Spanish culture comes to life at Paly with the snap of castanets and swirl of colorful polka-dotted dance skirts.

Paly Spanish language students can now show off new dance moves after Thursday’s flamenco performance and instruction. Hassa Flamenco, a Spanish music and dance group, performed for two sixth period Spanish classes on March 2 in the Paly dance studio located off the girls’ gym. Over 50 students attended the PTSA grant-funded music and dance performance, according to Spanish 3H teacher Pilar Alonso. Toward the end of the performance, students traded their role as audience members for that of dancers to learn basic flamenco moves.

This is the second year of flamenco at Paly, according to Alonso, who initially learned of the idea when Jordan Middle School hosted the dancers last year. Though there are currently no other cultural performances scheduled for Spanish classes according to Pilar, Pilar welcomes the idea of future performances at Paly to provide students insight into another Spanish-speaking culture.

"If we hear in the future about folklore groups from other [Spanish-speaking] countries, we will try to get them [to perform] here," Alonso said.

Flamenco, a traditional dance style from Southern Spain, is primarily a performance-based dance that requires great dedication, according to Hassa Flamenco member Cyndie Zikmund who has been dancing flamenco for the past eight years.

Though rhythm is important for all types of dance, it is especially key to flamenco, Zikmund said.

"The whole dance relies on having good rhythm," Zikmund said. "It’s not just about the dance. The rhythm is everything. The thing about flamenco is that the rhythms are so diverse."

Perhaps this is one reason why Zikmund said she is seeing fusion of flamenco and other types of music, such jazz and heavy metal. Flametal, a Bay Area band, serves as an example of this fusion, combining flamenco and heavy metal in its music. The band’s website describes its music as "containing the first and only true fusion of flamenco and metal, including ferocious musicianship, swirling flamenco rhythms and fleet-fingered dual guitar-shredding."

Aside from rhythm, traditional flamenco dance is also characterized by passion, Zikmund said.

"I really liked how the dance is very flavorful," junior Spanish language student Denise Kleckner said. "It really comes out in the way the dresses move."

"It’s controlled passion," Zikmund said.

According to Zikmund, flamenco dance themes range from the joy of birth to the extreme mourning of a funeral.

"It’s the one dance that for every different emotion there is a dance," Zikmund said.

Spanish language students such as Kleckner and sophomore Jee Lee enjoyed the cultural performance, a diversion from the usual classroom focus on the Spanish language, according to Lee.

"I think it gives us a chance to learn more about that culture other than just its language," Lee said.

"Opportunities like this really get students excited," Kleckner said. "It’s a way to reach out to students to get them more inspired about the language they’re learning."

Flamenco is unique for a variety of reasons, according to Alonso.

"It’s the passion. It’s not just performing," Alonso said. "It’s a way of life."