Having seen flamenco performed in Spain, I came into this show with high expectations. ¡El Flamenco! did not disappoint. The dancers lit up the darkness with colours, costumes, and passion, and set the dance floor on fire with their skill. The dancers and musicians alike performed with such exquisite emotion – joy, anger, pain, grief and bravado – and in the intimate setting of After Dark with the dancer’s shadows on the walls, the banging of the shoes, and the trills of the audience who called ¡bailar!, all of us felt connected.

Farida and Naoko have years of experience in the style, and it certainly shows. To dance so intensely for that amount of time is no mean feat, and the beats are extremely difficult. They made it look easy. And the guitarists – their fingers move so fast you can barely see them! There is a perfect symbiosis between guitarist and dancer, and the camaraderie between the whole cast was the icing on the cake. Including tangos, Soleas, Farruca, Alegrias and more, this is an incredible showcase of the genre you don’t want to miss.

If you’ve never seen flamenco before, never fear! This is an excellent show for first-timers and a wonderful family event. You’ll want to get a good seat at the front – don’t be afraid to sit on the stools or the beanbags so you can see the joy, pain and passion on the dancers' faces. No polite clapping here – you need to let the dancers know they’re doing a good job by whooping and cheering and shouting '¡Ole!' Jatin also explains a bit about the beats and styles during the show, which is helpful and informative. Just have fun, and be blown away by the talent.

This flamenco performance rivals those I saw in Andalucía. So if you’re interested in dancing, live music, or dramatic displays of passion and fearlessness, come and see ¡El Flamenco!