Taking Flamenco Classes During The Pandemic

What is the Future of Flamenco in 2021?

As the world nears the one year anniversary of the COVID pandemic, I am convinced more than ever that everyone in the world should be dancing flamenco. 2020 presented many challenges for me personally as a flamenco dancer and leader of an entire community. For the first time, I had to consider perhaps changing careers. Canada shut down all events, theatre venues and even stopped our classes twice.

I was able during this downtime to study another passion though, energy. I became very knowledgeable about our energetic chakra system. A year later, I am convinced that flamenco offers amazing life lessons, body-mind connection and movement therapy for ALL. I am happy to explain this to you.

Live streamed performance from the Shadbolt.

What about Flamenco as an Energy?

Flamenco is known as the passionate dance with the red multi-ruffled dress and the dark haired beauty with red rose in her hair, stamping her feet in reckless abandon. That is the image anyways.

The reality is that Flamenco offers a sense of groundedness, centering and focus. It is very immediate, as one endeavours to coordinate their body. The brain is making neural connections to get the body connected while feet and arms attempt to do different things at different times. This is amazing! Let’s call this movement therapy.

Flamenco is earthy, it offers rhythm and movement. More than any other dance, flamencos have to study the concepts of music, time, tempo. Flamenco dancers are musicians with the body and we are especially percussionists with our feet! This is a fantastic way to learn something new as we delve into some of the world’s most complex rhythms in 12 compás!

Flamenco is tribal. Community? That’s what we are all about. This is why people keep coming back to dance in the circle. It is about a togetherness, being inspired, dancing free and personal authentic expression.

Live streamed performance from the Shadbolt.

How did we respond to pandemic times?

After COVID was announced and the world shut down, I had all of spring break to consider the future. With reckless abandon and no knowledge of what zoom was, Mozaico Flamenco launched our zoom program on an iPhone 10. It was quickly rejected for higher technology including the best WIFI, high quality microphone, high resolution camera, laptop, and TV system.

I have not heard of any complaints from students in a long time unless it is of their own WIFI or technology. My tips are to get the biggest screen you can and just pay for the best WIFI. You will enjoy your experience much more.

And last week, I just launched Flamenco On Demand with my good friend Elvira. We created the first online courses so that people can access flamenco dance online, 24/7, on their own time, from their varied devices (laptop/computer/mobile phone/ipad/tablet).

These are the first 2 footwork bootcamps out of 7. There are many more courses to come as I endeavour to document my entire technical system by the end of 2021. Choreography on the other hand, seems better live or in real time because there are so many variables. I’m thinking…

Mozaicos, enjoy. I am thinking of all the students in the remote places in the world that have contacted me from as far as Australia. Thank you for your support, get moving!

My dog Ruby with some of my flamenco shoes.

What is the difference between flamenco dancing online versus zoom versus live?

1. Flamenco On Demand is our online course that is prerecorded using 2 video angles (full body and closeup feet) with footnotes on “how to” and you can purchase these and access them on your own time and study at home. Footwork Bootcamp 1 & 2 with arms coordination here.

I would say these courses offer much greater repertoire than what we are able to achieve in a studio or zoom class in a short time because there is just more information and arm permutations. They will allow you to “see more” in a short period of time and get accustomed to how flamenco moves. Plus…hit the rewind button. I think as a precursor to joining the zoom or live classes to workout with the rest of us. Yes, it’s good.

2. Flamenco At Home is in fact live on zoom. It is in real time and our students here prefer to have their “regular appointment” to organize their week. We have 30 min technique series, 60 min technique/choreography and 90 min por fiesta masterclass series. We have been on zoom for a year. It is here to stay and the students are happy with it. Get the biggest screen and best wifi you can, and sign on.

Live stream classes on Zoom.

3. People have been asking about live flamenco. Yes, Live Flamenco Class is in fact on! We are wearing masks now with pandemic social distance safety measures, high level hygiene required! We are unable to accept new students right now because of capacity limits (right now is Feb 25, 2021).

Wednesday nights I’m teaching at The Dance Centre. Saturday & Sundays I’m teaching at The Presentation House Theatre. We will be starting up new live term in April – June 2021. If you want to join the class, get on mail list now! There certainly won’t be any space with only 5 people allowed. Email kasandra@mozaicoflamenco.com. Seriously. I am keeping these going because of the very passionate, rare few that are committed to flamenco dance through the thick and thin.

Keep Dancing!
Get out of your chair and Move!
Get into Nature!
Go support the Arts!
We are getting through this together!

About The Author

Kasandra “La China”
Flamenco Dancer and Instructor, Director, Producer, Choreographer

Kasandra is one of Canada’s leading flamenco artists well-known for her unrelenting drive to push the artistic envelope. A tirelessly ambitious artistic director, soloist and prima bailaora, Kasandra is always hungry for new sources of inspiration and knowledge, constantly pushing her musical and choreographic mastery to its limits. She has been identified as “Vancouver’s flamenco star who has embodied flamenco with her dynamic, precise style” by Flamenco-World magazine. Read More