Frequently asked questions
We hope to have covered as much as possible in our Frequently asked questions. If, however, you have a question which hasn’t been answered, please do not hesitate to get in touch!
Absolutely everyone! We welcome men and women of all ages; we currently do not offer children classes.
Flamenco is an extremely inclusive art form and we assure you that our classes are very diverse.
We run different courses for different levels throughout the year – our current timetable is the best place to start. If you’ve missed the start date of the course you are interested in, do not panic! It may still be possible to join and we advise you get in touch with us for advise.
To keep up to date with new and upcoming courses, as well as special workshops and events, do sign up to our mailing list.
Our three main venues are Jubilee Hall in Covent Garden, The Place in Euston, and DW Sports in Aldwych, but we may occasionally make use of other Central London locations for special courses and workshops.
The relevant venue for each course will be clearly specified on the timetable.
All of our venues are of a professional standard and have been selected for their location and proximity to public transport, and facilities – they offer spacious studios with high ceilings, full length mirrors, changing rooms and showers.
For details and directions please click here. We also offer classes in Bracknell.With the exception of some special courses and workshops which we expect to become very busy, formal registration is not required and you can simply turn up and pay on the first day as long as you have established the level suitable for you. If you choose to stay on and pay for a block of classes in order to save, we will discount your initial drop-in payment from the total.
Some classes are very popular and we will always do our best to advise of this beforehand – in some cases, advance booking may be required and we will make this clear in the course description. If in any doubt, contacting us is always your best bet!
Prices vary depending on the class and payment method you choose, and they will be listed next to the relevant courses in our timetable. Paying for a full course works out cheaper than paying for individual classes or a block of lessons (half course).
We strive to bring you high quality tuition in a professional setting whilst keeping our prices competitive. All classes are accompanied by live guitar music.
We understand that choosing the right course can seem a daunting task but please do not be discouraged by the number of levels on offer – they merely reflect our students’ range of abilities! If you are not sure which level to attend, contact us for advice. We will normally recommend that you try a couple of classes so that we can find the perfect one for you.
Once your teacher sees you in action they will able to assess your level and advice on the best class for you!
Please note courses for complete beginners will always be clearly marked.
Complete beginners: For those who wish to start learning flamenco. No previous experience is required.
Elementary beginners: For those who have been studying flamenco for 6 months to a year, have another dance background experience or are fast learners.
Improvers: For those who have been dancing flamenco for at least 2 years.
Low intermediate: For those who have been dancing flamenco for 3 to 4 years.
Intermediate: For those who have been dancing flamenco for 4 to 5 years.
High intermediate: For those who have been dancing flamenco for at least 5 years.
Ladies, for your first class a pair of court shoes or any pair of comfortable thick-heeled shoes or boots will work well, expect a lot of stomping. You may also bring a flared maxi skirt. Please avoid stilettoes, rubber soled shoes and trainers. Gentlemen, a rubber soled shoes or boots are good.
Once you’ve tried the class and decided to continue, your teacher will be able to advice on what to acquire for the rest of the course. This will depend on your level and ambition – it is entirely possible to keep things cheap but you may find yourself so passionate about this beautiful art form that you’ll want some semi-professional gear to keep. And we’ll be more than happy to help you source it at competitive prices.
There are plenty of suppliers out there but quality and suitability can vary greatly. Buying cheap shoes on the internet can seem like an attractive option but low quality products can result in foot injuries. Think about longevity too – whilst beginners’ shoes might last you a year (depending on use), professional handmade ones can keep as long as a lifetime! Talk to your teacher who will be happy to advise.
Please note dancewear shops will often offer character/latin dance shoes which look similar to flamenco ones, but are in fact different. Again, talk to us and we’ll gladly help.
We do not have credit card facilities in class but accept cash on the day. Advance payments via bank transfer will incur an admin fee.
Tickets to some courses and events are available online.
