Flamenco students persevere, flourish during pandemic

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.- A new documentary showcases how New Mexicans learned the art of flamenco during the pandemic.

In 2020, Tierra Adentro of New Mexico was forced to teach hundreds of kids from home.

"We were handing out materials, we were handing out food, we had every student got a guitar, every student got a Chromebook, every student got a pair of castanets, a mobile dance floor," said Veronica Torres.

A lot of tough days were ahead.

"Our sixth graders, they have never studied flamenco before," Torres said.

By the end of the year, all 27 graduates earned a total of $500,000 in scholarships.

"Part of me really wanted to stop, but I’m proud of myself for continuing because I love dance and I wouldn’t imagine my life without it," a student said.

The school will be moving to a new facility so more students can celebrate the art form, but now they will be able to practice in-person.

"I think the resilience in the students that I saw was tremendous, and you hear it in their voices and their emotion," Torres said.