Vicente Griego “el Cartucho” hails from New Mexico and has devoted his life to studying and performing flamenco singing with his deep, sonorous voice. Since 1991, he has captivated audiences in the USA, Canada, Latin America and Spain. Keeping flamenco song alive and current prompts him to perform with the masters, and to continue his own personal study with artists such as Chuscales in Spain. Come listen to him sing and be swept away! Vicente  El Cartucho Instagram

Davide Sampaolo is a musician with many talents! Born in Italy to a musical family, Davide studied piano, guitar and drums from a young age and as an adult branched out musically into percussion, Afro-Cuban rhythms and eventually to Spain to study flamenco. He has learned and performed with many of the greats in modern cajón playing, and as a teacher is an enthusiastic and clear facilitator. Davide  Davide Sampaolo Instagram

To see Denise Yeo dance or play palmas is to be energized by her intensity and passion!  She has studied with many prestigious dance teachers and is known for her lively and enthusiastic jaleos.  Her dance solos are always exciting and filled with deep spirit.  She truly embodies that duende that exemplifies flamenco! Denise  Denise Yeo Flamenco

Gareth Owen, raised in Victoria, is an exceptional flamenco guitarist who has made his mark in the world of flamenco nationally and internationally. Coming from a musical family devoted to flamenco guitar, song and dance, Gareth has travelled and performed both in Canada and in Spain. His precise and fiery playing, his intrinsic sense of rhythm, and his unique, ever-changing repertoire keep audiences coming back again and again to hear him perform. Gareth is a consummate performer with an emotional attachment deeply rooted in his music. Gareth Gareth Owen Flamenco

Veronica Maguire is known as the Matriarch of Flamenco in Victoria. She and her late husband, the incomparable guitarist Harry Owen, started the Alma de España Flamenco Dance Company in 1991, and from there came the beginning of the flamenco community in Victoria.  Since then, under her tutelage, hundreds of people have been introduced to and fallen under the spell of flamenco. The many performances and collaborations keep Veronica current and her connection with her adopted hometown of Jerez de la Frontera keeps her finger on the pulse of new ideas in the artistry of flamenco. Veronica

Juan De Marias was born in Barcelona, Spain and comes to us with a rich musical background in classical guitar, cante (flamenco singing), flamenco guitar and accompaniment.  His many compositions show his great technique as well as his passion for the soul of the art form. Juan’s music has inspired choreographers and performers in many different countries, giving him international status and respect.  Juan  Juan de Marias Instagram 

In 2018, Iminah Kani began studying the art of flamenco guitar with local phenom flamenco guitarist Gareth Owen. Since then, she has gone on to perform at flamenco festivals, teach workshops, and has received flamenco scholarships. Iminah has recently spent 6 months studying flamenco guitar in Seville, Spain. She is excited to share her current inspiration and love of flamenco!
Iminah  IminahKani Instagram

Jake Lee “Chinito” – Flamenco Guitarist/Cantaor/Luthier
Jake Lee began training as an accompanist for dancers in 1997 under Harry Owen and Veronica Maguire. Drawing influence from both traditional and modern sources, Jake has been a frequent collaborator with many BC artists including Rueda, Monique Salez, Alma de España, Peña Flamenca, LaLuna Flamenco, Mozaico Flamenco and Kasandra Flamenco. Other Canadian artists include Claire Marchand, Fiona Malena, Anastassia Alexander and Annette Morcos.
Performing in Victoria, Vancouver, and Calgary, he has been a participant in the Victoria Flamenco Festival since 2013. In addition to playing flamenco guitar, Jake is also becoming known as a singer and has been featured in recent editions of the Vancouver International Flamenco Festival and Mozaico Flamenco’s Sunday Salon Series as well as tablaos on Vancouver Island.
When not performing, Jake is developing his skills as a luthier. Not surprisingly, he specializes in the construction of flamenco guitars. Jake  Chinitorama Instagram

Carolyn Crampton was born and raised in Victoria and studied dance there as a child. She stopped dancing as a young adult and did not feel complete. Surprisingly and happily she found the opportunity to study flamenco at age 29 at the school of Veronica Maguire and Harry Owen. She fell in love with the music and found that flamenco dancing fed her soul and formed a means of self expression. Since then it has been a necessary part of her life. Over many years she has performed with Alma de Espana and Rueda at local events and has taken courses in Spain from many world renowned artists. She prefers flamenco in its traditional form performed as a quadro where the ensemble of song, dance, guitar and palmas creates dynamic and original work. She has just retired from her day job of 35 years working in health care and she hopes to share her love of flamenco for many more years to come.

