Guest artists Carmen Coy and Jesús Perona will be in residence at the University of New Mexico, working with UNM students and choreographing on the UNM Ensemble and Yjastros: The American Flamenco Repertory Company.
In addition to their work at the University and with Yjastros, these incredible artists will teach Dance Focus students at Tierra Adentro of New Mexico and perform at Tablao Flamenco Albuquerque from September 15-22, 2023.
CARMeN COY
Born in 1984, Carmen María Coy Cánovas is a dancer from Murcia, Spain.
A graduate of the Professional Dance Conservatory of Murcia, Coy expanded her studies under a variety of artists and teachers, including Aída Gómez, Belén Maya, José Antonio Ruiz, Milagros Mengíbar, Carmina Ocaña, Lienz Chang, Juan Mata, Javier Latorre and others.
She participated in the National Dance Competition in the City of Castellón, where she obtained a residency with the Belén Maya Dance Company and another residency with the Antonio Márquez Ballet.
From 1999-2006, Coy was a member of the Carmen and Matilde Rubio Company, where she made notable appearances as a soloist and later as primera bailarina.
Between September 2006 and August 2012, Coy danced with the Ballet Nacional de España (BNE), under the direction of José Antonio and Antonio Najarro. While working with the BNE , Coy performed numerous pieces of classical repertory, as well as many new works in the most important theaters and festivals inside and outside of Spain.
After leaving the BNE, she was a principal dancer in companies such as: Cía. Marco Flores in the show “Deflamencas”, in the “Nuevo Ballet” by Rojas and Rodríguez in the show “Filigrana”, Cía. Cecilia Gómez at the premiere of “Homage to Chavela Vargas”, at the “Flamenco Gala” directed by Miguel Ángel Rojas together with Antonio Canales, Jesús Carmona and Karime Amaya, at the “Cía. Andalusian Dance”, directed by Rafaela Carrasco, at Cía.“Flamencos En Route” from Switzerland, at Cía. International Flamenco Festival at the Jerez International Flamenco Festival, at Cía. of José́ Antonio, in Cía. José́ Maldonado with the show "Bodegón" among many others. She has carried out several solo choreographic projects for the Murcia auditorium network, with her shows Recuerdos and " She premieres as a solo dancer the show "Ya no seremos" by Ángel Rojas Project, and the show "Requiem" by Cienfuegosdanza directed by Yoshua Cienfuegos. She is currently immersed in her own company, Mutable, together with the Co-Directors Jesús Perona and Iván Amaya with the recently premiered show Closet, combining her work as a dancer and choreographer, with her work and vocation as a teacher in various dance centers in the APDE training, and in the degree in dance at the San Jerónimo de Murcia Catholic University (UCAM).
JESÚS PERONA
Born in Málaga in 1990, Jesús Perona began his studies with Carmen Fernanda at her dance center and continued his studies at the Professional Dance Conservatory of Málaga. He entered the Andalusian Dance Center (CAD) under the artistic direction of Blanca Li and the NO SOLO DANZA Cultural Association. Throughout his career, he has continued to train under the tutelage of many master teachers and choreographers.
As Co-Director of Cía. Mutable with Iván Amaya and Carmen Coy, he directed and choreographed the work “Mutable” for the UCAM Contemporary Dance Company, which premiered at the Teatro Circo de Murcia in June 2019.
Perona has worked with around the work, including as guest artist and choreographer at the Yosie Taira Company based in Tokyo. He was a dancer in the Ballet Flamenco de Andalucía under the artistic direction of Rafael Estévez. He danced in the production “Flamenco Hoy” by Carlos Saura with choreographies by Rafael Estévez and Valeriano Paños.
He has been part of Estévez / Paños y Compañía since 2011 with the shows: “Preflamencos”, “La Consagración”, and “El Sombrero”, in the latter as a solo dancer in the role of Manuel de Falla.
He performed in the Rojas and Rodríguez Company with the show “Titanium”, choreographed by Manuel Liñán, Ángel Rojas and Carlos Rodríguez. In the José Porcel Company, Perona performed in “Flamenco Passion” with choreographies by Rubén Olmo, Rocío Molina, Alfonso Losa, and Adela Campallo.
In the show “El Amor Brujo” by La Fura del Baus, Perona took the stage with Esperanza Fernández and Miguel Ángel Cortés. He danced with the Fundación Rafael Aguilar in their production of “Bolero.” In addition to these performances and company works, he was a guest dancer in the Choreographic Residencies in 2019 and 2020 held at the Campoamor Theater in Oviedo, under the organization and direction of Yoshua Cienfuegos.
Throughout his artistic career he has performed solo roles in companies such as: Estévez/Paños y Compañía in the show “El Sombrero”, Cienfuegosdanza in the show “Requiem”, Flamenconautas with “Vamo' Allá” choreographed by Javier Latorre, Flamencos en Route in “Ritual and Secret”, “Á Miró”, “Rondón” and “Mosaico”, and Tanz & Kunst Königsfelden with “Bolero”, “Tanz der Feuetaube”. Perona continues to work around the world as a dancer, choreographer, and teacher.
Perona also danced in Estévez/Paños y Compañía's 2022 production of La Confluencia, which opened the 35th Festival Flamenco Alburquerque.
Carmen and Jesús are part of the group of artists whose residencies and work are made possible in part with the support of the Spain/USA Foundation.
