UK Flamenco Performers Biographies

SANDRA LA ESPUELITA

Sandra, La Espuelita trained extensively in both England and in Spain, studying in Jerez, Seville and Córdoba. Among her teachers she can cite the legendary Mario Maya, Maria Angeles Gabaldón, Angelita Gomez and Carmen de Torres. She performs across London and the UK with top Flamenco artistes, including her own groups, Sonido Flamenco and Flamenco Pasión, and works closely with the UK-based flamenco guitarists Francisco Antonio and Ramón Contreras, and the flamenco singers Manuel de Cádiz and Fernando de Sevilla.

She has appeared as lead dancer at the Commonwealth Institute, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Royal Festival Hall, Battersea Evolution, the Hilton Hotel Park Lane, the Savoy Hotel and numerous regional UK theatres (including the legendary Phoenix Artist Club in London's Soho). In addition, she has worked as guest principal dancer with the Javier Hernandes group in Seville and Málaga and performs with the leading Kathak/Flamenco fusion group worldwide. Television credits include BBC TV's "Strictly Come Dancing", "Cash in the Attic", "Ready, Steady, Cook!", Channel 4 and Spanish television, as well as with Maureen Lipman in her television series "About Face”.

You can listen to some of her recent TV and Radio work here or visit Sandra's blog. In addition, she has undertaken choreography work for Opera productions, including featuring as lead dancer in "Carmen" with Surrey Opera during their UK tour, and was also featured in the BBC's hugely popular "Strictly Come Dancing" series, when she taught Darren Gough the basics of flamenco! Summer 2011 saw her drawing the crowds at Earl's Court and the ExCel centre Docklands. She appeared again at the Guardian Hay Festival, which resulted in a special invitation to the Segovia festival in Spain. Performance engagements in 2011 took her to the French riviera, Cyprus and Russia, with upcoming engagements in Qatar and Japan in 2012. Flamenco Pasión is proud to have been invited to perform in Spain at Madrid's stunning Castillo Viñuelas, as well as the Barcelona Trade Fair.

Current projects include the production of a two-part Dance Tutorial aimed as an adjunct to formal classes. The first part has been available in Blu-Ray format since mid-2009, with the second part due for release in 2012. Sandra has also been exclusively involved in the recording and production of computer-generated dance moves for avatars in the virtual Second Life® world.

FRANCISCO ANTONIO

is one of the finest international flamenco guitarists currently working in the UK. I met him first in Córdoba where we were both students at Paco Peña's school. He later went on to spend two years at the Rotterdam Conservatory when Paco was appointed Professor of Flamenco there, and it is this that has given Francisco Antonio the extensive technical grounding that enables him to communicate so effectively with singers and dancers.

Presently London-based, Francisco is now one of the most sought-after teachers in the UK, and has given masterclasses all around the country, including the Royal College of Music and the Peña Flamenca de Londres. He has performed at the Royal Festival Hall, Barbican Centre and English National Opera, as well as numerous regional theatres.

IVÁN GUERRERO

is oginally from Cádiz, Andalucia, and has had 14 years' experience playing with the Spanish troupe Compañia Flamenca Carmen Guerrero. He has undertaken international engagements in Portugal, France, Italy, Switzerland, Poland, Morocco, Slovenia, Chile, and - of course- Spain.

VERENA MENICHELLI

studied classical ballet for some 15 years before discovering flamenco in her native Brazil with Lu Garçia, later attending masterclasses with Sara Baras. She began teaching flamenco in 1997, and directed two dance companies in the prestigious Festidança de São Paulo, where her choreographies won first prize from 2000-2002.

Verena moved to Madrid to continue her studies with teachers such as Eva la Yerbabuena while performing at the tablão Las Tablas. She relocated to the UK and joined Flamenco Pasión in 2008. Born in Mexico of Brazilian and Italian blood, Verena is a fabulous and fiery dancer!

LOLA RUEDA

is a well-known presence in the UK Flamenco scene, performing as both a flamenco dancer and a Spanish and latin singer. She was born in Girona (Catalunya) into a family from Andalucia, and has been dancing and singing since the age of six. She studied Flamenco in dance conservatories in Seville, Madrid and Barcelona and has performed across Europe, India and the Middle East in venues such as the Congress Palace Hall, Barcelona, the Royal Abjar Hotel Dubai, and the Royal Albert Hall.

She has many television credits to her name, including Sky, Carlton and Channel 4 as well as Spanish national television. Lola's personality and enthusiasm on stage makes her one of the most exciting performers throughout the flamenco and the latin world.

GABRIELA RAJCHEL

has a natural syle and personality extremely well-suited to "flamenco puro". Her flamenco credentials have taken in a particularly broad range of work in both media (radio, T.V. and film) and Corporate Entertainment- yet she always remains committed to the deeper expression of her art.

Engagements in the UK have included The Royal Albert Hall, Buxton Festival Opera, the Lilian Bayliss and Shaw theatres, and runs at the Dorchester and Grosvenor House Hotels. She has travelled as a performer to Europe and Asia, and it is a real pleasure to welcome her to Flamenco Pasión!

CARMEN DE TORRES

is based in Seville, where she has been teaching at her own studio in for the last ten years. She has also gives masterclasses at the Formación de Formadoras en Arte Flamenco for the Delegación de Igualdad del Ayuntamiento de Sevilla. Among her recent highlights, she has performed at La Bienal de Flamenco de Sevilla, a tour of Peñas Flamencas of Seville organized by the Federation of Peñas Flamencas de Sevilla, as well as annual tours in theatres of Germany and Switzerland. When her schedule allows, she travels to the UK, where she is available for hire either as a dancer or a singer.

JOSÉ ANTONIO DE BORMUJOS

is a supremely talented young Spanish flamenco guitarist. Based in Spain, he has been both teaching and performing for the past few years. He has also given masterclasses at the Formación de Formadoras en Arte Flamenco for the Delegación de Igualdad del Ayuntamiento de Sevilla. Recent highlights with Flamenco Pasión have included stunning perfomances at shows in Madrid and Seville.

José Antonio is available for engagements across Europe.

FLORENCIO GERENA

is a flamenco singer also based in Seville, where he has been creating something of a sensation over the past couple of years. This young singer from Gerena won the finals of the prestigious competition for the Rufo Santiponce of Kiki and Castilblanco. Rolán Florencio was also proclaimed winner of the XX National Flamenco Hornachos (Badajoz) in 2008 (the "Sierra de Hornachos" is one of the oldest and most prestigious competitions held in Spain).

This is not the first in the still-early career of Florencio, since a few months ago he was one of the winners of the Festival Flamenco de Torredelcampo in Jaen. Florencio has also just debuted on Spanish national television, where he was invited to sing on "Canal Sur".

MANUEL DE CÁDIZ

is one of the finest flamenco exponents of flamenco cante (song) resident in the UK. He is based in London, and available for hire across the UK and further afield. Originally from Cádiz, his voice is steeped in the traditions of authentic gypsy flamenco, and he is particularly known for Alegrías and Bulerías. Manuel is also an accompished player of the flamenco cajón (percussion box).