Estelle Kurier began her Flamenco studies in Victoria with Veronica Maguire, artistic director of Alma de España Flamenco Dance Company. Estelle has also received Flamenco instruction in Canada with Oscar Nieto, Maria Bermudez, Claudia Carolina, and Yaelisa through workshops in Victoria, Saskatoon, and Vancouver. On her many trips to Spain, Estelle has studied Flamenco in Jerez de la Frontera, Seville, and Granada during workshops with Eva Yerbabuena, Antonio el Pipa, Javier Latorre, Angelita Gomez, Belen Maya, and Rafaela Carrasco, along with private classes with Juana Amaya, Irene Carrasco, Juan Antonio Tejero, and Tatiana Garrido. Estelle has performed extensively in Victoria as a company member of Alma de España, as a dancer and singer with Peña Flamenca, and as a choreographer and dancer for Corbett & Lauchbaum at the Passion for Tango Festival and for Alboa at the Butchart Gardens and the Metro Theatre. She was also the classical Spanish dance special guest soloist for the Civic Orchestra of Victoria’s “Celebrating the Performing Arts” concert and for the Strathcona Symphony Orchestra’s “España” concerts in Courtenay. Estelle is a translator and private language tutor, and she is currently working on her PhD in Hispanic and Italian Studies at the University of Victoria where she teaches Spanish and Italian classes.

Jan Bate “Juana” first heard live flamenco in Tofino in 1999, and since that time she has fallen hard for this art form. Enchanted with the poetry, rhythms and melodies, Juana has studied cante in Tofino, Victoria, Havana, Albuquerque, Jerez and most recently in Seville. She has studied with many teachers from single classes to years of study with Veronica Maguire and the late Harry Owen, Gareth Owen, Manuel Romero, Juana la Tobala, Vicente Griego, Oscar Nieto, Luis de Pacote, Paco Peña Gasolina Hijo, Miguel Rosendo, Ezequiel Benitez, Coral de los Reyes, and Stephanie Pedraza. Juana is grateful to her fellow flamencos on Vancouver Island, for it is only through the many hours of practice that the art of flamenco reveals itself. Juana has performed in shows and tablaos with Rueda, Alma de España, Flamenkitas, PeñaFlamenca, and Flamenco de la Costa. She passionately produced the Victoria Flamenco Festival from 2012 – 2018, and recently rejoined the Board of the Flamenco de la Isla Society to support the production of ongoing flamenco events on the island.

Lia Crowe – With a childhood background in ballet, jazz and contemporary dance, Lia began studying flamenco as an adult in 2005 in Victoria which led to further intensive studies in Spain. She has been performing flamenco locally ever since and has been able to share her love of this highly expressive, passionate and rhythmical art form as a flamenco teacher at Flamenco Victoria. Working primarily as a photographer and creative director of a magazine group, whether with dance or photography, visual storytelling is at the core of Lia’s creative expression.

Drawn to the raw emotions expressed in flamenco, Mary Storzer has been studying flamenco since 1997. During that time, she has had the good fortune to learn from many incredible artists from North America and Spain, including Ezequiel Benitez, Veronica Maguire, Angel Munoz, Oscar Nieto, Domingo Ortega, and Harry Owen. She has performed numerous times in the Victoria Flamenco Festival and around town, most often with her fellow flamencos of Rueda.

Bethany Murphy has been studying and performing flamenco since 2006, learning from a wide range of teachers from Vancouver, Victoria, New Mexico, and Spain. She has performed in countless shows, festivals, fundraisers, and private events, and since 2017 has been an active member of the Victoria flamenco group La Luna.