MARIO FEBRES
Guitarrista
Mario Febres was introduced to the art of flamenco guitar in 2000. In 2001, he moved to New Mexico to study music at the College of Santa Fe earning a Bachelor of the Arts degree. During his junior year of college, Mario traveled to Spain for a year of intense study. In the fall of 2006, he became a part of Yjastros: The American Flamenco Repertory Company. Mario began teaching at TANM in 2010 and today, is the head of the Music Department. He continues to work with the Yjastros Company where he can be an example to his students as a professional musician in the community as well as a full time educator.
ANDREA LOZANO
Bailaora
Andrea began dancing at the age of four under Cristina Greco in Laredo, TX. She moved to Albuquerque in 2014 to continue studying Flamenco under the Encinias family. Andrea graduated from the University of New Mexico with a BA in Dance concentrating in Flamenco. She has studied with many renowned artists such as Valeriano Paños, Adrian Santana, Daniel Doña, Águeda Saavedra, Jesús Carmona, and more. In addition to her performance as a Corps Dancer in Yjastros, Andrea works as a dancer at Tablao Flamenco Albuquerque and El Farol in Santa Fe. She has also studied modern dance, and performed in the Red Bull-sponsored production of Hannibal in Austria in April of 2017.
CARLOS MENCHACA
Bailaor
Carlos Menchaca began studying Mexican regional dance, ballet, and flamenco at age 10 primarily with his aunt, accomplished director and dancer, Belinda Menchaca, at The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center in San Antonio, TX. In 2006 Menchaca moved to Albuquerque, NM, to work with Yjastros: The American Flamenco Repertory Company and to study at the Conservatory of Flamenco Arts under the mentorship and direction of Joaquin Encinias. Menchaca has studied with innumerable iconic flamenco artists but most recently, his professional engagements have included working with artists such as Pedro Cordoba, Alejandro Granados, Juan Ogalla, Soledad Barrio, Eugenio Iglesias, Emilio Florido, Manuel Gago, Domingo Ortega, Ivan Vargas and many others. Currently Menchaca teaches and choreographs for the Conservatory of Flamenco Arts and performs nationally and abroad with Yjastros, Soledad Barrio & Noche Flamenca, Flamenco Aparicio, and La Juerga Flamenco Ensemble among other companies and collectives throughout the continent.
CLAUDIA PIZARRO
Bailaora
Claudia Pizarro from Chihuahua, Mexico, began her Flamenco and Spanish dance training with Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theatre in Chicago. Since 2003 she has been a professional dancer and her love for this art gives her inspiration to continue finding new challenges and creating opportunities. Claudia also holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Finance from Northeastern Illinois University. In the fall of 2018, Claudia moved to Albuquerque in search of new horizons and she is extremely excited to be part of the National Institute of Flamenco team and a member of Yjastros.
ELENA OSUNA
Bailaora
Elena Osuna is a flamenco dancer born the high desert mountains of the Embudo Valley in Northern New Mexico. She has performed widely nationally and internationally at a variety of venues including Alegrías in New York City, The Fountain Theatre with Gabriel Lautaro Osuna/ Encuentro in Hollywood, La Cueva de la Rocío in Granada, Gitanerias in Mexico City, the Tucson Flamenco Festival in Arizona, and Festival Flamenco Alburquerque. Osuna counts among her mentors renowned artists such Juana Amaya, Los Farruco, Mercedes Amaya “La Winy,” and Carmen “La Talegona.”
Currently, Osuna is a soloist with Yjastros: The American Flamenco Repertory Company and a regular performer at Tablao Flamenco Albuquerque and El Farol Santa Fe. In addition to her work as a performer, Osuna teaches flamenco at the National Institute of Flamenco’s Conservatory of Flamenco Arts and Spanish at Tierra Adentro of New Mexico Charter School of Academics, Arts and Artesanía.
ELOY GONZALES
Guitarrista
Born in 1998, 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’s Conservatory of Flamenco Arts. 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. In February of 2023 Eloy was part of the first American flamenco company to be invited to perform in the prestigious Festival de Jerez in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain. He performs professionally in tablaos and theater productions nationally and throughout New Mexico.
