Learn flamenco dancing
A friend has invited you to do this with them.
Flamenco is built on rhythm. Beginners learn to clap the compás, the pulse of the music, and then put footwork, arm movements and turns together into short dances.
Moderate£100 to £500 / $130 to $650MonthsIndoorsWith othersUK and US
Someone who has done it
These are real people who did this, as reported by the outlets named. We opened each one before linking it. None of them is connected with this site.
What it's really like
Rhythm comes first. City Lit's beginners' course starts with palmas, the rhythmic hand-clapping, to tune you into the compás, then builds basic footwork and the coordination of arms, feet, head, wrists and turns into short choreographies. It also covers the history of flamenco.
Buckinghamshire Adult Learning's one-hour classes include filigrana, the swirling hand movements, and braceo, the carriage of the arms and upper body. CityDance in Washington, DC adds music theory and rhythmic patterns, and Ballet Hispánico's New York class includes castanets.
Shoes matter. City Lit asks women for flamenco shoes or strong court shoes with a small heel, and men for flamenco boots or leather-soled shoes with a slight heel. By the second term it expects a flamenco or flared skirt for women.
Ways in and what they cost
| Where | Format | Cost (as last listed) |
|---|---|---|
| City Lit, London | Flamenco: beginners; ten 90-minute Thursday-morning classes from 14 January 2027 | £249, or £199 senior and £174 concession |
| Buckinghamshire Adult Learning, Amersham | Flamenco Dancing for Beginners; five one-hour Tuesday-morning classes, 8 June to 6 July 2027 | £46, plus a yearly registration fee of about £11 |
| CityDance, Washington, DC | Beginner Flamenco; 13 Wednesday-evening classes, 9 September to 16 December 2026 | $260 |
| Ballet Hispánico School, New York | Adult flamenco, all levels; 11 one-hour Saturday classes, 19 September to 5 December (year not shown) | $245 |
Buckinghamshire Adult Learning says learners on benefits can apply to its Learner Support Fund to have the registration fee remitted, and invites people to ask about concessions.
How to start
- Book a beginners' course at an adult education college or a dance studio; City Lit and Buckinghamshire Adult Learning both run courses for beginners.
- Get shoes with a small, sturdy heel, or flamenco shoes or boots if you have them; City Lit rules out stilettos, sandals, platforms and trainers.
- Wear clothes that let the teacher see you move; CityDance suggests long skirts for women and slacks for men.
Where to go
- City Lit: Flamenco: beginners (London) UK
- Buckinghamshire Adult Learning: Flamenco Dancing for Beginners (Amersham) UK
- CityDance: Beginner Flamenco (Washington, DC) US
- Ballet Hispánico School: adult classes, including flamenco (New York) US
We opened these links on 9 November 2026 and found them to be what we say. Dates, places and prices are on the official page, where they stay up to date.
Plan this
Pick a day, or a month, and we will set out how to get ready, step by step, with a date and a reason for each. Courses and classes have start dates and can fill up, so the plan begins with finding and booking one. Kit comes after the first session, once you know what you need.
Questions people ask
Can a complete beginner learn flamenco?
Yes. City Lit's beginners' course is aimed at beginners, and Buckinghamshire Adult Learning's course suits complete beginners. CityDance's beginner class is for adults with little or no flamenco experience.
What shoes do I need for a flamenco class?
Flamenco shoes or boots, or hard-soled shoes with a small heel. City Lit rules out stilettos, sandals, platforms and trainers, and the tutor can advise where to buy.
What is compás in flamenco?
The rhythmic pulse of flamenco. Beginners learn it through palmas, rhythmic hand-clapping, before adding footwork.
Do you need castanets for flamenco?
Not to start. Most beginners' courses focus on palmas, footwork and arms, though Ballet Hispánico's adult class in New York includes castanets.
Where this comes from: City Lit, Flamenco: beginners; Buckinghamshire Adult Learning, Flamenco Dancing for Beginners (MUDA001-2627-3AM-B); CityDance, Beginner Flamenco 13 Week Fall/Winter Session; Ballet Hispánico School, Adult classes; The Connexion, Come on in, the Flamenco's fine (11 September 2017). Opened 9 November 2026.
Read next
Twenty-three hours across three Hawaiian channels made Ted Lomicka the first man to finish the Maui Nui swim
How a Tennessee healthcare executive who came to open water through triathlon swam three Hawaiian channels non-stop, through a night and alongside a young humpback, and how to start swimming in open water or build towards a long swim yourself.
No one left behind on the Expresso trail: fifteen years of Tuesday rides with Girls Outside
How a group of women in Colorado's Roaring Fork Valley turned a Tuesday mountain bike ride into a 15-year habit: the motto, the tailgate and why the group keeps them riding. How to start mountain biking on easy graded trails, or ride harder terrain with a group if you already ride.
More like this
Moderate
Learn to dance salsa
Moderate
Learn to tap dance
Moderate
Learn the guitar
Demanding
Learn a language to CEFR level B1