Ana Montes

I am a professional flamenco dancer (bailaora) and teacher in Seattle. I teach out of my studio, Flamenco Danzarte at 2306 - 4th Ave. in Belltown in downtown Seattle (4th and Bell) and teach women and men, all levels. See my website www.ANAMONTES.COM or www.MYSPACE.COM/ANAMONTESFLAMENCO.

I lived 7 years in Spain, in Sevilla and Madrid....studied flamenco in both places, and 6 of those years I performed professionally with flamenco groups. It is much different when you have been to the source....

I perform with Carmona Flamenco at Cafe Solstice on a pretty regular basis and do gigs with my students.... usually Folklife and other venues.

Don't hesitate to contact me about flamenco classes. It's an incredible art form combining grace and power with lots of percussion and fantastice rhythms and a great way to express the passion, intensity and fierceness in your individual personality.

SALSA / BACHATA / MERENGUE / CHA CHA

~~~ Ok, so I'm teaching a class for Salsa/Bachata/Merengue/Cha Cha
... all the dances for all the music they play at the salsa clubs! I've been in the scene a long time and used to win all the dance contests with my dance partner at that time. They stopped letting us compete to give other people a chance! If there is a name for my style I guess it would be called Chilango style (the way they dance in Mexico City). I totally emphasize dancing IN THE RHYTHM with your feet, small steps which is how it works in a crowded club, and guys how to lead in the rhythm. Since I am a professional Flamenco Dancer, and being in the rhythm is such an essential part of dancing flamenco, imagine how well qualified I am to teach you how to hear and dance in the rhythm for these other dances, which are much simpler than flamenco.

No more being afraid of the music or where the beat is, or how to dance to it!!!