This year Flamenco Denver celebrates 10 years as a non-profit performing arts organization. The highlight of this anniversary year will occur September 21 at 7:30 pm, when Flamenco Denver will present its signature performance Raices at the Robert & Judi Newman Center for the Performing Arts 1934 South Broadway. Tickets are available at flamencodenver.org or the Newman Center Box Office, 2344 East Iliff Avenue, Denver. Recent performances by Flamenco Denver have sold out; patrons are encouraged to purchase tickets early. 

Raices is an annual tradition for Flamenco Denver. This year’s 10th Anniversary event will feature Artistic Director María Vázquez and the Flamenco Denver Dance Company performing with several internationally recognized guest artists from Spain and elsewhere.

“Raices is a Spanish term meaning ‘roots’ or ‘beginnings’, and this performance will explore the roots of flamenco in terms of the dance, music and the narrative and expressive aspects of the art form,” said Vázquez.  “It also celebrates the growing awareness of flamenco in our community over the past 10 years through our frequent community performances and outreach to underserved elementary school students across Denver. With Raices and the professional and renowned group of flamenco artists, we will develop and experiment with increasingly complex and melodious movement and music.” 

The performance promises to deliver an evening full of passion, energy, beauty and culture, and the interaction among the musicians, dancers and audience will complete the enjoyment of this captivating performance.

Flamenco has been an integral part of Vázquez’ life from a very young age. She studied and toured with some of the most well-known modern Spanish dance artists and received her degree in Spanish Dance from the Conservatory of Dance in Seville, Spain. She danced with the company Ciudad de Sevilla, touring Europe for two years. After moving to Denver in 2002 she established Flamenco Denver, which since 2014 has operated as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization supported by numerous funders including the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District, Community Acts Fund, Colorado Creative Industries, Bonfils-Stanton Foundation, Alpine Bank, and many generous individuals. 

Vázquez continues to perform with contemporary Flamenco artists such as Antonio Granjero, Manuel Gutierrez, Estafania Ramirez, Nino de los Reyes, and Isaac Tovar. In 2020, the Dance Archive at the University of Denver honored Vázquez as a recipient of the prestigious Legends of Dance award. 

The following artists will join Vázquez and members of the Flamenco Denver Dance Company onstage this year:

Isaac Tovar is a celebrated international flamenco dancer, choreographer and teacher from Seville, Spain.  He was a longtime soloist of the Ballet Flamenco Andalucía and a former soloist of the Ballet Nacional de España, Compañía Andaluza de Danza, Compañía Antonio “El Pipa,” Compañía Aída Gómez, among many other premier national and international companies including Flamenco en route (Switzerland) and Flamenco Vivo (NYC). He regularly teaches workshops throughout the United States, Europe and Canada.Tovar is the recipient of the first prize at the renowned Concurso Nacional de la Perla de Cádiz, the IV Concurso Internacional de Danza in Almería, and the XXVII Concurso Nacional de Ubrique.  In 2018 Tovar debuted his first solo production, “Añejo,” at the Centro Cultural de la Villa in Seville, then went on to choreograph and perform at Lincoln Center in a production of Bizet’s “Carmen.” Throughout his career Tovar has headlined performances in important theaters around the world, including: Place des Arts in Montreal, Teatro de la Zarzuela in Madrid, Teatro de la Maestranza in Sevilla, Teatro Villamarta in Jerez, Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Palace of Music in Moscow, Chaillot Theatre in Paris, Sadler’s Wells of London, and Bunkamura Theatre in Tokyo,   He continues to choreograph commissioned works for companies such as Flamenco Vivo, Ensemble Espanol and A Palo Seco Flamenco among others.

