Someone has drawn an anatomically correct heart dripping blood beside the extended hand of Luis, on the photocopied poster advertising his class.

I went to Calle Castellar, where I practiced last year, to look for either his class or that of Carmen Ledesma. I've known about both these dancers for some time now. They are the real thing. Much more down to earth than the teachers in academies. Non-academic. Traditional. I've also heard the rumours about Luis with regard to ladies.

I do not know for sure but I am guessing he is one of the many offspring of the large Peña family, which has many very famous members, some from Lebrija, and relatives in some form or other, of Concha. Whatever the case, flamenco is thick in his gitano blood.

Several friends have been taking his class in the past couple of months, and all have good things to say about his dancing. All of us are looking for the simple, traditional gitano style, with attitude, with guts, with pellizco (hard to translate - spark, perhaps, sudden spontaneous eruption of gusto/guts/enjoyment... the thing that makes spontaneous "ole"s come out of people's mouths. Pellizcos can be quite subtle movements but are sudden.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iri_9ihH4SM&feature=related