The passion and precision of flamenco helps Dr Natalie Dalati of Sydney’s Concord Dentist keep her cool
It was anger that started me on the path to becoming a flamenco dancer. About seven years ago, I was living in the Sydney suburb of Stanmore which has a strong Spanish flavour. One day I was feeling furious—I can’t even remember why—and I went for a walk to cool down. On the way I passed a flamenco studio with flyers out the front.
“Up to this point, I had never even considered dancing lessons, let alone flamenco, but something made me grab a flyer. I saw they had classes that were timed perfectly for my schedule so I decided to give it a go.
“I didn’t have the right shoes or outfit but I really enjoyed it. I liked that it was a solo dance that didn’t require a partner. It was also an extremely good workout. In no time at all, I was attending classes twice a week.
“Flamenco appeals to me on many levels. It’s a very seductive dance but very technical at the same time. You need to learn the steps slowly and increase your speed while maintaining form. Due to the fact that it is so technical, it’s one of the hardest dances to master—I’ve been told it’s far more difficult than ballet. To become proficient in flamenco, you need to understand beats and rhythms and that helps you to become a good dancer in other genres.
“I’ve performed in lots of concerts with the most recent being at the Marrickville Community Festival. I danced a duo with another woman and we had a full band behind us. It was great fun.
“I get told I look Spanish but I’m not. I would really love to visit Spain but I’ll have to wait until my two children are grown. My youngest is only 11 weeks old and I’ve had to take a break from flamenco during both pregnancies. But I’ll be back into it soon!
“I think it’s really important to have an interest outside dentistry. In the past I had tried things like jewellery making and cake decorating but I never stuck at anything for more than three months. Flamenco has been the only thing that has really engaged me.
“My husband’s in finance, my brother’s a dentist, his wife is a dentist, and both my parents are doctors. At family meals, the talk is all medical and financial so flamenco is my little escape. I’ve found my bliss.
