Flamenco Express Workshops

Teaching In Seychelles

noreply@blogger.com (biginabox) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 12:44:00 +0000

Teaching children how to dance on a tropical island with a deep culture of music and rhythm isn’t the worst job in the world. Publicity for the Seychelles speaks about ‘Paradise, 1000 miles from anywhere,’ and it’s no lie. Think coral and granite islands in turquoise seas, palm trees and rainforests. Here there is no debilitating junk food, and entertainment is more about participation than consumption. What did young people in such an environment need from outsiders? It’s true that the guitarist Chris Mullett, my co-founder at Flamenco Express, and I have performed and taught all over Britain and Europe since 1996. But what could he and I teach these young people about rhythm that they didn’t already know? Shouldn’t ITALS they END ITALS by rights be teaching ITALS us END ITALS? And, specifically, what did flamenco have to offer them anyway?

Nevertheless our job during three separate trips in 2006, 2007 and 2008 was to teach flamenco workshops at the International School Seychelles. The total number of students in each of our groups was about 20, ranging in age from 6 to 18. We also had to produce a televised performance at the end of each week-long visit. This wouldn’t be an easy task in the UK, let alone in a place where few of the children have ever seen flamenco and many speak only French or Creole. And the only shoes they wear are flip-flops or trainers. (Leather doesn’t last long in the rainforest.) But rhythm is a universal language, and Seychellois have a lively culture. Music and dance is an integral part of people’s lives. The music heard on the streets, in the markets and at parties is similar to Jamaican reggae, but based on the same rhythm as tanguillos, which is a flamenco compass (or, again, rhythm). Seychelles is a culture so steeped in rhythm that wherever there’s a
group of people someone will have a drum or sound system, and there will be dancing whether the music plays or not.

On the main island, Mahe, dancers and drummers arrive on the beach on Wednesday nights. The drumskins are tuned by the driftwood bonfires, and inside a pulsating circle the dancing goes on into the night. Dance has always been taught in all of the schools, and a country with a population of only 40,000 has a national dance academy. In addition the African, Asian and European cultural heritage has produced a range of local dance forms - in particular the moutia, sega, and contre-dance - which are still alive. Moutia is possibly the most widespread; it combines rhythm and song, as does flamenco.

But I didn’t know any of this when we first arrived. If I had I would’ve been less apprehensive about teaching flamenco in the middle of the Indian Ocean. The fact that the classes were over-subscribed two weeks before we left London was not a help.
Our days started early, and by noon we’d already done two 90-minute workshops. The children were always enthusiastic and eager to learn. Because of a healthy diet they’re fit and slender, and their stamina and concentration is truly amazing.

Every year each group we worked with consisted of equal numbers of boys and girls, and each year studied different rhythms, or compas. They tackled tangos, farruca, fandangos, and guijarras, which are various flamenco rhythms, dances and songs. Using palmas (hand clapping), picas (finger clicking) and footwork they worked on complex co-ordinations and rhythmic patterns. Wearing whatever kind of heeled shoes they could get hold of, they devised their own choreography and chose their own steps. At the end of each week they always produced enough material for the half-hour performance. It was a real challenge for them, but they relished it and sweated to be as good as they could be. On the night itself they were pure magic, the boys in their brightest shirts and the girls with the roadside frangipani in their hair. They always made me cry.

Some children stand out in my memory. Harry was a newcomer to Seychelles, big for his age and slightly defensive in his strange surroundings. He seemed to be a natural choice for dance captain and rhythm leader, and this role turned him from an awkward, spiky boy into a real helper who fitted in and merited respect. Alec was very concerned with perfecting the choreography, as he was convinced it would improve his skateboard technique. Jane already wanted to be an actor, and was an exemplary dance captain. She had advanced musical skills, played the drums and found that flamenco gave her new ideas. And then there was Ryan, the only student who had real problems with concentration and being still. By the end of the week he seemed to have found, in rhythm, a framework that enabled him to focus on tasks and retain instruction while also allowing him to express his creativity. He excelled at inventing patterns and teaching them to the rest of the class, and received respect in return. On the night of the performance he shone. The combination of the natural human response to rhythm, plus a sympathetic environment, had allowed him to discover skills and rewards he hadn’t known before.

