Want Better Flamenco Footwork? You Might Need to Practise Less Footwork

I know. Sounds weird.

Because when we want to get better at something, the obvious answer is usually to practise that thing more.

Want better footwork?

Practise more footwork.

Do your drills.

Learn new combinations.

Practise them slowly.

Practise them faster.

Repeat until your neighbours begin to wonder what's happening upstairs.

And yes – of course practising your footwork helps.

But if you've been putting in the practice and feel as though your footwork has hit a bit of a brick wall, there's something else worth looking at.

Your balance.

Your other leg has a job too

When we're concentrating on footwork, most of our attention naturally goes to the foot that's moving.

What's the heel doing?

Where does the toe go?

How fast can I do this?

Why was this perfectly achievable at 75% speed and suddenly impossible at 100%?

Meanwhile, there's another leg involved.

While one foot is busy stamping, brushing, tapping and generally doing something fabulous, the supporting leg has to keep the rest of you upright and steady.

That's a pretty important job.

And unlike standing balance exercises, flamenco doesn't politely allow you to balance on one leg while absolutely nothing else happens.

Your working leg is moving.

Your arms may be moving.

Your weight is shifting.

Your footwork may be getting faster.

And you're supposed to make all of this look like dancing rather than an unexpected disagreement with gravity.

So if you want to improve your footwork, it makes sense to give your balance some attention too.

You don't need another hour of practice

This is the bit I particularly like.

Working on your balance doesn't have to become Another Thing You Must Find Time To Practise.

You don't need an hour. You don't even need ten minutes.

For the next seven days, try this:

→ Stand on one leg for two minutes a day, swapping legs halfway.

That's it. You can do it while you're brushing your teeth, waiting for the kettle, drying the dishes or doing something else that doesn't require both feet.

Although if you're carrying anything breakable, perhaps choose your moment wisely.

Then make it more like dancing

Once standing on one leg feels comfortable, start moving the free leg:

→ Swing it forwards.

→ Take it backwards.

→ Move it out to the side.

→ Change direction.

The aim isn't to perform a particular flamenco movement.

You're simply making the supporting leg deal with a moving body rather than a perfectly still one.

Because that's what we're asking it to do when we dance.

Want to make it considerably harder?

Close your eyes. Seriously.

Stand on one leg, get yourself settled and then close your eyes.

You'll discover very quickly just how much work your eyes have been doing to help you balance.

It's quite humbling.

Then open your eyes again and suddenly the original version feels suspiciously easy.

Your seven-day flamenco experiment

So that's it.

No complicated training plan.

No new footwork combination.

No extra hour squeezed into an already busy week.

Just:

→ 2 minutes a day.

→ Swap legs halfway.

→ 7 days.

Start standing still. Then move the free leg. And when you're ready for the considerably less dignified version, close your eyes.

Try it consistently for one week and then go back to your footwork practice.

Pay attention to how you feel when one foot leaves the floor, how steady the supporting side feels and whether controlling your movements feels any different.

Sometimes improving your footwork means practising your footwork.

And sometimes it's worth looking at the leg that's been quietly doing all the work in the background.

One more thing that makes everything else easier...

If balance isn't your problem but finding the 12 is, that's exactly what Hearing The 12 is for.

I'll show you what to listen for and how to practise hearing the compás so you're not always relying on counting – or the dancer next to you. 😉

👉🏼 Take a look at Hearing The 12

Belinda