A pataíta por bulerías
Let’s learn A pataíta por bulerías and a basic Bulerías call. This video is for beginners. We’ll start with the call; it’s a basic call. I’ll teach it to you slowly, using both your feet and arms. It also includes clapping and tapping your hands on your legs. At the end of the video, I’ll demonstrate the complete sequence to solidify the entire Bulerías footwork, coordinating the steps with your whole body.
Understanding a pataíta por bulerías
Talking about a Bulerías footwork is like talking about that magical moment at a flamenco gathering when everything tightens in your chest and you get an overwhelming urge to get up and start walking to the rhythm. The footwork isn’t a grand spectacle or one of those academic dances with theater and red lights; No, this is something more intimate, more visceral. It’s that moment when someone just starts dancing, sometimes without thinking, because their body craves it, because the guitar calls to them, and because the clapping is already saying, “Let’s go, let’s go!”
A “pataíta” is small, short, but full of flavor. You don’t need to be a dance pro to jump in; what you need is feeling, grace, and rhythm. And mind you, that’s no small feat. Some people think it’s simply moving your feet quickly and making a few gestures with your arms, but anyone who’s seen a real one knows that a whole life is poured into it. It’s the energy, the pride, the fun, the spark. And above all, it’s the respect for an art that, although it may seem “that easy,” has centuries of history in its bones.
When is the moment for the “pataíta”?
The “pataíta” almost always arrives at the peak of the party. When the wine has flowed a bit, when everyone’s warmed up, when they’ve sung a little bit of everything and the clapping has found that rhythm that sets your feet on fire. Then someone appears—maybe a woman in a polka-dotted robe, a friend in jeans and sneakers, or that quiet person no one expected… and bam! They plant themselves in the middle and start tapping out the rhythm with a little smile that says, “Look at me.”
Because that’s what it’s all about: dancing is meant to be enjoyed. It’s not about posing, it’s not about getting recorded and posting it on Instagram (although it happens). It’s about letting loose. You can start delicately, tapping out the rhythm slowly, letting your arms open as if the air were yours. Then a finishing touch, a short heel tap, a turn, a bold move looking at the guitar, and that “olé!” that comes from someone who knows what you’re feeling. And you feel it even more.
And the beautiful thing is, it doesn’t have to be perfect. In fact, the best part is when it comes naturally. When you make a mistake and laugh, when you trip over your hem or try a funny step, and it still sounds real. Because that’s what a flamenco dance is: truth in a minute, a fire that ignites in a snap and dies out just as quickly, but stays in your memory and your heart.
So if you ever find yourself surrounded by the rhythm of bulerías and they call you to dance a little… don’t back down. Join in. The art isn’t in doing it perfectly, but in making it your own.
For your interest
We have three complete courses on Bulerías Improvisation so you can try it out in our online flamenco courses:
4.6 Improvisación por Bulerías
You can also access all the online courses and choose the one you like best.
Do you need flamenco materials? You can get it on this website