Last weekend we got to do one of our very first promo shows for the Filipino Association’s monthly dance at Ellesmere Community Centre. Suffice it to say, we had a blast (see the photo for the evidence). The opportunity came sooner than expected, which pushed us to get this website up as soon as possible, as well as put together a flyer and logo.

Lessons learned from this gig: don’t “plug and play”. My dad was kind enough to do our sound, which we tested at home earlier in the day. However, likely due to a travel mishap, my microphone cable stopped working mid-set! This led, at first, to some feedback and later to no sound from my mic. Not to mention, Julian’s fingers didn’t feel quite as supple after setting up. Thankfully, our audience was far too gracious to turn their heads up at us. They listened attentively, cheered us on, and helped make the evening special. In short, always make sure you get the opportunity to test the sound in the venue, ahead of time.

A tip to my fellow dancers: I do not recommend dancing on tile! I did it because the monthly event draws in many dancers, all of whom cover the floor. My portable flamenco floor would have surely been a tripping hazard. Instead, we found places in the hall that had a nice deep sound and placed a microphone near a “sweet spot”. Even still, my toes felt the impact the next day.

The highlight of the night was my first attempt at leading a flamenco-rumba line dance to Lolita’s cover of Sarandonga. Those members of the Filipino Association really know how to get down; and with plenty of style.

Thank you to the Association, the supportive audience, and to our friends and students, Nellie and Evelyn, for setting this up.

Happy dancing,

Calú (& Julian)