Do you ever feel like you can execute a certain step, but no matter how many times you try, it just doesn't look right?
I've been there!
One of the people who's helped me the most with technique is Emilio Ochando.
Below find eight technique tips I’ve taken away from past classes with Emilio.
But first, here are three clips of him from past Portland workshops 💞:
1. Accent
Create accents with the body, the hands, the feet.
This gives your dance dynamics and personality.
2. Stay in time
Mainly, don't rush!
"Time is time," Emilio says over and over again.
One of the reasons people tend to rush footwork is because they let their tacones fall.
By accenting your footwork, you are more likely to control your heels and more likely to stay in time.
3. Spot
"Front is front." Emilio reminds us as we do turn combinations.
It's amazing the impact that one little reminder can have on the outcome of your turn.
Whether your spot is in front, to the side, to the diagonal, know where it is, and focus there and only there when you turn.
4. Feel your center
Concentrate on your core.
While doing footwork, while turning, while marking, while doing anything!
And along those lines...
5. Consider the energy of the upper body
"Up is up," Emilio will say.
If we lose connection with the core, our body drops, and so does our energy.
6. Be aware of your body positioning
Especially the elbows. Lead with your elbows. Keep the shoulders down. Move along the diagonal.
7. Engage
"Thinking, thinking, thinking," Emilio likes to say.
He wants dancers to be one hundred percent present, focused, and concentrated on the execution of each movement.
Which leads me to,
8. Feel the sensations
This concept is more advanced than the others, and is important to grasp in order to take your dancing to the next level.
Emilio challenges us to find the 'sensations' in our bodies, to really dance, rather than just move through a series of steps.
Want to study with Emilio?
He’ll be here giving workshops October 24-26 and getting down to the nitty gritty of how to dance flamenco well! Join us in person or online.
Get the details here.
If you want to know how people felt after studying with Emilio and other guest artists, you can find out here.
This post was originally posted here.