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Complete Intro to Flamenco: 40-Minute Beginner Class

Complete Intro to Flamenco: 40-Minute Beginner Class — video by Rina Orellana Flamenco Play · 40:08

Video by Rina Orellana Flamenco on YouTube · Open on YouTube

A professional flamenco dancer trained in Madrid teaches the class she gives all brand-new students, after a short intro to flamenco's Roma roots in Andalusia: tangos rhythm, hand clapping, wrist and arm movement, marking steps and flat-and-heel footwork, drilled to guitar practice music.

  • 40 min
  • Beginner
  • Low impact (no jumping)
  • No equipment

Good forDancing for fun

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Step by step 13

Tap a time to watch that step in the video.

  1. Palmas: cup the hands and clap the four-count tangos rhythm, then clap along to guitar practice music. 3:45
  2. Arms: keep them rounded as if holding a beach ball, shoulders relaxed and the upper back holding them up. 6:02
  3. Wrists: circle them while holding the forearm, then turn the hands in and out, leading with the little finger. 6:57
  4. Hand drill: one foot in front and abs engaged, turn the hands in and out to music, slowly then faster. 8:24
  5. Front marking step: step forward then to the side, keeping the back foot planted and the hips relaxed. 12:29
  6. Add the arms: the right arm lifts forward and down with the right leg, then add the hand; hands on hips if needed. 14:27
  7. Side marking step: step out to the side, hold, then step back, adding the same arm and hand. 16:20
  8. Drill the front and side marking steps to guitar practice music, then link them. 18:06
  9. Footwork: flat-foot strikes come from behind, not a knee lift; heel strikes keep the ball of the foot down. 21:41
  10. The break: flat, heel, heel, heel in fours, then in twos, then single flat strikes, hands on your hips. 22:56
  11. Practise the footwork break to music, then put the fours, twos and singles together. 26:16
  12. Walk through the whole combination: palmas, hands, front and side marking, then the footwork break. 28:55
  13. Dance the full combination to guitar practice music, a few times through. 31:53

The steps are a summary in our words, checked against the video — the coach shows every move.

Form cues from the coach

  • Keep the arms rounded as if holding a beach ball, shoulders relaxed
  • Get the feet right first, then add the arms and hands
  • Strike flat foot and heel from behind rather than lifting the knee, so the core absorbs the shock

What it works Whole body

Tap an area for more videos that work it.

Joints it uses 1 take load

  • Ankles & feet takes loadflat-foot and heel strikes drilled for minutes
  • Shoulders movesrounded arms held up and out
  • Wrists & hands moveswrist and hand turns
  • Upper back movesarms held on top of the shoulder blades
  • Hips movesrelaxed hips, front and side marking steps
  • Knees movessoft knees, marking steps, stamps from behind

Easier option from the coach: Hands on the hips while you get the feet right first

A guide to the joints this video’s moves load, from what the coach does — not medical advice. Some ache is normal; stop if a joint hurts sharply. How joints are rated

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Video by Rina Orellana Flamenco; the summary, steps, cues, body areas and joint notes are Notbroken’s, written from what the coach actually does in the video and checked a second time. Warm up first, take the easier options until a move feels easy, and stop if you feel sharp pain, chest pain or dizziness. General instruction, not advice for your body. About & safety