SALSA:
I've never danced before. Can I come to the class.
- Yes. The beginner level starts from absolute zero. It's for people who have never danced before.
Do I need a partner?
- No. We swap partners around during the class so that everybody gets a chance and experiences dancing with different people.
Do I need special shoes?
- SALSA: Not really, except at very high levels. We don't recommend running shoes because they don't turn well. A simple test for your shoes is to try to "spin" in them. If they grip the floor and don't let you spin, they're probably not good for salsa.
Can I just come and try it?
- Of course. You can drop in once, and we will refund the drop-in money if you then buy the full course.
Do I have to come more than once a week?
- Each course runs once a week. But there's nothing to stop you attending two courses if you want to do so. People who are "between levels" sometimes find this very useful.
FLAMENCO:
What should I wear?
Just hard shoes, for beginner level. You need hard shoes that make a noise, ideally with some sort of heel. We have a small collection of second hand flamenco shoes for about $70, too (they are over $200 new).
Who is the teacher?
The teacher on Wednesdays is Bonnie, an experienced professional flamenco dancer from Centro Flamenco (you can also see her perform every Friday at the Kino Cafe, Vancouver's flamenco mecca). Tuesdays will be taught by Anthony Waldron, who trained at La Escuela de Baile in London, Carmen Torres school in Madrid, and Centro Flamenco.
What about flamenco guitar lessons?
We will run workshops in the near future. Please send us an email and let us know you are interested. In fact, we are looking for an executive member who is willing to organize these workshops.
Will there be more advanced classes?
- Our classes currently cater for people with no more than two years flamenco dancing, down to absolute beginner. We may have three levels in the Spring Term. If you want to dance at a level higher than this, you need to go to Centro Flamenco on 4th and Alma. They are rather more expensive, but may give us a discount if several members of our group apply all at once. Let us know! Their website is www.centroflamenco.com.
Are there cultural activities too?
Yes, you will find out about these if you join Spanish Passion Club. Some ideas are to arrange discounts to flamenco shows, to have more culture-based workshops about flamenco, to go out for tapas!