Meet this year's Featured Artists

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 María Benítez 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.
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Meet this year's Featured Artists

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

“EL CARTUCHO”

Singer / Co-director

Meet this year's Featured Artists

Janira started dancing at the age of 5 with Baile Español, a Folklorico group in Santa Fe. Soon thereafter she discovered Flamenco and began studying under María Benítez 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 Gala Vivancos, Adela Clara, Juan Siddi, Jose Junco, Antonio Granjero, Ileana Gomez and many others. Janira also 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. Janira continues to cultivate her passion and study Flamenco.

dancer

Meet this year's Featured Artists

Aislin Garica Robertson was 8 years old when she started studying Flamenco at the Maria Benitez Institute for Spanish Arts.  There she met Emi, who was her teacher for many years. Later Aislin followed Emi to her own academy, (EmiArteFlamenco academy). Aislin has been studying Flamenco under La Emi for almost 11 years. At age 16, Aislin was offered the privilege to apprentice in La Emi’s professional company. There, she realized the deep love she had for this art form and made it her goal to perform professionally. After a long journey, Aislin was invited to dance as a core member of EmiArteFlamenco as of December 2023. She performs regularly throughout northern New Mexico doing her best to keep this art form alive within herself, as well as her within her community. Aislin also works with the performing group; Flamenco Youth de Santa Fe and has taught at EmiArteFlamenco academy for almost three years. She continues to do her best to share this gift with her community and next generation of artists.

dancer