Flamenco by La Emi at the
Benitez Cabaret at the Lodge at Santa Fe
For Tickets:
www.hhandr.com/entertainment
La Emi
La Emi began her flamenco journey at the age of four and has emerged as a teacher and performer acclaimed for her artistry and craft.
La Emi started studying flamenco with the Maria Benitez Institute for Spanish Arts (ISA) when she was four years old and began working with the Institute’s youth company, Flamenco’s Next Generation at the age of 10. Just two years later – when she was only 12 – she started teaching within the Northern New Mexico public school system. She began teaching for Moving Arts Española in 2005 and ISA in 2006.
As a performer, La Emi has danced on stages from New Mexico to Spain, appearing in the production of “El Pintor” at the National Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque (2010), Entreflamenco, the company of Antonio Granjero and Estefania Ramirez, at the Lodge at Santa Fe (2011, 2012 and 2015), Juan Siddi Flamenco Santa Fe (2013, 2014 and 2016) and Compañia Chuscales y Mina Fajardo (2010-2014). She also danced with the National Institute of Flamenco in their Summer Season at the Lodge at Santa Fe in 2017.
In 2011, La Emi was nominated and selected as one of the 12 young and emerging artists in Pasatiempo. In 2012, she received the Santa Fe Mayor’s Melissa Engestrom Youth Artist Award for Excellence in the Arts.
La Emi studied intensively in Spain with Gala Vivancos, Carmela Greco, La Popi, José Galván, Juana Amaya, Yolanda Heredia, Iván Vargas Heredia, Torombo, Rocio Alcaide Ruiz, Monica Fernandez and many others. She has performed under the direction of Carmela Greco, José Galván, and Torombo and at major venues including the Carmela Greco Seminario de Flamenco y Danza Española and Café de Chinitas in Madrid; Cuevas Los Tarantos in the Sacramonte of Granada and the Teatro Alameda Festival Flamenco in Sevilla.
La Emi founded her non-profit EmiArteFlamenco Academy in 2019 where she continues to teach and is the director. She also performs in many venues throughout the country.
La Emi began her professional career with Heritage Hotels & Resorts in partnership with the National Institute of Flamenco in the summer of 2018 and produced with them a second summer season in 2019. In the fall of 2019, La Emi launched her independent company, with a series of performances at The Lodge at Santa Fe.
Musicians
Vicente Griego
“El Cartucho”
From Dixon/Embudo, NM, Vicente is devoted to Cante Flamenco. In 1999, toured internationally with José Greco II and mentored by Alfonso Gabarri, “El Veneno”. Griego is a pupil of guitarist (Jose Valle, Chuscales) and singer, José Fernández. Griego performs with Yjastros: The American Flamenco Repertory Company, and EmiArteFlamenco. He is lead singer in the Rumba Flamenca band, ReVoZo. Griego’s a faculty member in the department of Theatre and Dance at the University of New Mexico
Gabriel Lautaro Osuna
Gabriel was born to a family of artists and musicians in New
Mexico; began singing hymns and laments as a child in his mountain
village. He later pursued the study and performance of flamenco guitar in
Spain and abroad. Chuscales, El Viejin, Pedro Cuadra, Ramon Jimenez, Rafael Habichuela, El Entri, Juan Maya Marote, David Marin and Miguel Angel Cortez are some of his most influential mentors. He has worked with vocal artists such as Angelita Agujetas, Jose Fernandez, El Rubio De Pruna, Israel Fernandez, Curro Albaicín, Haroun Teboul, Jesus Montoya , Vicente Griego (El Cartucho), Alfonso Gabarri (El Veneno), Mamak Khadem and Florence Riggs. He has collaborated on numerous studio recordings and is featured on Dezeo, a Ladino album by Consuelo Luz. He has performed at the “World Expo” in Hannover, Germany, and at the “Saint-Florent-le-Vieil Les Orientales” Festival in France. Osuna has presented his music in theaters and in“Tablaos” (small flamenco cabarets) including a season at the gypsy caves in Granada. Locally, he has performed in community centers, schools, rest homes, prisons and at humanitarian events. He participates regularly in the “Festival Flamenco Internacionál” in Albuquerque New Mexico. In 2010 Gabriel performed in the world premiere of the opera "Il Postino" where he had the honor and privilege of working under the legendary Placido Domingo and the beloved Mexican composer, Daniel Catán. He then toured with “Il Postino” in Vienna and at the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City. Currently Gabriel resides and performs in the Los Angeles area with the Hip Hop Crew “Subsuelo” and his own musical group "Encuentro".
Eloy St.Cyr-Trujillo Gonzales
Born in 1998 in Albuquerque, Eloy began studying flamenco with the opening of Tierra Adentro de Nuevo México charter school in 2010. Shortly after, he received a scholarship to the National Institute of Flamenco. Since then, Eloy has dedicated himself to the study of flamenco guitar while pursuing a degree in liberal and interdisciplinary arts at The University of New Mexico. He performs professionally in tablaos and theater productions nationally and throughout New Mexico.