It was noticeable that children gained status from being willing to help each other, and they took pleasure in doing so. Their determination can be summed up by the worried nine-year old girl who came to me at the start of the second day - after only one class of flamenco - and apologised, ‘Please. Miss Jackie, I can’t remember all of yesterday’s choreography.’ Or the two six year-olds who, when asked to be at the studio at four o’clock for final rehearsal, came to me and said, ‘We don’t know time.’ They were old enough to learn choreography but not to tell the time. Naturally their classmates ensured that they arrived at four.

Vital to the success of the entire project was the Seychelles ingredient of co-operation between the students. In the studio the children would help each other with steps, and some as young as six would translate my instructions into French or Creole for their fellow students. Others videotaped, lit and staged the show alongside a wide range of other jobs. Most striking of all was the level of unofficial, everyday and systemic help they offered for no apparent reward other than the joy of performing, respect among their peers and the satisfaction of what, from the evidence of this experience, is the natural human instinct to communicate with and assist each other. The apparent side effects of this cultural solution to the historic problems of living together are openness, confidence and a genuine interest in other people, in what they have to say and in who they are. This is a society that likes people, and especially people who like sharing. As artists and teachers we were there to share. This meant that we were also liked, or at least granted respect. We found we didn’t have to prove our point or assert our authority, which isn’t always the case in cultures that are more focused on winning and individual excellence. This openness allowed the students to enjoy flamenco and master new dance skills in a week. Their respect also extended to the art form itself, which is an essential first step and something they seemed to grasp instinctively.

Flamenco offered them another medium for their innate creativity. But they were obviously capable of taking immense joy from almost any activity, especially those involving the group. As for us, I feel we learned as much as we taught. Even spread across three years the entire experience was, and still is, hugely inspiring.

Flamenco Express Weekly Classes.

noreply@blogger.com (biginabox) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 11:02:00 +0000

Beginners 6.30 - 8. and Intermediate 8-9.30. Wednesdays.
Greenwich Dance Agency. Royal Hill. Greenwich. SE10
£6. & CONCESSIONS.
0208 293 9741

Workshop References

noreply@blogger.com (biginabox) — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 12:10:00 +0000

Vice Principal
Nash College, Bromley, Kent

'We have recently had the pleasure of a visit from Flamenco Express who held a workshop for the students of our special needs college.
Jackie and her partner worked intuitively and enthusiastically with the students who thoroughly enjoyed and benefited from the experience.
She encouraged student involvement showing sensivity to their physical limitations and ability and they greatly benefited from their visit.
We have no hesitation in recommending Flamenco Express, who we hope will visit us again.'

Enrichment Coordinator
St Ursula's Convent School
Humanities College, London"

'Jackie Wilford came in to Saint Ursula's Convent School for an Enrichment Day in May of this year and delivered an extremely successful Flamenco Express Workshop to 120 or our Year 8 pupils, divided into 3 groups of 40. Each session lasted one hour.
I and all of the staff present were impressed by the way in which she organised and taught these fairly large groups of pupils who had never encountered the art form before. She has a natural and pleasant manner with the girls and is also authoritative without ever being loud. She coped well with an elongated and not ideal space, and made sure all participants had their turn and were encouraged. In a short time, she gave our pupils the flavour of the dance and the music.
Her guitarist was a great asset and the effect of the live music is dramatic and effective.
At the end of the day, many of the pupils said that this enrichment day - A celebration of Hispanic Culture - was the best day yet, and this was due to the kind of action and participation achieved in the Flamenco Workshop (as well as in other events). We are looking forward to inviting Jackie back to work in our school.'

International School, Seychelles. 2006.