VICENTE GRIECO
Cantaor
Vicente, who hails from Dixon/Embudo, NM, has devoted his life to the study of Cante Flamenco, the art of flamenco singing.
In 1992, Vicente began touring the US, Canada, and Latin America with the Jose Greco II Flamenco Dance Company, where he was mentored by Caño Roto singer Alfonso Gabarri “El Veneno” of Madrid, Spain.
Vicente sings and teaches for the National Institute of Flamenco and sings year-round with Yjastros: The American Flamenco Repertory Company. Vicente remains a pupil of renowned flamenco artist Chuscales from Granada, Spain.
“Vicente Griego 'El Cartucho' is striking for his deep, sonorous wails that seem to come from a cavern, someplace deep within his soul.” -- Anna Poplawska, Chicago Artist’s News
GIOVANNA HINOJOSA
Bailaora
Giovanna Hinojosa experienced her first Festival Flamenco Internacional de Albuquerque in the summer of 2006. Originally from Laredo, Texas she uprooted herself and moved to Albuquerque in late summer of 2007, began studying under Eva Encinias by fall of 2007, and by fall of 2012, she joined Yjastros: The American Flamenco Repertory Company. After graduating with her Bachelors of Arts degree in 2009 from the University of New Mexico, she continued to study flamenco at the University and at the Conservatory of Flamenco Arts. Giovanna continues to develop a deeper and higher ability, appreciation, understanding, and intelligence for the art form by studying with the Guest Artist Line of the University of New Mexico. In addition, Giovanna is currently a teacher at the Conservatory of Flamenco Arts. Giovanna’s hard work and desire to excel got her to where she is today; a company member of Yjastros: The American Flamenco Repertory Company, a teacher at the Conservatory of Flamenco Arts, and Assistant Business Manager at Tierra Adentro of New Mexico Charter School. It is her warmth and passion that make her such a valuable resource and individual to the company, as a teacher, and to all those around her.
KAYLA LYALL
Bailaora
Kayla Lyall began dancing as a child with Eva Encinias in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She became infatuated with the artform, studying in Sevilla in 2008, and winning the Concurso Nacional del Flamenco in 2005 and 2011. As a board certified educator, Kayla worked at Tierra Adentro of New Mexico from 2011-2022, where she established a flamenco focus program, choreographing and training high-school students in flamenco dance. She began teaching at the National Institute of Flamenco in 2005, and continues to teach all levels and ages, co-directing and choreographing for the institute's pre-professional training company. Kayla has worked throughout the United States as a solo performer, and with the groups, "La Juerga Flamenco Ensemble" and "Yjastros: The American Flamenco Repertory Company." Currently, Kayla is a principal dancer and assistant artistic director of "Yjastros" in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Kayla performs regularly at Tablao Flamenco Albuquerque, sharing the stage with such artists as Manuel Tañe, Victór "El Tomate", Adrian Santana, Águeda Saavedra, Pedro Cordoba, Eva "La Lebri", and more. In addition to her work as a tablao dancer, Kayla works intimately with world renowned choreographers including Rafaél Estéves, Valeriano Paños, Daniel Doña, Jesús Carmona, Concha Jareño, Marco Flores, and Antonio Canales. Kayla is currently pursuing her Masters in Fine Arts in Flamenco at the University of New Mexico, teaching at the University and at the National Institute of Flamenco, performing weekly in the tablao, and as principal dancer in "Yjastros."