Javier Saume Mazzei
Javier is from Caracas, Venezuela. Javier has performed with Rhonda Richmond, Cassandra Wilson, and Badi Assad. He has performed and recorded with the Grammy and Latin Grammy Award-nominated Sones de Mexico Ensemble, national and international concerts, master classes and residencies in Beijing, China, The Kennedy Center, and Carnegie Hall. Since 2010, he has played with “Ensemble Español” and People’s Music School. Javier moved to Albuquerque in 2018, to join Yjastros: The American Flamenco Repertory Company.
Dancers
JANIRA CORDOVA
Janira started dancing at the age of 5 with Baile Espanol, a Folklorico group in Santa Fe. Soon thereafter she discovered Flamenco and began studying under Maria Benitez at the Institute for Spanish Arts. By the time she was 8 Janira was asked to join the group Flamenco’s Next Generation (FNG), a youth company formed in 2002 through the Institute of Spanish Arts. As she continued to perform and cultivate her passion for Flamenco, Janira had the privilege to further her dance and study under well-known Flamenco artists, such as Adela Clara, Juan Siddi, Jose Junco, Antonio Granjero, Ileana Gomez, and many others. Later, Janira performed and studied under Mina Fajardo and Chuscales in Santa Fe. Janira has taught at EmiArteFlamenco Academy and holds a Master’s Degree in Special Education from Arizona State University and is presently working in Santa Fe with children with autism.
Cienna Chavez
Cienna is a dancer, artist, and performer at heart. She was born and raised in Albuquerque. She started dancing at Tierra Adentro of New Mexico, a flamenco performing arts school, as well as The National Institute of Flamenco where she learned that flamenco was her calling. She has been a part of groups such as Teeños and YFP (Young Flamenco Philanthropists). In these groups she was able to perform for the community and raise money for young dancers to study flamenco. In her years of training, she has learned Danza Española, Bolera, Jota, and Ballet while studying Flamenco. She has worked with dozens of guest artists from around the world, the one that influenced her the most was Hugo Lopez due to his ability to dance freely and genderless, aspects she wants to incorporate in her art. As her second year in the EmiArteFlamenco company, she is excited to perform for the people of Santa Fe and make many new memories.
Photo Credit: Joel Wigelsworth
Tessa Torres
Tessa Torres grew up in a family of musicians and performers who sparked her interests in the arts. At age 5, inspired by watching her mother, aunt, and cousins on stage, she began dancing under the direction of her aunt, Sonya Casillas, with the San Antonio, TX Parks and Recreation Department's dance program. There, she joined the city's pre-professional youth troupe, Fandango, where a greater knowledge for learning and performing flamenco and folklorico was fostered for 7 years. Tessa has since moved to New Mexico, where she's furthered her studies at UNM and the National Institute of Flamenco. This is her professional debut and first year working with EmiArteFlamenco.
Production Team
Phyto Abraham
(Audio Technician)
A native of his beloved Santa Fe Phyto has been involved in the local music scene in one form or another since the late 80s. He’s currently a lead technician with Vans Events and mixes live sound for an average of 100 bands a year.
Kyra Murzyn
(Lighting and Set Build)
Kyra Murzyn received her BFA in Technical Design and Production with a specialization in Lighting Design from the Santa Fe University of Art and Design in 2018. After completion of her degree, she attended a One-Year Technical Internship at Yale School of Drama, joining the Electrics Department Staff in the MFA program’s 2019-2020 season. Kyra has worked extensively in the Santa Fe Theater community since her arrival in 2014 at venues including the Santa Fe Playhouse, The Lensic Performing Arts Center, and the Santa Fe Opera. In her time on the East Coast, she worked as an Electrician at Longwharf Theater, Hartford Stage, Yale Music Hall, Yale University Theater, and Yale Repertory Theater. Kyra has also worked as Lighting Programmer at Houston Stages as well as the Kranzberg Art Center in St. Louis, MO. Upon returning to Santa Fe in 2020, Kyra was the Technical Director for the National Dance Institute of New Mexico at the Dance Barns. In 2022, she switched roles to her current position as Stage Manager and Internship Program Supervisor at the Lensic Performing Arts Center.
Quinn Nelson
(Light and Sound Technician)
Quinn Nelson is a student, an artist and a theatre enthusiast. He used to go to Monte Del Sol Charter School, and now goes to Santa Fe High. Due to an inability to sign up for productions in time, he does not do much performing; but he has run tech for many productions, mostly with the Upstart Crows of Santa fe. He is very excited to be working with EmiArteFlamenco.
Deja Chung
(Box Office Manager)
Deja Chung, was born and raised in Santa Fe, New Mexico. With a love for music and art, she found a special joy for the art of Flamenco. She describes it as a different movement through the soul to the movement to the feet; inspirational. Deja expresses her personal art through drawing and fitness. As of 2021, she is studying to become a personal trainer, and works at Superior Fitness. She has previously worked as manager for a company in 2020, and in the box office for the movies in 2018. She entered the EmiArteFlamenco family, July 21, 2021 as Box Office Manager.