What students say

 “La Caoba’s fire and passion burning for the art of Flamenco is so true and alive, even though we are on two different sides of the world, and just dancing together “ virtually”, it feels like she is ever present!”— Maria (Chicago)  

Michelle is a gifted Flamenco teacher. She has a special way of breaking down steps, explaining things and creating choreography that makes you feel the movement and dance at a level that is beyond what you think you can do. She brings an amazing energy, passion and a sense of humor to each and every class. Once you start dancing with Michelle, you will be inspired to continue for life!     Melissa from Chicago 

I studied flamenco dance with Michelle for several years. She is an excellent teacher! She thoughtfully structures the class with good technique exercises and interesting, doable choreographies. Michelle’s warmth, humor, and enthusiasm makes each class fun and a great learning experience. -Annette from Chicago 

 Flamenco mit Michelle macht ausnahmslos grossen Spass. Das Ganzkörper-Einwärmen lässt einen im Raum ankommen, der anschliessende Technik-Teil hilft enorm für die Körperzentrierung und die Choreografien sind wunderschön. In jeder Stunde spürt man den authentischen Flamencospirit aus Andalusien. Der Unterricht bei Michelle garantiert zudem fortlaufende und nachhaltige Fortschritte - sowohl im persönlichen Training als auch per Online-Kurs.   Zudem lohnt es sich ebenso, Pilateskurse bei ihr zu buchen. Keine Angst, es wird in allen Stunden auf jedes Bewegungs-Niveau Rücksicht genommen!   Doris, Schweiz 

I am delighted to share my experience learning flamenco dance with Michelle. She is an excellent teacher whose passion and expertise are evident in every class.   The way she explains the steps is incredibly clear, making even the most complex movements accessible to all her students. Her knowledge extends beyond flamenco to include other dance forms such as tap, ballet, and modern dance. Additionally, as a Pilates expert, she provides invaluable guidance on how to perform movements safely and protect our bodies from injuries.  Michelle is exceptionally patient. I have seen her teach kids, young people, and adults, both in person and online. She has a unique way of approaching distinct kinds of students, ensuring that everyone feels comfortable and supported. Whether you are a novice, intermediate, or advanced student, she makes sure you learn at your own pace and develop a love for dance.  In her classes, you not only learn the dance steps but also the history, technique, and Spanish. She is multicultural and speaks several languages, which helps non-Spanish speaking students who take dance lessons not only to take her classes with confidence she will be able to understand you and communicate in a very special and unique way and to learn how to count in Spanish and understand the “Flamenco” dance terminology. This makes the learning experience feel more natural and immersive.  I highly recommend Michelle. She is a great teacher, and I would love to take classes with her in person again, but we live in different continents so in the meantime, I will stick to her online classes.  And, her sense of humor is wonderful, and no matter how you feel, she always manages to make you smile!  Cecilia Davila, Chicago   -----------   (y en español)   Es un honor compartir mi experiencia como alumna en las clases de baile flamenco con Michelle. Es una maestra excepcional cuya pasión y experiencia se reflejan en cada clase.  Explica los pasos con claridad, las veces que sea necesario y de diferentes formas. Admiro la capacidad de expresión verbal y corporal que tiene, haciendo que incluso los movimientos más complejos sean accesibles para todos sus estudiantes. Su conocimiento no solo abarca los diferentes palos del flamenco, sino también otras formas de danza como el tap, jazz, ballet y danza moderna. Además, como experta en Pilates, proporciona una guía invaluable sobre cómo realizar los movimientos de manera segura para cada estudiante y proteger el cuerpo de lesiones.  Michelle es increíblemente paciente. No importa cuántas veces le pidas que te vuelva a explicar un marcaje, una carretilla, una tabla de pies, te lo describe paso a paso, nunca se desespera y encuentra una y mil maneras de repetirlo sin hacerte sentir que tienes dos pies izquierdos o que no naciste para el baile, ¡todo lo contrario, te inspira a seguir bailando sin importar la edad o formación que tengas!  He tenido la oportunidad de verla enseñar a niños, jóvenes y adultos, tanto en persona como en línea. Su capacidad para adaptarse a diferentes tipos de estudiantes y situaciones demuestra su formación y profesionalismo en la pedagogía de la danza. Ya seas un estudiante principiante, intermedio o avanzado, se asegura de que aprendas a tu propio ritmo y desarrolles tu estilo y un profundo amor por la danza.  En las clases de Michelle no solo se aprenden pasos de baile y coreografías, sino también la historia del flamenco, la técnica, algo de español y por supuesto, a enamorarse del flamenco. Michelle es multicultural y domina varios idiomas, lo que facilita que los estudiantes que no hablan español aprendan a contar y llevar el ritmo en español y comprendan la terminología del flamenco. Esto hace que la experiencia de aprendizaje sea más natural e inmersiva.  Si quieres incursionar en el baile flamenco, no importa en qué parte del mundo estés, te recomiendo tomar clases con Michelle. Es una maestra de gran calibre, y me encantaría tomar clases con ella en persona nuevamente. Sin embargo, debido a que vivimos en diferentes continentes, en espera de alguna nueva oportunidad que me dé la vida para tomar sus clases presenciales, continuaré con sus clases en línea.  Además, he de decir que su sentido del humor es maravilloso, y siempre logra hacerte sonreír, sin importar cómo te sientas.  Si te gusta el flamenco y no encuentras talleres de danza en donde vives, no te lo pienses más, apúntate a las clases en línea con Michelle la Caoba.   Cecilia Dávila, Chicago  
 

I've been a student of Michelle's for several years. I started in a Beginner's Class and eventually progressed to Intermediate Footwork. Now, I take online classes with other Intermediate and Advanced Students. Michelle lives and breathes Flamenco. She doesn't just teach steps, but also explains the story and emotions of a choreography. She provides direct feedback and is always open to questions. Now, as a dancer, even though my preference is to learn with numbers, I have learned how to just listen to a song and memorize a dance holistically. I am much better at instinctively knowing when a turn is coming, for example, not just "four steps to the left, four steps to the right, and then a half turn." I wholeheartedly recommend Michelle to anyone who wants the "forest," not just the "trees" of Flamenco.    

Christine Harrell  Hometown: Chicago, IL  

Current Town: Atlanta, GA  

 I cannot recommend Michelle more highly. As a teacher, she consistently creates choreographies that are challenging, complex and interesting. At first I think I won’t be able to achieve them. But with weekly repetition, slow breakdown of the steps, her patience, wonderful sense of humor, and joie de vivre, we find ourselves pulled along and soon we have accomplished the choreography!  I have studied with Michelle for many years; both in person in Chicago, and virtually via Zoom. Despite the challenges of online teaching and learning, I find myself barely noticing the fact that we are all online. She has mastered the medium, and also manages to create camaraderie with the class so that we really feel that we are together. I look forward to not only taking her class every week, but also just being around her—Michelle would be able to cheer up a tree stump! She is a completely delightful human being and excellent teacher. 

Jill from Chicago