Dancing the night away in Madrid

Tonight we enjoyed learning and dancing the traditional Flamenco dance. First we learned it originated in Andalucia and has Arabic and Jewish influences. We saw how dancers use their whole bodys: hands, feet, voices, and instruments like the cajon, originally from Peru. It was very fun to try on the complete Flamenco outfit and see a live performance of a Flamenco dancer at the CIEE headquarters.

We also learned the traditional Spanish dance of Servillanas. It is a colorful and exciting dance that is traditionally done at special celebrations. We watched a few videos and then practiced the different aspects of the dance by putting all of the steps together. We now have a newfound respect for Flamenco dancers! We had a blast trying something new and learning more about Spanish culture! We also got to practice our Spanish skills as we spoke with the instructor and listened to the music.

We became some dancing queens, young and sweet, only seventeen!!