Meet Marianela “Malita” Belloso | Professional Flamenco Dancer, Teacher & Dance Studio Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Marianela “Malita” Belloso and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Marianela “Malita”, what do you attribute your success to?
Someone once said, “you are what you dream.” For me, being successful and achieving my dreams came from a mix of knowing when to take the next step, having the right people by my side, and learning from my experiences in life so I could constantly grow from them. Knowing when to take the next step: I think that everything starts with identifying the right time to take the next step. I can set a goal and have a vision, but I also know that I have to be realistic about how and when to proceed in order to reach that goal. When I started Caló Gitano, I did not rush and try to do everything all at once. I took small steps, and I only took each step when I saw that it was the right time to do so. Having the right people by your side: Even though a lot of times we can be tempted to think that we can do everything on our own, we have to learn how to rely on others, ask for help when we need it, and surround ourselves with people who can help us stay in the right mindset to keep moving forward. You need to be emotionally and mentally in the right place to get to the right places. If your life is in disarray, you probably won’t be able to focus and succeed. When I made my moves – even the scariest and riskiest ones – I always felt loved, supported, and encouraged by my friends and family, and that has been a huge part of my success. I have a lot to thank them for and I will forever be grateful to them. Learning from your experiences: When I was a child, dancing flamenco was not always fun for me. My older sister danced flamenco, and I wanted to be a dancer like her, but my flamenco teachers and teammates often made me feel like I was too fat and too ugly to be a flamenco dancer. I had very low self esteem back then, but life had a plan for me that was greater than any challenge I faced as a child and that showed me that I was greater than any insult or doubts that had been thrown my way when I was younger. I knew in my heart that I would be a dancer and that I could be a teacher who would build people up instead of tearing them down, and life kept pointing me in that direction until I became a professional flamenco dancer and teacher as an adult. I was a grade school and middle school teacher for many years, so I certainly knew how to teach, how to be patient, and how to empathize with others. I also knew that I wanted my flamenco academy to be a fun place — a place where, not only would my students learn flamenco, but also a place where they would learn to love themselves for who they were and how they looked. Because of my own experiences, I was able to understand the importance of all of us loving ourselves for who we are. I tell my students every week, “Love yourselves. It is the secret to happiness.”

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am a flamenco dancer and teacher. And when I say “flamenco,” I want people to know that it is more than a dance . . . it is a way of life. It is a life that embraces cultures from all around the world and that reflects all of the joy, pain, and passion of the human experience. You can even hear all of these facets of life in flamenco music, which is largely a mix of Indian music, Middle Eastern music, and folk music from Spain. Learning flamenco is a process that takes many years, because, to truly and fully express yourself through the dance and to make other people feel that expression is not easy. As a flamenco dancer, you need to be tenacious because, if you really want to learn the dance, you cannot give up on it easily. A lot of people who start learning flamenco may want to give up as soon as they start to truly realize how much there is to learn, because, they eventually figure out that the more they know, the harder it gets! There are more than 60 different flamenco dances, and each dance involves different music, different rules, a different mood, and tells a different story. But, for those who stick with it and keep learning flamenco, they will discover a rich, beautiful, and rewarding world of music and expression that will constantly push them to be their best selves and to share that beauty with others. Becoming a professional flamenco dancer was not easy for me. I had to grow up and truly realize that I needed to BELIEVE in myself in order for it to happen. When I was a kid I was not the best dancer, and I was shy and insecure. But I kept working at it and eventually I started to realize that I was really getting better. Even so, the teachers I had back then had already given up on me, so I had to keep trying to push through on my own. I WAS getting better, and I could feel it, but it was already too late in the minds of my teachers. Eventually, I moved from Venezuela, my home country, to the USA, and I thought that my flamenco dancing days were behind me, but, again, life had a different plan for me. Flamenco never left my soul, and I began to meet people who encouraged me to start dancing again. As I started to dance again, I began to unlock all of the things inside of me that were there all along and that would show me that I could always be the dancer that I was meant to be. I had to learn to love myself, to love my dance, to find my voice and my flamenco style . . . a style that was not a copy of anybody else’s style. I had to realize that in order to be a great dancer I had to embrace, and be, myself. I understood then that one of the best things about flamenco is that it represents the purest expression of who you are, and who you are is what unlocks the greatness in you and in your dance. It doesn’t matter what you look like or what others perceive you should be in order for you to be a great dancer. You can be short, tall, chubby, skinny, funny looking, or whatever, and still be a great flamenco dancer. You are what makes you great. I want people everywhere to know that if they ever want to dance flamenco or come to a flamenco show, they can come to us. At Caló Gitano, we lift each other up instead of acting like we’re in competition with one another. We are all on our own individual journeys in life and in dance, and we can all work together to improve ourselves and our dancing every day. During our classes our students get better every day by not only learning flamenco, but also learning a little Spanish, laughing together, learning how to love themselves, and learning how to be tenacious. I never want my students to feel alone, so I really look at my company as a big, loving, and supportive family that is there to lift people up. So, together, I want all of us in Caló Gitano to lift each other up like a supportive family. I try to bring that same loving, family vibe to our flamenco shows, and I want to make sure that everyone who comes to our shows can feel it! And, once you feel the vibe, you will definitely want to come back for more! I cannot wait to see you all very soon. OLE!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Day #1. Take a walk in Little 5 Points and go to the roof top of Little Five Point’s “Corner Tavern” for a mimosa Go to East ATL Village take a walk and go to eat at the Corean Bar “Gaja” Day #2 Go to Calo Dance Studio in Kirkwood to dance and show them my place, then we can go across the street for Margaritas and eat Mexican food at “El Myriachi” Day #3 Botanical Garden. Stay for the “Cocktails in the garden” event. Day #4 Relax at home, invite some friends and hang out. At night we could go to “Blind Willys” for some blues or Jazz. Day#5 Down town ATL. We can go to downtown and walk by CNN, the aquarium, and the Cocacola Museum. Maybe go in one of those places if my guest is feeling up to spending the money. Day #6 Go out. We will get dressed up and go out for music and dancing. Maybe start in “Mary’s” then we could walk to “The Basement” and end at the pizza place in East ATL. Day#7 sleep in and say good bye.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Thank you to Kevin Wilson and my family (specially Cara Belloso). I would not have been able to be where I am without you. Thank you to the flamenco teachers who believed in me and my potential: Daniela Tugues, Miguel Vargas, Lydia Cabello, Joaquín Encinias and Marcela Morín. I am the dancer I am because of you. Thank you to Rosa Palomo for being a great partner, for being there at every show, for helping me with all of the finishing touches, and for always supporting and loving what I do.

Website: www.calogitano.com
Instagram: Calogitanoflamenco
Facebook: Calo Gitano Flamenco Dance Company and Academy
Yelp: Calo Gitano Flamenco Dance Company
Youtube: Calo Gitano Flamenco

Image Credits
Pics 1 through 3; James Hicks Pic 4 Through 7: Eugenio Beltrán Pic 8 and 9: Miguel Martinez