Daniela Zermeño has taken part in Santa Barbara’s Old Spanish Days for her entire life, and for years she has been getting others involved through her Zermeño Dance Academy.
“I’ve always been really drawn to flamenco because I’ve been participating in Fiesta, I mean, my whole life. Before I danced I was in the children’s parade in a stroller,” she said.
She also recalls her mother taking part in the annual celebration.
“When she was growing up, she was a horseback rider and was involved pretty heavily in the equestrian parade during Fiesta time,” Zermeño said.
Zermeño’s love for flamenco began even before she started taking dance lessons.
Her mother enrolled Zermeño’s brother and sister in flamenco classes when she was still too young. When she turned 4 years old, she joined her siblings.
“We really loved to dance, all three of us,” Zermeño said.
At 8 years old, dancing became a more serious pursuit.
“We started to travel to LA two or three times a week after school to take classes with professional dancers,” she recalled.
As she grew older, she noticed that teaching had sparked her interest. Her mother was a substitute teacher and she knew kids who wanted to learn flamenco. So, at 12 years old, she taught her first group of three dancers.
“I was teaching in my garage that my dad built for us, a studio in the garage, with mirrors and a dance floor and everything,” she said.
When she opened the Zermeño Dance Academy 10 years ago, she wasn’t anticipating the success that would later come.
“I look at photos of where we started, and I had three students, and you know this year I have about 130 kids in Fiesta … I couldn’t have imagined it growing this much,” Zermeño said.
One of her students, 10-year-old Georgey Taupin, is this year’s Junior Spirit of Fiesta.
“We have three Junior Spirits and … four Spirits within the studio,” she added.
Zermeño herself was the Spirit of Fiesta in 2009.
“It took me four years. I auditioned for four years for Spirit, and I was runner-up twice, so I worked really hard for it,” she said.
Zermeño encourages her students to participate in the Spirit or Junior Spirit auditions as a learning experience rather than emphasizing the chance to win a title.
“I think overall, the whole process is such a big growth for the kids that that’s what we really encourage for them,” she said.
Training for potential Spirit and Junior Spirit competitors begins months ahead of the spring auditions.
“Our process starts in October, so we begin working on their preliminary auditions,” Zermeño said.
One hour per week of private lessons begins in October and it doubles to two hours per week in March.
“It’s about seven months of hard work for them. It’s almost year-round, really,” Zermeño said.
The training continues until Fiesta auditions in April.
Winning a Spirit of Fiesta title herself has helped Zermeño guide her students during the process.
“The experience of being Spirit was so special and close to my heart that it allows me to connect (with) the girls, the dancers, especially the older ones, to the process in a different way,” she said.
For Zermeño, Spirit and Junior Spirit winners are distinguished by more than just exceptional dance skills.
“It’s about really embodying being Spirit of Fiesta, and when you do get there to be humble and be professional,” she said.
Zermeño’s company group has performed in Fiesta every year since she opened the dance studio.
“We have had the honor performing all 10 years at the mission. We do have to audition each year, so that’s been a really big honor for us,” she said.
“My top favorite (Fiesta event) is Fiesta Pequeña, which is the opening ceremony at the old mission. That’s just one of my favorite spots. It’s very special to me because of my experience of being Spirit of Fiesta,” Zermeño said.
Both Spirit and Junior Spirit winners are presented during this event wearing white dresses.
“I love Noches de Ronda at the courthouse. That’s another special one,” Zermeño said.
However, she added, she loves every event in Old Spanish Days and is looking forward to this year’s entire celebration.
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