Filed under: Sixth Form News
'The Flamenco Dancing Workshop is fast becoming a fixture at our school. Sixth formers are already in anticipation for the moment where Jacqui Wilford an amazing Flamenco performer and her accompanist Christopher Mullett on flamenco guitar shall return to our shores and remind us once again of the beauty that is to be found in dance.

Last year’s workshop was an unimaginable pleasure; the dance rehearsed and performed by the Sixth Formers was much more intricate than in previous years. However, its rich cultural roots inspired us left-footed individuals to dance our best to the rhythms of their dreams, hopes and fears. The performance itself emphasized the masculinity and femininity of the two parts of a truly wonderful dance. Roll on next year!'

Student Comments

“Learning Flamenco was definitively something worth remembering…”
Zarine Udwadia

“As a lover of dance, flamenco was a chance to learn a new style of dance and I relished the possibility. I would not pass up the opportunity to do it again, I am always up for a challenge and Flamenco is challenging but achievable.”
Linda Essandoh

“I started off confused but literally sixty minutes later, I was dancing Flamenco. It is a very tough art and involves careful control of the whole body as well as keeping time to the music and remembering to use the right foot!”
Stephen Ernesta

“It was the second time that I had taken part. I enjoyed the workshop immensely as I am very interested in dancing.”
Rosabelle Mederick

“I still remember the rhythm: Clap, 1, 2, clap, 4, 5, clap, 7, clap, 9, clap, 11…”
Marie-Michelle Lai Lam

“The Flamenco dancing workshop was a great experience. I’ve taken part in it twice so far and both times I’ve really enjoyed myself. Jacqui, the teacher, is a very talented dancer and her guitarist is amazing. During the first couple of sessions, we had to learn a dance and Jacqui made it look so much easier than it actually was! Overall, the Flamenco dancing was fun and I can’t wait for the next workshop.”
Lynn Prea

Incedental Comments

“I will never forget looking out of my office window and seeing a student showing dance steps to someone who had to come to pick them up. And to top that three others joined in!”
Mr. Kennedy.

“It was great to see your students on the beach and they were all trying out their Flamenco steps, they were so good, my daughter has only just arrived on the island and she’s already involved!”
A parent.

Workshop Information Pack

noreply@blogger.com (biginabox) — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 09:08:00 +0000

TARGET GROUPS
The controlled physicality of flamenco provides a disciplined means of building confidence and articulate expression in a wide range of students, from infant schools to special needs pupils to performing arts colleges - where the links between contemporary dance and flamenco become most obvious.
Infants and junior school students consistently display enhanced degrees of physical confidence and presentation through the combined effects of role-play and rhythmic expression.
Special needs students at all ends of the spectrum respond positively to the rhythmic skills and the language of emphasis which is at the core of flamenco.
Students of contemporary dance and Sixth Form Performing Arts students benefit greatly from being exposed to the art form which has inspired modern choreographers from Martha Graham to Mark Morris.
Flamenco is undoubtedly a useful addition to the repertoire of any dance artist. And highly desirable for any working dancer hoping to land a character part in Carmen at The Royal Opera House or The Coliseum.

The workshop has recently also proved useful as part of a wider educational programme of cultural awareness which actively seeks to involve young people in a basic examination of their own cultural identity. We are therefore seeking to cooperate with communities where groups such as asylum seekers are seen as a threat, and would be interested to receive feedback on this point from other artists and groups.
…

ELEMENTS (EDUCATIONAL POLICY)

SAFETY
Through her approach to teaching, Joaquina provides an enjoyable secure, healthy, sustainable level of expertise which will allow students to move on to the level of expression which best suits them. Particular attention is paid to individual body shape and the physical limitations of the student.

Where the class reveals a deficiency or weakness in posture or balance, exercises and demands will be tailored to suit. There have been several cases where Joaquina’s teaching has alerted students to problems which may have become more serious if left unattended.