MADISON OLGUIN
Bailaora
Born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Madison Olguin started her training in flamenco dance at Tierra Adentro of New Mexico Charter School and the National Institute of Flamenco’s Conservatory of Flamenco Arts. In 2019, she won the prestigious Flamenco Vivo’s Certamen in New York. To further her dance studies, Madison attended the University of New Mexico (UNM) where she graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2023. While at UNM, she studied abroad in Madrid, Spain, was a Friends of Dance scholarship recipient, and part of the UNM’s Flamenco Dance Ensemble who were chosen to perform at Jacob’s Pillow through the American College Dance Association National Conference. Madison began working as an apprentice with Yjastros: The American Flamenco Repertory Company, where she is now a Corps dancer. In 2023 Madison was recognized as a Princess Grace Award winner in dance performance. Madison has studied with Daniel Doña, Raquel La Repompillas, Mercedes La Winy Amaya, Lidón Patiño, Marco Flores, Valeriano Paños, Rafael Estévez, Carmen Coy, Jesus Perona, Agueda Saavedra, Concha Jareño, Irene La Sentio and many others.
EVA ENCINIAS
Eva, a Native Albuquerquean, is the Founding Director of the National Institute of Flamenco, the Conservatory of Flamenco Arts, and Festival Flamenco Alburquerque. Eva developed flamenco as an art form by breaking down the essential tenets of the art to create an accessible, rigorous curriculum. Her discipline for and dedication to the art lead to her inception of the Flamenco Concentration Program at the University of New Mexico’s Department of Theatre and Dance, the only dance program in the world with a flamenco concentration in a degree program.
As a key figure in enriching the New Mexican cultural landscape, Eva has been a catalyst for developing flamenco as an art form in New Mexico through performance, teaching, and community advocacy. Through Eva’s work, Albuquerque is widely recognized as the epicenter of flamenco in the United States.
LIDÓN PATIÑO
Bailaora
Lidón Patiño is a professional Flamenco dancer and Choreographer, faculty member in the Department of Theatre & Dance at The University of New Mexico.
Graduated from the Conservatorio Profesional de danza of Madrid and starting touring the world at a young age. She was trained by the great figures of flamenco and she has worked in large companies as a soloist such as Marco Flores and Rafael Amargo among others.
In 2011, she was awarded the First Flamenco Prize at the Almería International Dance Competition, and at the end of that year, she was awarded as Young Promise of Flamenco at the XX Spanish and Flamenco Dance Contest in Madrid.
Lidón has presented her own shows at prestigious festivals such as “Suma Flamenca” in Madrid, where she premiered “Reflejo”, and at “Festival de Jerez” where she took the show “Flamenco”. She has also been part of the Festival de los Nuevos Valores de Flamenco “XI Larachí Flamenca” premiering her show in Seville and taking it to Paris and Turkey.
Lidón has danced in the most prestigious Flamenco Tablaos such as the historical Tablao “Casa Patas”, “Corral de la Morería”, “Tablao Villarosa”, “Corral de la Pacheca”, “Las Carboneras” among others. Mrs. Patiño is also part of the Jazz fusion band “patáx” with which she has danced in the most relevant Jazz festivals in the world.
She has danced and taught in more than 27 countries around the world and choreographed for different artists and companies. She teaches at the prestigious Flamenco and Spanish Dance School in Madrid “Amor de Dios” when she is in Spain, at National Institute of Flamenco in Albuquerque and continues to be invited to different festivals and schools around the world to choreograph, give masterclasses and intensive courses.
NEVAREZ ENCINIAS
Bailaor
Nevarez Encinias has trained in flamenco dance since his childhood. He studied pre-professionally for 12 years at the Conservatory of Flamenco Arts under the tutelage of his grandmother Eva Encinias, father Joaquín Encinias, and aunt Marisol Encinias. While attending Yale University as an undergraduate, Nevarez trained at the New Haven Ballet with Jared Redick and Ruth Barker.
Nevarez returned to Albuquerque after graduating from Yale in 2014, working as a corps dancer in Yjastros: The American Flamenco Repertory Company. Enrolling in the University of New Mexico’s MFA in Dance Choreography has facilitated Nevarez’s study with internationally-acclaimed flamenco and Danza Española artists such as Jesús Carmona, Alejandro Granados, Gala Vivancos, Olga Pericet, Rafael Estévez, and Valeriano Paños.
Nevarez is also trained in contemporary dance, and has worked with choreographer Lisa Nevada since 2014. Nevarez’s MFA thesis concert, Sensaciones y Emociones, was presented at the University of New Mexico in September of 2017.Nevarez currently teaches flamenco at the Conservatory of Flamenco Arts and as a graduate teaching assistant at the University of New Mexico.
