West Preston · Melbourne, Victoria
SENES Flamenco (Centro de Flamenco Melbourne)
Melbourne's premier flamenco school, established 2011 by Spanish-trained artistic director Aya Kitaoji. Weekly dance, cajón, castanets and cante classes for all ages, plus regular live performances.
- Cultural & Folk
How SENES Flamenco (Centro de Flamenco Melbourne) comes across
SENES Flamenco (Centro de Flamenco Melbourne) comes across less as a children's dance school and more as a working professional flamenco ensemble that also teaches — its public face is dominated by a busy performance calendar of live Spanish-guitar-and-dance shows at restaurants, wineries and bars across Melbourne and regional Victoria. The cultural mission is explicit: it is "dedicated to the promotion of Spanish Flamenco Dance & Music culture," and even its name is presented as a creed — S.E.N.E.S. unpacked as "Solitude. Essence. Necessity. Evolution. Synergy." Teaching is framed as authentic transmission of a whole tradition, not just steps: classes and workshops span "Dance, Cajon, Cante, Castanets & Flamenco Accompaniment" for both dancers and musicians, with "20+ years experience" cited. Notably community-minded, it lists school incursions and tailored sessions for aged care and special-needs audiences. The impression is of a performer-led cultural institution where learning flamenco means stepping into a living, gigging Spanish art form rather than a graded syllabus.
An editor's impression, drawn from the school's own website and public materials, 13 June 2026. Not a review — if it misses the mark, the school or a parent can tell us via the form below.
About the school
Centro de Flamenco Melbourne was established by Aya Kitaoji in 2011, alongside the SENES Flamenco performance ensemble co-founded with musical director Alejandro Florez. Aya trained formally in Sevilla, Madrid and Jerez de la Frontera — including at the renowned Centro de Baile Flamenco Amor de Dios — under teachers including Paco Romero, La Tati, Carmela Greco, Belén Fernandez and Adrian Galia. The school runs a year-round weekly timetable from a studio in West Preston, with introductory, beginners, intermediate and advanced flamenco dance, plus cajón flamenco percussion, castanets, cante (flamenco singing) and bata de cola courses. Online lessons via Zoom complement in-studio classes. The ensemble has performed for ABC News, ABC's Utopia, Spanish TV Canal Sur, the Parliament of Victoria Cultural Diversity Week, National Gallery Victoria, Adelaide Fringe Festival, the National Multicultural Festival, the Spanish Film Festival and the opening night of The Round Theatre. Aya also leads independent programs in 'Flamenco for Health & Wellbeing', wheelchair flamenco and NDIS dance workshops.
At a glance
- Address
- West Preston VIC 3072 (studio location confirmed on enrolment; near Tram 11 / Regent station)
- Suburb
- West Preston
- City
- Melbourne
- State
- Victoria
- Age range
- 9–99 years
- Disciplines
- Flamenco, Spanish Dance, Cajón Flamenco, Castanets, Cante Flamenco, Bata de Cola
- Approach
- Both
- Price band
- Mid
- Trial class
- Not currently offered
What stands out
- i.Established 2011 — premier flamenco school in Melbourne
- ii.Artistic director Aya Kitaoji trained at Amor de Dios Sevilla
- iii.Year-round weekly timetable plus online via Zoom
- iv.ABC News, Canal Sur Spain, Parliament of Victoria credits
- v.Wheelchair Flamenco and NDIS dance programs