Refunds Policy
Once you have registered/made payment for one of our courses refunds are not possible. We are happy to transfer your credit to another course or you can transfer it to another person (a new student only). We can also issue with a Gift voucher or you can spend the credit on our shop. Credit/gift vouchers are valid for 12 months unless otherwise agreed.
Although you are most likely to notice progress with regular attendance, you are of course welcome to attend on a drop-in basis.
If you are finding it hard to take the first step, why not try one of our tasters for beginners? These one-off tasters normally precede a new beginners course and are a great introduction to the art of flamenco and to our school. Tasters are listed in the workshops section. If you wish to be notified of upcoming session, join our mailing list.
We do not offer complimentary/free classes
Tasters are listed in the workshops section.If you wish to be notified of upcoming sessions , join our mailing list.
Every year, students of all levels perform during our Gala Flamenca show, and you will be welcome to take part!
The school offers performance opportunities throughout the yeat at Dance Festivals in central London, these are optional. We invite all students to participate at the Gala Flamenca, which is a showcase organised by the school. The show is supported by professional musicians and technicians. Watch the promo video here.
Yes! We have just launched Flamenco in Paradise, our flamenco retreats in San José, Almería.
Absolutely. You can find more details about our private and corporate hire offers here.
We are much more than a flamenco school! Ilusión Flamenca prides itself on being a champion of Spanish culture in London. You will find us at performances, festivals and parades around the city – and whilst some of these feature our professional dancers many include students too!
Our shows and events section lists all the upcoming performances, excursions and informal gatherings we have. Apart from the regular juergas (parties) and sevillanas clubs, parties where all students can get together, eat, drink and practice their dance moves. We frequently organise trips to Spain, so far we have taken our students to wonderful events such as The Feria del Puerto de Santa María and the Feria de Jerez, amongst others.
For those who cannot make it to Spain, we make sure to bring the feria to London! Every year we host the Feria de Londres with live music, dancing and constantly-flowing sangria. For a taste of the fiesta, take a look at the video from our 2017 edition:
We do! We have a selection of women’s shoes and skirts, as well as men’s boots for you to choose from. We are thrilled to be able to offer great value for money, and the best possible quality. We are happy to arrange for you to try items on, or order anything custom-made. Our suppliers are reliable shoemakers based in Spain. Please contact us for more details.
What is flamenco?
Flamenco is the emblematic music, song and dance from southern Spain. It is an art form that draws on a number of folkloric traditions from Andalucía: Moorish, Christian, Jewish, African and Gypsy mingle within it.
Flamenco is an established tradition, and records of it can be traced back to the XVIII century, though its influences and evolution can be traced far back into Spanish cultural history. Today, flamenco is practised all around the world.
In 2010, UNESCO declared flamenco a oral and intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity:
What are the different elements of flamenco?
Baile (dance) is only one of the elements of flamenco expression. Historically, the essence of flamenco lay in the Cante (song), these began in the form of Palo Seco, without no musical accompaniment it is the oldest form of song. Cante y Baile (song and dance) are accompanied by Toque (guitar) and the elements of Jaleo which include Palmas (hand-clapping) and cheers of encouragement!
What are sevillanas?
Sevillanas are the traditional music and dance of the city of Sevilla, their vivid style is full of turns. Sevillanas are formed by cuatro coplas or parts and follow a prescribed choreography, although the most skilled , or simply the most passionate dancers will add scores of their own embellishments. Sevillanas are danced by couples of all ages and sexes during celebrations, festivals and shows. In Southern Spain they are taught in many primary schools.
With their roots in the Castilian seguidillas they were influenced by flamenco in the XIX century and have since become the quintessential dance of every Southern fiesta. You will see partygoers at Spanish ferias and weddings perform sevillanas with much flair, despite very few of them having any professional dance education, this is really the essence of sevillanas: they are the dance of the people
Watch the participants of one of our sevillanas refresher classes in action:
