While this is one of the most exciting feelings in the world, as in all relationships, when the flames die down after the initial months, you are left with a sneak peak into all the “other stuff” (work) which backs up that incredible whirlwind moment on stage, which can decievingly come across as pure passion and improvisation.

Do not let this put you off my friend. All those initial sparks were real, yes! But Flamenco is a life-long journey, and just like life, we never really “arrive”, we´re always evolving on our own individual path. And before the long-awaited moment of expressing yourself in performance, it does us well to have our feet firmly on the ground to help us build a solid foundation to support us for when it is time to hit the stage.

Ok, so what is the best way to start?

Although everyone´s Flamenco path will have started in a unique way, here are some tips I wish I had been told years ago which will save you a lot of time, money and effort in your progress.

THE BARE ESSENTIALS

First things first. How deep is your love? You may have seen Flamenco for the first time, decided “Wow! I want to do that!” gone to your first class and decided “That´s impossible!”. Flamenco has been described by some as one of the hardest types of dance or art forms to learn in the world. There is no fast way of learning, it takes years and years of dedication to internalise the basics. So why not just take things slow? Before going out and buying all your Flamenco gear from head to toe, why not attend classes for a month, in comfortable clothes and any shoes or boots you have at home with a short, thick heel, (Mary Janes or similiar would be ideal). If, after that you are hungry for more, you´ve passed your initiation! Fantastic!

Now it´s time to invest a little. To learn to dance properly, you need the correct footwear. Flamenco shoes can range from 40 – 300 euros in price. Initially, I recommend you buy some beginner´s shoes to start off with. Flamenco shoes have nails built into them on the sole, which make the nice tapping sound when dancers do footwork. Some beginner´s shoes don´t have the nails incorporated into the sole, so make sure they do! Ideally it would be best to try them on before hand, but if you are sure of your shoe size, you can always buy them online. Here are a few online shops you can check out:

• El Rocio
• Menkes

Second in line is the skirt. You don´t have to buy a professional skirt or dress to learn Flamenco, in fact, while you are learning, you will need a practice skirt. Some people attend class or rehearse alone in leggings, which is a mistake. The skirt is vital for you to get used to while dancing. It enhances certain moments we make with our feet and legs and it´s important to get used to lifting it up gracefully before doing footwork. Try to get into the habit of wearing the skirt to every class. If possible, avoid buying tight, figure hugging skirts -there are lots of designs out there, and some of them are stylish, but impractical. Ideally you want a skirt with enough fabric to make a lot of shapes with, so it can open out and move from side to side, and back to front, rather than just lifting it up.

CLASSES – pick your teacher

Never forget what I am about to tell you: A great dancer does not make a great teacher. Some dancers only teach because they have to in order to get by, but others really love teaching and will put everything into helping you progress. How can you tell which is a good or bad teacher to study with? There is no black or white, every dancer will have a different dance style and their own strengths and weaknesses as a dancer! But to start off, I´d say this: if you feel challenged but inspired after class -you have a good teacher. If you feel really nervous before class and dread going back, and only go for the love of Flamenco but not the class -you need to look elsewhere.

HOMEWORK!

And it doesn´t stop there. There is also work to be done at home. I encourage you to listen to Flamenco as much as possible, watch Flamenco videos on YouTube. Over time, get to know who your favourite dancers, guitarists and singers are (these might change as the years go on). Also, it´s good to ask yourself what you´d like to get out of Flamenco. If you are happy with it being a hobby, you can enjoy going to classes and take it easy. If you would like to perform solo one day, you will need to put the work in, rehearse all the steps learnt in class and always push yourself that little bit more.

There will be ups and downs, but it´s so worth it! Starting Flamenco is like going down Alice´s rabbit hole, and it will indeed take you on so many adventures.