Our Mission

Casa Flamenca is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit performing arts organization whose mission is to teach, present, and preserve the art of flamenco. Our motto is that flamenco is for everyone. We are a community where anyone can come and learn flamenco dance and music. We encourage our students to immerse themselves in our unique cultural experience. Our artists, aficionados, and students make Casa Flamenca a unique community.

Leadership

Instructors:

Valeria Montes
Valeria Montes has been described as “mesmerizing” by the Detroit Free Press and “beauty in motion” by the Metro Times. She is known as La Chispa (the Spark) for her passionate and vibrant interpretation of Cante Flamenco (flamenco song) and for her complex rhythmic zapateado. Born in Mapimi, Dgo., Mexico, Montes began her dance studies at the age of five in her native Mexico studying ballet, baile folklorico, and gymnastics. At age of 20, she moved to Michigan, USA where she started dancing Spanish classical dance with local instructor, Maria Del Carmen Montes. Eventually, Montes moved to Spain to immerse herself in the world of flamenco and was very fortunate to study with legendary families and artists of flamenco: Farruco Family, Carmen Ledesma, Concha Vargas, and Miguel Vargas. She has also studied cante flamenco with Esperanza Fernandez, which she feels is vital for dancers to do in order to understand the art form in a more profound way.
 
In 2010, Montes won the prestigious Kresge artist fellowship for Performing Arts. She is co-founder of the Center of Music and Performing Arts Southwest (COMPAS) where she continues to teach community workshops in Michigan. Valeria now serves as Executive and Artistic Director of Casa Flamenca in Albuquerque, NM where she is also a full-time instructor.
 
Juani de la Isla
Juan Francisco Gonzalez Caballero (Juani de la Isla) is a highly respected and world-renowned ‪flamenco guitarist from the island of San Fernando near the port city of Cádiz, in southern Spain. He began his musical education studying with the great ‪flamenco singer Rafael Romero and has been a student of the celebrated ‪flamenco guitarist ‪Manolo Sanlúcar. Juani de la Isla has also been trained in the gypsy ‪flamenco style of “Morón” – a small pueblo in the heart of Andalucia’s ‪flamenco country.
 
Throughout his illustrious career, he has accompanied some of the finest ‪flamenco artists of this century: singers ‪Jose Mercé, Chato de la Isla, Juan Villar, ‪Rancapino, Pansequito and Aguilar de Vejer; and dancers Javier Barón, Sara Baras and Manuela Carrasco. He has composed music for the ‪flamenco dance company of Cristina Hoyos and for over a decade has been the musical director for the popular ‪flamenco singer “El Barrio.”
 
Juani de la Isla’s recording career includes participation on more than 100 albums with some of Spain’s finest ‪flamenco artists including ‪Jose Mercé, ‪Joaquin Sabína, ‪Paco Ortega, El Barrio and David de María. In 2015, he released his first solo CD “Libertad en Mis Manos.”
 
As a performer and teacher, Juani de la Isla has toured internationally. He has taught at universities worldwide.
 
 

History and Objectives

History

Casa Flamenca was founded in 2010 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. As a small, home-based center for flamenco arts, Casa Flamenca strives to preserve the roots, artistry and soul of flamenco. Since its founding, Casa Flamenca has produced original, world-class artists in the flamenco arts. 

The mural at Casa Flamenca is painted by New Mexican muralist Jake Fragua.


Objectives

Flamenco dance and music classes are offered weekly throughout the year at Casa Flamenca. The program includes classes for the absolute beginner all the way through professional development. Child-specific classes train children in the fundamentals of flamenco rhythm, palmas (hand percussion) and dance techniques. Workshops and private lessons are offered throughout the year as well.

Staying true to flamenco’s foundation as a solo art form, each individual at Casa Flamenca is trained independently so that each dancer is unique. Smaller class sizes at Casa Flamenca help the instructor tend to the needs of each student. Classes typically have a range of skill levels from beginning to intermediate students through concert professionals. The professional students in the class give beginning students an audio-visual reference of where discipline and hard work can take them as future flamenco
artists.

Casa Flamenca focuses on preserving flamenco as a language. It is important to be able to understand the heritage and oral traditions of flamenco as a cultural art. Using a structured method and codified terminology, it becomes easier for the student to master the language of dynamic calls and signals which aid in the creation of both flamenco choreography and original music. Passing on this language of flamenco, Casa Flamenca helps establish a community that can continue educating others.

 

Contact Us