RHYTHM
The emphasis on rhythm also emphasises a basic element of all expression which is essential to any performing arts training, from budding stand up comedians to orchestral violinists. But whether or not the student becomes involved in the performing arts or not, the skills of emphasis, expression and timing ingrained in the rhythmic basis of the class are essential to all confident self-expression.

IDENTITY
The workshop has recently also proved useful as part of a wider educational programme of cultural awareness which actively seeks to involve young people in a basic examination of their own cultural identity.

WORKSHOPS

Greenwich Dance Agency. Permanent Contract.
Woking Dance Network, Woking. Seasonal Contract
Hextable Dance, Swanley. Seasonal Contract
Italia Conti School, London. 12/05/1997
Northgate Arts Centre, Ipswich. 01/08/1998
Alban Arena, St Albans. 06/10/1998
Essex Dance Agency, Chelmsford. 15/11/1998
Corn Exchange, Newbury 23/01/1999
Point Arts Centre, Eastleigh 28/02/1999
Mill Arts Centre, Banbury 07/03/1999
Roses Theatre, Tewkesbury 10/03/1999
Trinity Arts Centre, Tunbridge Wells 07/04/1999
Princess Theatre, Hunstanton 26/06/1999
‘Y’ Theatre, Leicester 01/10/1999
Harlow College, Harlow 05/11/1999
Palace Theatre, Nottingham 16/11/1999
King’s Lynn Operatic Society, King’s Lynn 28/11/1999
Arts Worldwide Ltd, London 10/06/2000
Arts Worldwide Ltd, London 11/06/2000
Arts Worldwide Ltd, London 24/06/2000
MIllfield Theatre, Edmonton 25/06/2000
Woking Dance Network, Woking 11/09/2000
Chequer Mead Arts Centre, East Grinstead 12/09/2000
The Brewhouse, Burton on Trent 06/10/2000
Library Theatre, Solihull 12/10/2000
Pittville Pump Room, Cheltenham 29/10/2000
New Theatre Royal, Portsmouth 31/10/2000
Woking Dance Network, Woking 08/01/2001
Beaufort Theatre, Ebbw Vale 01/02/2001
Stantonbury Campus Theatre, Milton Keynes 06/02/2001
Playhouse, Harlow 15/02/2001
Woking Dance Network, Woking 23/04/2001
Imperial Cancer Research Institute, London 17/05/2001
The Compass Theatre, Ickenham 19/05/2001
The Ark, Dublin 25/07/2001
The Ark, Dublin 26/07/2001
The Ark, Dublin 27/07/2001
Town Hall Theatre, Loughborough 04/09/2001
Woking Dance Network, Woking 22/01/2002
Jersey Opera House, St Helier Jersey 01/05/2002
Durham County Council, Durham 09/05/2002
Swan Theatre, Worcester 10/09/2002
Dance Base, Edinburgh. 20/10/2002
Wilde Theatre, Bracknell. 13/04/2003
Bexley Grammar School P.A. Bexley. 14/06/2003
Arts Festival, Bexleyheath 09/07/2003
Dance Xchange, Milton Keynes 21/01/2004
Italia Conti School, London 02/04/2004
Brooklands Primary School. London 08/06/2004
Charles Edward Brooke School.London 28/06/2004
Little Theatre, Sheringham 03/10/2004
Preston Hedges School, Northampton 17/05/2005
St Ursula Convent School, London 23/05/2005
Nash College of Education, Bromley 15/06/2005
Civic Hall, Stratford Upon Avon 10/09/2005
The Junior King’s School, Canterbury 06/10/2005
Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford Upon Avon 13/11/2005
St Ursula Convent School, London 30/11/2005
Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford Upon Avon 24/01/2006
Corby Community College, Corby 07/02/2006
Laban (Transitions Dance Co), Deptford London 14/03/2006
Deansbrook Junior School, Mill Hill London 21/06/2006
Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford Upon Avon 01/08/2006
Greenslade Primary School, Plumstead London 19/10/2006
St Ursula Convent School, London London 29/11/2006
Deansbrook Junior School, Mill Hill London 14/06/2007
Waterloo Green Trust , London 22/06/2007
Blackheath Halls Summer Scheme, London 31/07/2007
Long Bennington School, Long Bennington 17/09/2007
Greenwich Dance Agency, Greenwich 22/09/2007
Mayplace School, Bexleyheath 26/09/2007
Laban Trinity, London 14/04/2008
Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford Upon Avon 27/08/2008.
Waverley School, Birmingham. 16/9/08
Nott Dance Festival 08. 23/9/08.