Laura Peralta is a flamenco dancer and native New Yorker with Afro-Dominican roots. She dances for companies including Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana, Soledad Barrio y Noche Flamenca, A Palo Seco Flamenco, Nelida Tirado Flamenco, Pasión y Arte, Omayra Amaya, Flamenco Denver Dance Company, and Isaac Tovar Compañía Flamenca. Laura graduated from the Johns Hopkins University, studied classical piano for a decade at the Manhattan School of Music and was a scholarship recipient at the School at Jacob’s Pillow. She was selected for MNE’s Emerging Choreographer Series in 2021 and chosen as the returning choreographer in 2022. Peralta has presented work at the Queensborough Dance Festival and her original choreography “Rondeña” is featured in Flamenco Vivo’s dance film “6Hilos.” Laura has imparted masterclasses at numerous university dance programs, including at the Kaatsbaan Ballet Intensive. She has performed in Spain, Holland and throughout the US at venues including the Delacorte Theater, the Rockefeller Estate, Kaatsbaan Cultural Center, NWS Symphony Orchestra, BAM Fisher Hall, Jacob’s Pillow Inside/Outside Festival and the Joyce Theater. She was recently featured in a production of “Carmen” at Lincoln Center, and in “Amor Brujo” alongside choreographer Isaac Tovar, dancer Irene Lozano and cantaora Esperanza Fernandez. She currently tours nationally and teaches in New York City.

Jose Manuel Alonchel Ortega was born in Jerez de La Frontera Spain. His father, the well-known singer Pepe Alconchel, introduced him to the world of music at the age of 9 years old. He began studying flamenco guitar at the prestigious Academia de José Luis Balao y Manual Lozano “El Carbonero.” He continued his studies uninterrupted with many great artists including Gerardo Núñez. By the age of 12 his talent was recognized, and he began accompanying singers from Jerez and the rest of the province of Cádiz. He began his professional career playing in various flamenco clubs and theaters throughout Andalusia. In 2002 he toured various European countries accompanying the European Romani Symphonic Orchestra of Bulgaria and in 2003 he joined the Carmen Mota Ballet in Tenerife with whom he performed as guitarist for several years. Since then, he has toured around the world accompanying numerous well-known artists and companies and collaborating in important musical events. Standout performances include Niña Pastori’s first album, Entre dos Puertos, and accompanying famous dancers Merche Esmeralda, Manuel Reyes, María Juncal, Concha Jareño, Mercedes Ruiz, Fernando de la Morena, Luis de la Pica, Jesús Méndez, Antonio Granjero, Belén Maya, Nino de los Reyes, Isaac Tovar, Lucia “La Pinona” Raquel Heredia and more. A regular contributor to the Telemundo channel, he has participated in recordings by artists such as Gente de Zona, Jesse y Joy and Gloria Trevi among others. In 2020, he won first prize in the First International Guitar Contest organized by Guitarras Alhambra. He currently resides in Miami and works at Tablao Cava.  

Francisco “Yiyi” Orozco, cantaor and cajón player, was born in Barcelona and introduced to flamenco rhythms at an early age by his father, a flamenco singer. At 12, he began performing professionally as a percussionist and by seventeen, he had become involved with singing, particularly for dance. He has toured extensively in Germany, including with the company Flamenco Rubio and has also toured with Compañia Flamenca Alhama throughout Europe and Japan. Yiyi has accompanied many dancers including Alejandro Granados, Domingo Ortega, Antonio Granjero, Isaac Tovar, Maria Vázquez and Jose Greco II.

Grammy award winner Diego “El Negro” Alvarez is a master cajón player born in Venezuela. He lived in Spain for 16 years, where he developed his career alongside several prestigious flamenco dance companies such as Joaquin Cortez, Antonio Canales, Sara Baras, Nuevo Ballet Español and Paco Peña. He is the winner of a Latin Grammy in 2010 (for best Rock album of the year for “Sera” by La Vida Boheme) and has more than 12 other Latin Grammy nominations to his credit. He promotes the cajón as a universal instrument, demonstrating its foundations in flamenco and the music of Peru. He now makes his home in Los Angeles, where he continues working with different musical projects, primarily in flamenco and jazz.

