Caminos Flamencos

If you are reading this, you are a Flamenco fan or aficionado. If you are neither, apurate
(thats, «HURRY YER SELF UP») ! Get your Duende on with Yaelisa! Dancing flamenco is some hard sh*t — your feet are creating one rhythm and your arms another… your brain gets tossed a bit sideways but when you finally RELAX it all comes together. And then you are hooked… for life. Yaelisa is down to earth and makes sure you get the proper instruction regarding all the basics and details. I am telling you, once you start dancing, you won’t want to stop. Olé! P. S. dance classes are held at ASHKENAZ mostly, not on 7^th street.

Yaelisa is an amazing dancer and teacher. I have studied with various Flamenco teachers in California and she is the most involved in technique and really wants her students to understand the art form intrinsically. Although I’ve taken Flamenco for some years, I am learning a lot. It’s almost like starting from scratch. I’m so glad I found her.

Flamenco is one of my passions. I love everything about it. I have seen members from Caminos Flamencos perform on several occasions and I look forward to seeing them time and time again. I highly recommend seeing them perform. They are at a lot of different venues around the bay. I just saw them at the DeYoung museum the other night. The music is truly magical and the dancing is mesmerizing. To me anyways. I have seen flamenco performed all over Spain and Caminos Flamencos gives me the same fuzzy feeling I got when in Sevilla and Granada. Check out the website and go see them.

Their performances are not to be believed! Whether enjoying the pure creative genius that is Yaelisa (absolutely magnificent), or watching the positively transcendent guitar playing of Jason McGuire, if you love flamenco, you’ll be a permanent fixture at their shows. THANKS YOU GUYS! LO CLASICO WAS TRULY INSPIRING!

I took some flamenco guitar lessons with Jason McGuire in the past. He comes across as very friendly, down-​to-​earth and low key and his knowledge of flamenco knows no bound… from cante accompaniment to deep specific questions on harmony and music theory, Jason knows and plays it all very well… i.e. he can play and count the beats at whatever tempo you’d like, sing/​explain to you what he’s doing while improvising in compas, and plus, he will compose a unique falseta for you on the fly and teach it to you in slow motion if you ask (he records the entire session on DVD too so you can review it later). He’s corrected a lot of my technique that has been stunting my growth for months (i.e. special ways of amii rasgueado, double arpeggios, and now alzapua)…and I’ve seen leaps of improvements within a few hours of practicing by using his advice.
I do gotta say, that his lessons are a tad on the expensive side compared to what other local artists offer, but know that it is completely worth it and that you are in the hands of a highly esteemed professional flamenco artist that is very patient and encouraging. There are great flamenco artists out there, but teaching it is another story. Jason is one such individual that can explain things in a humbling way for you to understand and at whatever pace you’d like to learn. However, he is able to push you beyond your comfort level but also has the instructor’s intuition to know that with a bit of practice, you’ll nail it completely. Remarkable. I’m still taking lessons with him now and I subscribe to his online site, which has been very helpful as well. Highly recommended! =)

Jason and Yealisa are very professional and warm. they are great and accomplished artists who take their students to levels that they aspire and beyond. If anyone wishes to learn a great art, these are the people to go to. Go watch them, and see for yourself ! they perform in various venues.
Cannot say enough about them, only that you will be blown away with their performances.

Everyone in Caminos Flamencos is great, but as a musician I’m totally entranced by Jason McGuire’s incredibly dexterous and nuanced guitar playing. If you want to experience flamenco music and dance in the San Francisco Bay area then you need to check this group out.

Jason and Yaelisa are wonderful flamenco artists. Jason really knows the guitar and flamenco, and despite the high level of his incredible musicianship and skill, knows how to encourage and develop players of any level. Yaelisa elevates the students in her classes as they emulate her grace. I really can’t say enough about their expertise, dedication, and artistry. Anyone interested in seeing or learning flamenco needs to check them out.