For full list of performances since 1996 please visit website

WORKSHOP PERSONNEL CVs

TUTOR - La Joaquina
Founder member, choreographer and director of Flamenco Express. La Joaquina was trained by Jean Pierre Perrault, Merce Cunningham, Eduardo Lopez, La Gambita, Paco Perez, and Carmen Cort©s, and also trained at Laban for three years.
She has worked with Christina Hoyes, Paco Pe±a, and others in productions at the Royal Opera House, Coliseum, Royal Albert Hall, Earls Court, and in over 200 regional British venues with Flamenco Express.
International appearances include tours of Japan, New York, Montreal, Toronto, Paris, and throughout Spain and Europe.

GUITAR - Chris Mullett
Chris trained in Seville, Cadiz and Madrid under Carlos Heredia and Diego Amaya.
Musical director and founder member of Flamenco Express and acclaimed Arabic/Flamenco fusion group 'Zyryab'.
Musical director of Flamenco Express since its foundation in 1996, and of Club Azul Flamenco from 1993-6.

FLAMENCO EXPRESS WORKSHOPS & THE NATIONAL CURRICULUM
Flamenco express workshops can form an integrated part of dance, music, language or other cultural studies within the national curriculum. The workshops use a variety of dance, live music, imagery and rhythm games to explore flamenco art, culture and history in a way which is exciting, useful and fun.
We have worked with groups from primary and secondary education, performing arts groups in further and higher education, and special needs across the country.
There are many ways in which flamenco workshops can be related to the national curriculum. Some of the main areas are as follows.....

Physical Education - Dance activities

Key stage 1
Pupils should be taught to.....
a. use movement imaginatively responding to stimuli , including music, and performing basic skills.
b. change the rhythm, speed, level and direction of their movements.
c. create and perform dances using simple movement patterns including those from different times and cultures.
d. express and communicate ideas and feelings.

Key stage 2
Pupils should be taught to.....
a. create and perform dances using a range of movement patterns including those from different times, places, and cultures.
b. respond to a range of different stimuli and accompaniment.

Key Stage 3
Pupils should be taught to.....
a. create and perform dances using a range of complex movement patterns and techniques.
b. use a range of dance styles and forms.
c. use compositional principles when composing dances.
d. apply performance skills in dances.

Key Stage 4
Pupils should be taught to.....
a. choreograph and perform complex dances using advanced techniques and skills with accuracy and expression.
b. reflect different social and cultural contexts in their dances, and communicate artistic intention.
c. use presentations skills in their dances.

Music
Key Stage 1
Pupils should be taught to explore and experience......
a. their ideas and feelings about music, using movement , dance and expressive musical language.
b. how the combined elements of pitch, duration dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture and silence can be organised and used expressively within simple structures.
c. how sounds can be made in different ways i.e. clapping and stamping.
d. how music is used for different purposes i.e. for dance or as a lullaby.
e. a range of live and recorded music from different times and cultures.

Key Stage 2
Pupils should be taught....
a. to improvise, developing rhythmic and melodic material when performing.
b. to analyse and compare sounds.
c. to explore and explain their own ideas about music using movement dance, expressive language and musical vocabulary.
d. how time and place can influence the way music is created, performed and heard.
e. a range of musical activities that integrate performing , composing and appraising.
f. to respond to a range of musical and non-musical starting points.
g. a range of live and recorded music from different times and cultures.
Resources Provided
Full cultural background information on flamenco.
Flamenc video and audio
Website ( www.flamencoexpress.co.uk)

Resources Required

1. One 4x4 sheet of MDF or weather-ply plus carpet underlay for use by tutor in the event of parquet or other unsuspended flooring.

