Faculty
Maria Roncal
Flamenco
Maria Roncal Trained in well known flamenco academies in Seville, Spain where she lived from 2002 to 2003. Her first three months were spent studying with Pili Ortega at the Academia de Baile de Manolo Marin in Triana. Soon after she began the intensive flamenco program with the Fundacion de Christina Heeren in Sevilla where she studied with flamenco masters such as Milagros Menjibar, Manolo Soler , Rafael Campallo, Carmen Ledesma, Asuncion “ Choni” Perez , Adela Campallo and Pepa Sanchez. In May of 2003 she had her debut performance at Café Sol, Café Cantante at La Plaza de Los Terceros in Sevilla performing Milagros Menjibars choreography “ alegrias con manton”, where she was highly acclaimed for her arms and masterful use of the ‘manton de manila’. Locally she has taken workshops with visiting artists such as Carmelo Greco, La Tati and Tibu La Tormenta. Maria is currently a principal flamenco dancer for Furia Flamenco, a local dance group directed by Estela Velez. She has performed in venues such as Mexican Cultural Institute, Ernst Community Cultural Community, Public Playhouse, Jack Guidone Theater and Corcoran Gallery of Art as well as private events and festivals. Maria equally incorporates compas, technique, theory and choreography in her teaching because she believes that all of them are crucial elements in developing a well-rounded flamenco dancer.