The obsession with flamenco in the U.S. is no different in OC, where aficionados shell out around $50 for the best seats in the house whenever a show comes to town. But one of OC's great hidden secrets is the lively local troupe of tiny dancers known as Tierrita Flamenca. Some members of the little corps, who range in age from 8 to 10, have been dancing and training with longtime local instructor and performer Claudia de la Cruz since they were 3 and 5 years old. The troupe performs at local fairs, private events, occasionally at Tapas restaurant in Newport Beach, and twice a year during shows put on by the Claudia de la Cruz Flamenco Institute. If you've ever wondered what the world's fiercest flamenco dancers were like when they were young, catch a Tierrita show.