2. Attendance of at least one member of regular qualified staff.

References

"We have recently had the pleasure of a visit from Flamenco Express who held a workshop for the students of our special needs college.
Jackie and her partner worked intuitively and enthusiastically with the students who thoroughly enjoyed and benefited from the experience.
She encouraged student involvement showing sensivity to their physical limitations and ability and they greatly benefited from their visit.
We have no hesitation in recommending Flamenco Express, who we hope will visit us again.

Vice Principal
Nash College, Bromley, Kent"
Reference 2
"Jackie Wilford came in to Saint Ursula's Convent School for an Enrichment Day in May of this year and delivered an extremely successful Flamenco Express Workshop to 120 or our Year 8 pupils, divided into 3 groups of 40. Each session lasted one hour.
I and all of the staff present were impressed by the way in which she organised and taught these fairly large groups of pupils who had never encountered the art form before. She has a natural and pleasant manner with the girls and is also authoritative without ever being loud. She coped well with an elongated and not ideal space, and made sure all participants had their turn and were encouraged. In a short time, she gave our pupils the flavour of the dance and the music.
Her guitarist was a great asset and the effect of the live music is dramatic and effective.
At the end of the day, many of the pupils said that this enrichment day - A celebration of Hispanic Culture - was the best day yet, and this was due to the kind of action and participation achieved in the Flamenco Workshop (as well as in other events). We are looking forward to inviting Jackie back to work in our school.

Enrichment Coordinator
St Ursula's Convent School
Humanities College, London"

International School, Seychelles. 2006.
Filed under: Sixth Form News
The Flamenco Dancing Workshop is fast becoming a fixture at our school. Sixth formers are already in anticipation for the moment where Jacqui Wilford an amazing Flamenco performer and her accompanist Christopher Mullett on flamenco guitar shall return to our shores and remind us once again of the beauty that is to be found in dance.

Last year’s workshop was an unimaginable pleasure; the dance rehearsed and performed by the Sixth Formers was much more intricate than in previous years. However, its rich cultural roots inspired us left-footed individuals to dance our best to the rhythms of their dreams, hopes and fears. The performance itself emphasized the masculinity and femininity of the two parts of a truly wonderful dance. Roll on next year!

Quotes

“Learning Flamenco was definitively something worth remembering…”
Zarine Udwadia

“As a lover of dance, flamenco was a chance to learn a new style of dance and I relished the possibility. I would not pass up the opportunity to do it again, I am always up for a challenge and Flamenco is challenging but achievable.”
Linda Essandoh

“The dance is very expressive and sensual. The music itself is very beautiful and essential to the dancing. However, it is not an easy dance to learn and requires a lot of energy. Watching our teacher, Jacqui perform was truly incredible. I would definitively take part in the workshop again if I had the opportunity to do so.”
Alison Ah-Yu

“I started off confused but literally sixty minutes later, I was dancing Flamenco. It is a very tough art and involves careful control of the whole body as well as keeping time to the music and remembering to use the right foot!”
Stephen Ernesta

“It was the second time that I had taken part. I enjoyed the workshop immensely as I am very interested in dancing.”
Rosabelle Mederick

“I still remember the rhythm: Clap, 1, 2, clap, 4, 5, clap, 7, clap, 9, clap, 11…”
Marie-Michelle Lai Lam

“The Flamenco dancing workshop was a great experience. I’ve taken part in it twice so far and both times I’ve really enjoyed myself. Jacqui, the teacher, is a very talented dancer and her guitarist is amazing. During the first couple of sessions, we had to learn a dance and Jacqui made it look so much easier than it actually was! Overall, the Flamenco dancing was fun and I can’t wait for the next workshop.”
Lynn Prea

“I will never forget looking out of my office window and seeing a student showing dance steps to someone who had to come to pick them up. And to top that three others joined in!”
Mr. Kennedy.

