Bailamos

For many, the word “Flamenco” brings to mind the iconic image of a woman in a red, ruffled dress with castanets between her fingers. We learned today that this unique art form from the south is much more than that. It is a mixture of singing, guitar, dance, vocalizations, clapping, and finger snapping that has been part of Spanish culture for centuries.

Today we focused on the dance aspect of Flamenco. Our instructor, Belen, lead us through a routine that gave us a good idea of the complexity and emotion behind this style of dance. The group did an amazing job keeping up with the quick footwork, especially given that the entire class was taught in Spanish!

At the end of the class, Belen gave us a quick lesson on “Sevillanas;” a traditional style of dance from Sevilla.This four part dance is a customary part of the yearly Feria de Abril.