In Honor of Flamenco Mamas

This is me with my kids after a student show a few years ago. Check in the mirror to see what I’m hiding behind my son. As I said, wine helps things. Salud to ALL the mamas!

As I sit here writing this, my 6 year old daughter is here with two of her other friends. They’re laughing hysterically, eating partial snacks and practicing all of their potty words. I’ll stay here to write as long as I can in between being referee to their little dramas and getting more snacks.

I started off today at 6:30 in the morning. Got up, made breakfasts, woke up the kids, helped them complete homework (yes, my kindergartener has homework), and shuffled them off to school. I came home and did mommy stuff and flamenco biz stuff then picked up the kids. Once the friends go home from the playdate I’ll get some dinner ready, wait for my son to be dropped off at home from his afternoon activities. Eventually, I’ll have to get ready to go teach flamenco class.

I’ll probably arrive at class slightly frazzled and tired. But I can’t complain because this is my calling and I’m blessed to be able to have such amazing women who come to my classes. Once we start stretching, chatting and moving I become energized and we have a great time dancing our hearts out.

Rinse. Repeat.

This is my life as a flamenco mama.

I have a few flamenco mommy friends with young kids like me. We all have different ways of expressing our art and raising kids. Some have day jobs and focus on performing on weekends. Others group their teaching during the week so they can have weekends to take their kids to all the child centered activities like little league or soccer.

Of course all moms juggle home life and work life, but us flamencas are a different breed. We are artists, business women, care givers. We juggle work, family and flamenco because we can’t imagine life any other way.

Sometimes there’s such a big mess because kids are a daytime gig and flamenco a nighttime gig so there’s little time to um, sleep. But that’s why there is wine, to help things along.

So, to all my flamenca mama compañeras I raise a glass to you all and say “ole tu!”

And to all the other mamas out there, HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!

un beso,
Rina
www.RinaOrellana.com