From the STCU Performance Space at KSPS PBS Space at KSPS PBS It's Inland Sessions.

[Tapping feet] In a unique episode, Spokane dance company Quiero Flamenco brings their mix of traditional Spanish style dance with flamenco movements to the Inland Sessions stage.

[Tapping feet] Right now on Inland Sessions.

Quiero could mean “I love” flamenco, but it also means like “I'd want it.” Hello, my name is Monica Mota.

I am artistic director, choreographer, dancer, um, for Quiero Flamenco.

We are... a dance company in the style of flamenco.

Um.

We combine Spanish classical elements, uh, and also contemporary and modern movement We can do traditional flamenco.

Um.

But our shows tend to mix both.

So that we can use the artists that are available in Spokane.

So flamenco it is an improvisational art form and it actually starts with the singing.

The singing is kind of the foundation to all of it.

It, it, creates the structure and it creates what mood, what rhythms you're going to be doing.

And so that's where it's founded.

And then the dancer is the, she's the ornamentation, but she's also the rhythm, or he, is also the rhythm.

The kind of the drum line in that whole thing.

And actually, the guitar is another line of rhythm that kind of supports both.

And if you don't have those three elements that know what they're doing in those three forms, you're not really doing flamenco.

But what we do here is...

I've learned the style of dance, and I know certain aspects of it, and what I do is I teach classical dancers, flamenco style movements.

But I will clarify that, no, we're not traditional flamenco dancers.

You know, and so I have to clarify that.

Always.

Which I like doing, actually.

Gives people a little education on what's going on.

Ay, de mí, llorona, llorona, llorona, de azul celeste Ay, de mí, llorona, llorona, llorona, de azul celeste Aunque la vida me cueste llorona, llorona No dejaré de quererte Aunque la vida me cueste llorona, llorona No dejaré de quererte No sé que tienen las flores, llorona, las flores del campo santo No sé que tienen las flores, llorona, las flores del campo santo Que cuando las mueve el viento, llorona, parece que están llorando Que cuando las mueve el viento, llorona, parece que están llorando No creas que porque canto, llorona, tengo el corazón alegre No creas que porque canto, llorona, tengo el corazón alegre También de dolor se canta, llorona, cuando llorar no se puede También de dolor se canta, llorona, cuando llorar no se puede Life can be frustrating.

And, and, um, there's not many releases for that.

Uh.

So when I teach flamenco one of the biggest things is trying to get them to stop presenting themselves as perfect and presenting themselves as there is no feeling or emotion in them.

And...

I use a lot of ballet dancers, but they tend to dance like classical Spanish classical dancers.

Um.

When you do flamenco, You end up having to break a lot of habits because, for instance, ballet dancers work in the effortless like everything they do takes great effort.

But on the face supposed to look like it takes no effort at all.

Were the exact opposite.

but that is also why flamenco is taught in a lot of ballet companies to give dancers range.