FLAMENCO DENVER DANCE COMPANY 

Carmen S. Diaz was born and raised in Maracay, Venezuela. She began dancing the Venezuelan traditional dance, “Joropo”  at the age of five. Diaz moved to Caracas at the age of 19 to study engineering at Universidad Central de Venezuela. In 2009 flamenco caught her attention and she began to study at “Adagio y Bulería” dance school, directed by Carlos Mezza “El Torbellino.” In 2015 Diaz moved to Pittsburgh, PA to pursue her master’s degree and continued dancing flamenco with Carolina Loyola as well as Flor Isava and Maria Nuñez, participating in the annual Fiesta Flamenca event for three years in a row as well as numerous tablaos with the Alba Flamenca Ensemble. In 2017 Diaz moved to Denver and began dancing with Maria Vázquez at Flamenco Denver where she has evolved from the core dance group to performing solo roles.  

Natalia Garayoa de la Maza was born and raised in Denver to two immigrant parents from Mexico and Chile. From an early age, she developed a love for dance, theatre and the stage. As a young girl, she studied ballet, tap and jazz for four years at Gwen Bowen Ballet. She would often leave her dance studio to go watch the Flamenco dancers who performed in the same building. Her first flamenco class with Maria Vázquez was in August of 2012 where she absolutely fell in love with this art form. Over the years, Natalia has had the opportunity to travel to Albuquerque, New Mexico and Spain where she has studied under very influential Flamenco dancers: Alicia Marquez, Isaac Tovar, Nino de los Reyes, Anabel Moreno, Agueda Saavedra, and many more.

Mariana Rosario de la Texera is originally from Aibonito, Puerto Rico. She started her flamenco journey at 13 years old under Antonio Santaella with whom she studied for more than 15 years and also joined his dance company, Mosaico Almudéjar, where she had the opportunity to dance nationally and internationally. She has also studied with Paulette Beauchamp and Jeanne D’Arc Casas. Throughout her career in Puerto Rico she has been involved in dance projects and active in promoting dance as a profession with AproDanza ( Asociación profesionales de Danza Puerto Rico).  She also studied in Albuquerque with Eva Encinias and guest artists like Pastora Galvan, Israel Galvan, Vanessa Coloma, Alejandro Granados and many others. She currently lives in Colorado and continues to learn and perform with Maria Vazquez and travels to perform with Benito Garcia and his company in Japan. 

Erika Sandre is originally from Ontario, Canada. She is a classically trained ballet dancer with accreditation through ADCSC was accepted into the full CICB (Cecchetti), A.I.S.T.D. (National Dance), NBS (Diploma), and time professional training program at the Quinte Ballet School and attended the Teacher Training Program at the National Ballet School of Canada. She has taught throughout Canada as well as Anchorage, Alaska, where she served as School Director at Alaska Dance Theatre and adjunct faculty member at the University of Alaska Anchorage in the Department of Theatre and Dance. Sandre relocated to Denver several years ago where she has been fortunate to continue her flamenco studies and perform with Maria Vázquez and Flamenco Denver and as a faculty member at Colorado Ballet.

About Flamenco Denver

Flamenco Denver is a Denver-based nonprofit organization focused on transmitting knowledge of and igniting passion for the Flamenco art form. By tapping into our Hispanic roots to inspire all generations of Flamenco artists through classes, quality performances and school outreach programs, we foster a strong connection with a growing and diverse audience. From small restaurant “tablao” settings to full production theaters, María Vázquez and her group of dancers and musicians perform regularly in Denver and the surrounding area. She offers beginner, intermediate and advanced flamenco classes for men, women, and children at her studio in Denver’s South Broadway District. For more information, please visit www.flamencodenver.org or call (303) 968-5586.     

Flamenco Denver

1934 South Broadway, Denver, Colorado 80210, United States

flamencodenver@gmail.com (303) 968-5586