Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need special shoes?
For beginners, a closed toe shoe is required. Flamenco, character, Mexican folklórico, or jazz sneakers are ideal. Good flamenco shoes are hard to find in the U.S. and can be very pricey. I recommend making sure you’re committed to learning the dance form before you purchase shoes. If you’re not sure, come to class with a flat sole sneaker (similar to converse).
If you want to buy shoes, my preferred brand is Arte FyL. These must be ordered from Spain.
Other shoe options in the U.S. are:
https://www.flamencoexport.com/flamenco-best-sellers/flamenco-shoes.html
Check ebay or etsy to see if individuals are selling shoes.
For character & jazz sneakers, visit your local dance-wear store, or visit: https://www.discountdance.com/
Do I need to wear a skirt?
A long fitted rehearsal skirt is recommended for women as the skirt is part of the dance. If you don’t have one, don’t fret, it’s not immediately necessary. Check out Barbara Faldas y Más for affordable and high quality flamenco skirt options–she also does custom skirts and costumes!
Can men/boys take flamenco?
Of course! Flamenco welcomes all people of all backgrounds.
What should I wear to flamenco class?
flamenco shoes, character shoes, folklorico shoes, jazz sneakers, or flat soled sneakers (Convese or similar styles)
athletic clothing you can move in, i.e. a fitted shirt, stretch or athletic pants
keep your hair tied up and out of your face
no dangly jewelry
full skirt if you have one
What should I expect in a class?
Each class begins with a warm-up, then moves into arm and wrist technique, exercises traveling across the room, footwork, turns, and choreography. Students will learn the basic technique, rhythms, and dance structures. We generally use recorded music and the teacher’s rhythmic handclaps, and occasionally have live music.
Do I need to have dance experience?
No! Please come to a beginner’s class. We start at the very beginning to form a strong foundation in technique.
I have dance and flamenco experience, what level class should I take?
Even if you have some experience, we recommend starting with the beginner class. Alice Blumenfeld has developed a method for teaching flamenco technique that makes it work for all levels. Students with more experience are able to clarify and strengthen their technique and new students build a strong foundation.
How do I pay for class?
Payment Methods
-Cash (in-person only)
-Check (in-person or snail mail, send an email first to receive the mailing address)
-Credit Card (3% service fee will be added) (via www.abrepaso.org/cladendar/classes or in- person)
-Venmo @aliceblumenfeld 505-363-2680
Why don’t you offer classes on/at _________?
We get a lot of requests to teach in other parts of town or on different days of the week or times. We’d love to offer classes in more locations and for more levels. However, we require a 4-person minimum for a class to run, and our experience has been that we cannot meet this on certain sides of town. If you can get a few friends together that want to consistently take a class at a specific location/time - let us know! We also offer the option of private and semi-private lessons with much more flexibility. Contact us to learn more.
What’s that song you played in class?
Here is a playlist of songs I often use in classes:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3KeLqyplAYFeE2XBK3YLzm?si=4764de4eca6d466d
What flamenco music should I listen to?
The old stuff is the best place to start as the chords and melodies are consistent and shaped the flamenco canon. Today, artists mix flamenco melodies and chords with those of jazz and other musical genres. While it makes incredible music, you want to be familiar with a purer style of flamenco too (and it will help you appreciate the modern renditions even more). I recommend listening to the following artists:
Antonio Mairena
La Niña de los Peines
Fosforito
El Chocolate
El Funi
Naranjito de Triana
Cojo de Málaga
Luis de Cordoba
Tía Anica la Piriñaca
Juan Talega
Some more modern artists that are also essential lisenting:
El Lebrijano
Indio Gitano
Carmen Linares
Camarón de la Isla
El Pele
Londro
Duquende
José Mercé
Mayte Martín
Paco de Lucía
Vicente Amigo
Tomatito
Rocío Marquez
Pitingo
Pedro Sierra
La Tobala
Estrella Morente
Enrique Morente
Remedios Amaya
There’s a lot out there - but these are great artists to start with!