Maltese dancer teaches flamenco in Spain

Perseverance and hard work have seen Estelle Sant, 20, of Sliema, leave such a good impression on her flamenco tutors in Spain that she is now teaching flamenco at a Spanish school.

Tomorrow she will be leaving with a Spanish company for Los Angeles in the US to give shows during a four-day tour.

Admirers of the dance in Malta will get the opportunity to see Ms Sant, together with the other flamenco dancers and musicians from the school of Maria Del Mar Moreno, dancing at St James Cavalier in Valletta on September 6 and 7.

The other participants will include dancer Maria Del Mar Moreno, Luis de Pacote, singer and Santiago Moreno, guitarist.

Ms Sant, who has been living in Jerez in Spain since July last year, entered the mysterious and sensuous world of flamenco aged eight when she joined the Alegria Dance Company under the direction of Rosanna Maya, in Sliema.

The dance company forms part of Alegria Academia Flamenca where Ms Sant eventually became an assistant teacher.

She was awarded the Luisillo cup for Spanish dance when she was 15 and, moving steadily up the career ladder backed by her steely determination, she went on to win the prestigious Comsec International Award while still in Malta.

Since last year, she has been attending the flamenco Festival de Jerez put up by the Teatro Villamarta in Andalucia. At the festival she attended courses under the tuition of renowned performers and teachers Maria del Mar Moreno, Merche Esmeralda and Matilde Coral.

About this demanding but rewarding experience, Ms Sant said: "At the end of the first course I attended with Maria del Mar Moreno, she told me I could make the grade if I gathered more experience, particularly by living the flamenco ambiance each day.

"It was then that I decided to go and live in Spain, which was something of a shock for my family but my mind was set on pushing ahead".

Between July and September last year, she attended a number of other courses under Javier Latorre, Antonio El Pipa, and Andres Pena.

After these classes, she joined the dance school Escuela De Baile Flamenco Maria de Mar Moreno where she attended four hours of classes every day with a guitarist and a singer.

"This was an incredible experience where you live the true flamenco. I have danced in several restaurants among them El Lagar de Tio Parilla which is run by a gypsy family.

"I am the first foreigner to be employed there as a dancer."

She also danced at La Pena de el Pescaero and La Feria Del Portal and in Madrid last December.

Ms Sant started ballet lessons aged three at the Tanya Bayona Princess Poutiatine Academy of Ballet under the tuition of Theresa Lungaro Mifsud.

Aged 17, she went to Jerez de la Fontera in Andalucia, in Spain to attend a seven-day course with Matilde Coral, one of the longest established flamenco teachers.

"In Jerez, I watched some incredible flamenco shows where you imbibe what the Spaniards term the duende, that is the spirit and sentiment of flamenco."

Currently, she directs dance lessons at the school of Maria del Mar Moreno, which will be holding an international summer course in Malta between September 5-9.

The course will be held at the College of Jazz Dance in San Gwann. Further information may be obtained by phoning 2137 5304 or 7944 8383. email: cabela@vol.net.mt