Fall 2025

As always, I put a lot of time into dissecting information and finding original ways to pass this information to you so that it becomes experience. Flamenco is a huge playground and I'm super excited to get back into it with you!

No matter what level you are, the goals are the same:

• awareness and practice of physical technique (the development of ease and efficiency in the body)
• rhythmic lucidity (to be able to 'speak' and not just do steps)
• understanding flamenco form (structure, definitions, purpose)​

​The notes below can give you an idea of some of the things we do in class to enrich the learning curve, but if you're not into reading just pop in for a trial class to hear, see and especially try for yourself!

You'll find the schedule and prices below, and don't hesitate to write to me if you have any questions. ☺️

photo: Hervé Leblay 2025

RESET NERVOUS SYSTEM: PANDICULATION 

🥱
​A beautiful word meaning reset your nervous system, or the act of stretching and yawning. 

“When you pandiculate, you stretch your muscles while contracting them at the same time. In essence, your muscles are pulling in one direction as you push them in the opposite direction.”

​Pandiculation is also unique because it's an automatic response, but turning it into voluntary action helps you feel alive, relaxed and ready to move!

FIND BALANCE AND GROUND:
​THE 5 WHEELS

🚘
I think of the hips and shoulders as our four wheels. They play a huge role in our ability to be both grounded and agile in helping us co-ordinate the upper and lower body.

Engaging the legs and hips to ground is a sort of pandiculation; we push into the ground as the muscles pull up in the opposite direction. The same can be said for the arms and shoulders. The communication and co-ordination between hips and shoulders can bring easier access to our core and more possibility to feel the full-body experience of flamenco dance.
This is the biggest challenge I hear – co-ordinating arms and legs... So let's co-ordinate hips and shoulders first!
​
The fifth wheel, the head (neither extra nor unnecessary 🥺😂) adds even more complexity to this game. Where is your head in all of this action? The variations are an endless kaleidoscope of shape and poetic intention.

RHYTHMIC PROWESS:
​TRAIN HOPPING

🚂
​The compas, or the base rhythm, feels like a moving train that you must hop on and off securely. This takes practice but it's so incredibly fun.

Once you learn how to jump on, your job as flamenco percussionist begins.

​In my experience, knowing how to divide pulse and feel the vibe of each rhythmic 'personality' is a good place to start.

I don't teach just phrases; I teach the alphabet, words, syntax, nuance and form. We could think of zapateo (flamenco footwork) as a sort of morse-code of information..

EMOTIONAL LITERACY

😫
​What emotional intention do you bring to flamenco?

In most cases it should probably synch up with musical form, be a present and honest relationship with the music. If the singer is singing 'Aaaah!!!' and we are not feeling this directly, something could seem off..

This is a form that can handle big emotions so let's go!

You don't have to wait to be 'perfect' or have a complete dance ready. We can explore ways to release inhibitions via the body, and through our voices in both exaggerated or subtle variations (ex/yelling or whispering) in a playful and safe environment.

​Once we are connected to both personal and musical emotions, understanding and interpreting flamenco form becomes much easier.

PAUSE AS PUNCTUATION

⏸
​In flamenco, we call the singers pause 'respiro'. In music we call pauses 'rests' in English, and even more beautiful 'soupir' (sigh), in French.

I want to give attention and value to the rests, stops or transitions that happen on a micro level within a movement or short phrase, and on a more macro level with longer choreography, and connect to our breath as a guide of how to be in these moments of pause.

Here's a 'radical' idea : the goal is not the remate (or any other dynamic action), the goal is how we navigate before and especially after the remate. Why? Well.. say we manage to feel what we want to feel in a particular movement in regards to balance and intention; all is good. But then there's another, and another, and a phrase, and a section.. we slip into form and if attention is not given to the pause, all this activity may lose its value or sense and just look like a flurry of nervous action.

​Let's give attention to the purpose of stops, pauses, or transitions which are perhaps the actual punctuations of our dance. 🤔
​
I think of the Miles Davis famous quote : « In music, silence is more important than sound."

DETAILS FOR FALL 2025

IMPORTANT NOTE TO ALL LEVELS:
We will start the year with focus on technique and short studies for tangos and bulerias in each level. (🎶 juerga palos🥳)
Every level has a drop-in option up until the beginning of November.

Being able to understand and dance to flamenco music, and work on all the interpretive and technical qualities listed above is 'easy' to do in these palos as they don't require months of preparation yet still teach us valuable insights for interpreting more lengthy dances. Plus being ready to jump into a juerga (a flamenco jam) is something that takes regular practice and now is a good moment to either refresh these skills, or start learning them!

IF YOU ARE PLANNING TO COME, YOU CAN REGISTER IN THE FORM BELOW OR WRITE TO ME: [email protected]

MONDAY
6-7:30pm (inter2-adv) (potential mid-fall palo : Peteneras)
block of 6 classes minimum: 26$ / session of 13 classes: 25$ (325$) / single class: 30$

TUESDAY
6-7:40pm (adv-pro) (potential mid-fall palo : Tarantos)
block of 6 classes minimum: 26$ / session of 13 classes: 25$ (325$) / single class: 30$

WEDNESDAY
6-7:30pm (elem2-inter1) (potential mid-fall palo : Tientos)
block of 6 classes minimum: 26$ / session of 13 classes: 25$ (325$) / single class: 30$

THURSDAY
6-7:30pm (elem1-beginner2) Tangos
block of 6 classes minimum: 26$ / session of 13 classes: 25$ (325$) / single class: 30$

ALWAY DROP-IN-ABLE ↓
FRIDAY
12-1:15pm (elem2-inter2) Bulerias
​13 classes = 280$ / drop-in 25$ (23$ if it's your second class of the week)

SATURDAY
I will be offering Saturday classes again at a later date. If you are interested, please let me know.
10:30-12pm (elem1)
12-1:15pm INITIATION

Questions or want to register? 
[email protected] or the form 👉

TRIAL CLASS

• You can try any class before registering.
  
• The single class rate will be applied if you are already familiar with my classes. 
  
• If you are new to the school, you are invited to try a class that will be free of charge if you decide not to join. (this applies uniquely to the choreography sessions from Sept-June)

RESIGTRATION

You can register via email or telephone. If you are simply curious and wish to see what we do, feel free to drop by the studio! There is a cozy livingroom area from which you can observe a class.
The total of the session is payable in one or two installments at the beginning of the session.

WHAT LEVEL SHOULD YOU TAKE

If you have never done flamenco, it is advisable to start with LEVEL 1.
If you have some experience and are not sure which level to join, you can try any to find the right one for you!
​LEVEL 1 = initiation to flamenco
​LEVEL 2 = beginner 2 - elementary 1
LEVEL 3 = elementary 2 - intermediate 1
LEVEL 4 = intermediate 2 - advanced 1
LEVEL 5 = advanced 2 - professional

YOU WOULD like to register for the session, but will be away for 2 weeks...

No problem, if you know in advance, the missed classes will be deducted from the session rate.​

WHAT TO WEAR

Comfortable clothes (stretchable fabric) and shoes with a hard sole to start.  When you feel ready to invest in flamenco shoes, ask me about options because the best shoes are from Spain!​ ​​

REFUND POLICY

Missed classes will not be refunded. If you need to stop classes for medical or other reasons, a refund or credit of the remaining classes of the session is possible however. Contact me!