweet, I hope to see these amazing people again and sincerely hope they continue their journeys with the arts and all the magnificent benefits that music, dance, and expression provide not just to our bodies, but more importantly, to our souls. Much love, respect, and gratitude to the Vet community. Ole ustedes!!