“It was great to see your students on the beach and they were all trying out their Flamenco steps, they were so good, my daughter has only just arrived on the island and she’s already involved!”
A parent.

Waterloo Flower Festival 2007

noreply@blogger.com (biginabox) — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 12:24:00 +0000

Greenwich Dance Agency. 2003

noreply@blogger.com (biginabox) — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 12:02:00 +0000

Weekly Classes
Intermediate.
Beginners.
phone 0208 293 9741

Warwick Workshop 2006

noreply@blogger.com (biginabox) — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 12:01:00 +0000

International School. Seychelles. 2006.

noreply@blogger.com (biginabox) — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 11:52:00 +0000

Flamenco Dancing
Thursday, 6th December 2007
Filed under: Sixth Form News
The Flamenco Dancing Workshop is fast becoming a fixture at our school. Sixth formers are already in anticipation for the moment where Jacqui Wilford an amazing Flamenco performer and her accompanist Christopher Mullett on flamenco guitar shall return to our shores and remind us once again of the beauty that is to be found in dance.

Last year’s workshop was an unimaginable pleasure; the dance rehearsed and performed by the Sixth Formers was much more intricate than in previous years. However, its rich cultural roots inspired us left-footed individuals to dance our best to the rhythms of their dreams, hopes and fears. The performance itself emphasized the masculinity and femininity of the two parts of a truly wonderful dance. Roll on next year!

Quotes

“Learning Flamenco was definitively something worth remembering…”
Zarine Udwadia

“As a lover of dance, flamenco was a chance to learn a new style of dance and I relished the possibility. I would not pass up the opportunity to do it again, I am always up for a challenge and Flamenco is challenging but achievable.”
Linda Essandoh

“The dance is very expressive and sensual. The music itself is very beautiful and essential to the dancing. However, it is not an easy dance to learn and requires a lot of energy. Watching our teacher, Jacqui perform was truly incredible. I would definitively take part in the workshop again if I had the opportunity to do so.”
Alison Ah-Yu

“I started off confused but literally sixty minutes later, I was dancing Flamenco. It is a very tough art and involves careful control of the whole body as well as keeping time to the music and remembering to use the right foot!”
Stephen Ernesta

“It was the second time that I had taken part. I enjoyed the workshop immensely as I am very interested in dancing.”
Rosabelle Mederick

“I still remember the rhythm: Clap, 1, 2, clap, 4, 5, clap, 7, clap, 9, clap, 11…”
Marie-Michelle Lai Lam

“The Flamenco dancing workshop was a great experience. I’ve taken part in it twice so far and both times I’ve really enjoyed myself. Jacqui, the teacher, is a very talented dancer and her guitarist is amazing. During the first couple of sessions, we had to learn a dance and Jacqui made it look so much easier than it actually was! Overall, the Flamenco dancing was fun and I can’t wait for the next workshop.”
Lynn Prea

“I will never forget looking out of my office window and seeing a student showing dance steps to someone who had to come to pick them up. And to top that three others joined in!”
Mr. Kennedy.

“It was great to see your students on the beach and they were all trying out their Flamenco steps, they were so good, my daughter has only just arrived on the island and she’s already involved!”
A parent.

“We have taught in so many schools in England and we have never experienced such commitment and enjoyment from students. Their confidence and ability to concentrate and get it right is fantastic. All ages are ready to take on the challenge and I love the boys having a go as well. I am so impressed with their time keeping and no complaints…it’s very refreshing!
This is the reason we keep coming back every year. Students at the International School are amazing. We look forward to next year and some more Flamenco in Seychelles.”
Jacqui Wilford.

Milton Keynes Schools Performance. 2003

noreply@blogger.com (biginabox) — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 11:49:00 +0000

Nine Acres Special School. Plumstead. 2000

noreply@blogger.com (biginabox) — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 01:11:00 +0000