I might be strict with my pupils. There is no friendly mood in my lessons. Concentration is our motto in the classes. I don’t like the seniority system, so I prefer the system that pupils who had worked hard can step up earlier than others.
The flamenco lessons are confrontation with ourselves. Everyone has to face with her real figure. It is not so pleasant for us to accept our awkward unskilled dance, but it is usual for everyone that cannot dance skillfully at the beginning. I advise to enjoy the gap between their ideal and their real. The lessons are the way to make impossible to possible. In flamenco, the rhythm is so complex and there are so many regulations. It is usual for the beginners to devoted themselves to soak up everything, so it is sometimes difficult for them to enjoy the lessons.
If you deceive yourself, as if you can dance fairly well, it is inevitable that you will shed the tears of regret in future. So please endure the hardness of the lessons. I always recommend the beginners to take a technical lesson because it gives them certain foundation of dance.
Please throw away your pride, and never be embarrassed to fail. You can try everything in the lesson. If you cannot dance well in the studio, how can you do better on any stages? Every pupil manages to get expenses for the lessons from her salary(not so much), so I do my best as a good teacher to come through her expectations. Dance is the lifelong joy and learning, I believe.
It’s my great pleasure to try some new difficult steps in the studio. I think that is the most exciting joy of rhythm. It may owe that I’ve been given so much influence from my first Spanish teacher, Manolete. Another great teacher is Manuel Betanzos. I’ve been so charmed by his wonderful steps, sharpness of the body, and beautiful movements of arms. You know, he is the most favorite flamenco dancer for me now.