Flamenco dance, flamenco canberra, bata de cola
THE FLAMENCO CENTRE CANBERRA
About my teaching style…
My attitude:
It doesn't matter to me if you're attending as a pastime, or to become a professional dancer, or if you have only one leg - I teach everyone equally, with 100% commitment to everyone, to give each student my full support and expertise.
My style:
Because this is my own academy and I'm the sole teacher, my personal method is my brand and my point of difference. In pursuit of a certain standard, I never compromise the integrity of my method and strategies, nor the integrity of the art form itself - so even beginners and hobbyists get nothing but my best from day one.
I'm hands on - as part of my teaching strategy I make physical contact, pushing and prodding whenever I think it's necessary; I don't make exceptions, so if you have a hang-up about physical contact please don't enrol.
I'm compassionate, but firm - I'll assess your limits and work with you to draw you out of your comfort zone and into the flamenco zone. It might seem confronting at times, and you may be tempted to come up with all sorts of excuses and crutches to try to distract me, but trust my experience and let me take control. You won't die from it, and eventually you'll take control of yourself. This is known as 'surrender' (by the way, 'surrender' is not 'defeat'; it's more 'yield').
I don't dilute anything - even the most sparse material in class will be 100% authentic, valid flamenco. I agree with Einstein, who said something along the lines of, “Everything should be as simple as it can be, but not simpler.”
I'm a stickler for detail, precision, and persistence, especially for beginners. This is a deadly combination for acquiring flamenco and it makes ALL the difference - the eventual result is excellence. Marabel Morgan may have said some controversial things in her time, but she did polish this gem: "Persistence is the twin sister of excellence. One is a matter of quality; the other, a matter of time."
Don't be surprised to see that this forms the backbone of my approach. It does mean then, that you're in for some hard work, and monastic drilling, but there really is no substitute for quality.