When we invited flamenco dancer Eliza González to teach students in our after-school flamenco classes, we had no idea that she had a surprise in her suitcase, which would mesmerize kids.  Eliza, who calls Estepona, Spain, home for part of the year and tours with U.S.-based Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana for the other months, taught students a song about attending the Feria de Sevilla (Spring fair in Seville, Spain), and she taught kids an engaging, challenging set of dance steps to accompany the song, with Daniel Benitez accompanying on guitar.

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Letra por tangos

Ponte guapa Mariquilla

Que yo te voy a llevar

A la feria de Sevilla

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Then, in her last minutes with the kids, Eliza read a children’s book La Feria de Sevilla, which described activities of the fair, from sunrise to sunset. Kids gathered around, pointed, commented, and smiled as she shared the book, written in Spanish by author Fran Nuño. We thought it was a perfect ending to our time with Eliza, which is part of a unit about where Seville, Spain, is located in the world, in relation to the U.S.A. The combination of singing, dancing, and reading the children’s book brought ideas to kids’ imagination about life in Spain.

Adult classes also took a multi-modal feel when Eliza underscored the importance of learning who is who in flamenco while studying dance, singing, and guitar. She referred repeatedly to some of the great artists of our time to make a connection between the technique at hand in class and the marvelous expressions on stage. Two of the artists referenced in the class can be seen in the below video, which shows an excerpt of the production “Soledades,”  starring Antonio Canales, with Óscar de los Reyes and Adela Campallo dancing.

Focusing on stretching, strength, and alignment, Eliza shared techniques that support her forte of using the upper body for expression. The classes held lessons for the experienced and the new-to-flamenco dancers, because the exercises can be repeated almost anywhere, even barefoot in the living room.