NOELLE ENCINIAS
Bailaora
Noelle Encinias was born into a family of artists. She is a fifth-generation flamenco dancer, and has studied flamenco with her grandmother Eva, father Joaquin, and aunt Marisol, and ballet with her mother, Deanna. Noelle has studied with a number of important flamenco artists including José Galván, José Maya, Mercedes Amaya “La Winy,” Pastora Galván, Concha Jareño, Lucia Alvarez “La Piñona,” and Olga Pericet, among others. In addition to flamenco, she has studied ballet and modern dance extensively.
OLIVIA MARIN
Bailaora
Olivia Marin began dancing flamenco at age 15 in Denver with Compañía Maria Vasquez where she performed around the Denver Metro Area for several years. After attending the Festival Flamenco Internacional de Alburquerque, she moved to New Mexico to continue her flamenco studies under Eva Encinias at the University of New Mexico. After graduating from UNM, she began dancing as an apprentice with Yjastros: The American Flamenco Repertory company and has had the opportunity to study under incredible artists each year. Her work has been influenced by the visiting guest artist line at UNM- including Jose Galván, Pedro Córdoba, Sonia Olla, Tacha González and Loreto De Diego. Now a Corps member of Yjastros, Olivia hopes to continue to evolve her love of flamenco and movement throughout her life.
ROXANA JIAN
Bailaora
Roxana Jian is a unique artist who boasts personality, dedication, and focus. Jian has a theater background and entered the University of New Mexico intending to major in theater. In hopes of building a stronger dance background, Jian began her study of flamenco in 2011. Jian eventually switched her focus to flamenco, graduating from the University of New Mexico with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance with a Concentration in Flamenco in 2016. Jian is currently an apprentice with Yjastros: The American Flamenco Repertory Company and works as a professional dancer, choreographer, and teacher. Jian participated in the National Institute of Flamenco’s educational outreach program in Hobbs, New Mexico in September of 2017.
She brings a unique voice to the realm of flamenco, willing to fuse her knowledge of flamenco with her experience with other dance forms. Jian is currently a teaching assistant at the Conservatory of Flamenco Arts.
ESTEVAN PACHECO
Guitarrista
Estevan Pacheco, a native of New Mexico, began playing guitar at age 13. Estevan studied Flamenco guitar with Ricardo Anglada, Mario Febres, John Truitt, and Calvin Hazen through Tierra Adentro de Nuevo México and the National Institute of Flamenco. He regularly performs with the National Institute of Flamenco at the Flamenco Tablao in Hotel Albuquerque and at El Farol in Santa Fe. In 2023 he graduated from the University of New Mexico with a BA in performance guitar.
YSABELA TRUJILLO
Bailaora
Ysabela Trujillo is a Dance Artist, Teacher and Farmer from Corrales, New Mexico. She has performed and taught throughout the State of New Mexico, Nationally and Internationally. Ysabela is a corp dancer in Yjastros; the American Flamenco Repertory Company and co-founder, along with Roxana Jian, of Spanish Broom a music and dance collaborative based in Albuquerque, NM.
TALIA VESTAL
Bailaora
Originally from Santa Barbara, California, Talia began taking flamenco classes at the age of four with Linda Vega. She grew up performing throughout the Southern California area with Flamenco! Santa Barbara, studying under the mentorship of María “Chacha” Bermudez and attending the Festival Flamenco Internacional de Albuquerque in 2014 and the Festival De Jerez in 2015.
Talia continued working professionally upon moving to Washington for her undergraduate studies, performing and teaching in the Seattle area. Talia found her way to New Mexico to deepen her understanding of flamenco and both study and teach at the National Institute of Flamenco.
She performed as a core member in Emi Arte Flamenco’s Company for two seasons in 2019 and won the coveted Flamenco Certamen Tablao Award in New York City in 2022. In her second year of apprenticeship with Yjastros, Talia continues to evolve as a bailaora and as a life-long student of flamenco.