A performer, choreographer and teacher, Julia Chacón has performed in Europe, Latin America, and the United States and has danced in the companies of renowned flamenco artists María Benítez’ (Santa Fe), Omayra Amaya (Boston), and Carlota Santana (New York). Other performance highlights include Festival Flamenco’s “Fiesta Flamenca;” Flamenco Vivo’s, “Federico;” Arizona Opera’s “Carmen;” and Loyola Marymount University’s Annual Guitar Festival with renowned female guitarist Marija Temo.

In 2008 Julia formed her own company, Inspiración Flamenca and was featured on the Travel Channel in “Samantha Brown’s Passport to Great Weekends: Santa Fe.” In the summers of 2007 and 2006 Julia was the principal female dancer in, “Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow,” a retrospective exploring 30+ years of Maria Benitez’ illustrious career and her iconic company, Teatro Flamenco.

An accomplished choreographer and director, Julia’s choreography was included in the 50th anniversary celebration of the Shanghai Opera House in China in 2006. Her works have also been showcased in “Louder than Words” in Santa Fe, “Savor y Ritmo” in Los Angeles, and in Yaelisa’s “Emerging Choreographers Showcase” in San Francisco. She has created three pieces for award winning, Moving Company out of Scottsdale, and her self-produced concerts, “Baile del Corazón,” in New Mexico and, “Flamenco; A Celebration of Life,” in Arizona met with sold out acclaim.

Julia studied ballet extensively at the Phoenix School of Ballet, where she also studied Spanish dance under Lydia Torea. By age 16 Julia was performing with Torea’s troupe Artes Bellas. Later, Julia attended the University of New Mexico where she trained in flamenco with Eva Encinias- Sandoval and in modern dance with Bill Evans. She received a BFA in dance, magna cum laude and BS in Anthropology. She moved to Madrid, Spain to continue her flamenco studies at Amor de Dios: Centro de Arte Flamenco y Danza Española. While there she trained under maestros El Ciro, Manuel Reyes, Rafaela Carrasco, and Belen Maya, among others.

Julia’s teaching credentials are varied and include the dance program of Scottsdale, Arizona’s New School for the Arts- a visual and performing arts high school; Harvard University’s dance program in Cambridge, MA*; the Institute for Spanish Arts, and Moving People Dance – both in Santa Fe.

Updated August, 2008
*Directed by Omayra Amaya

click here for a printable PDF of Julia's complete bio and resume

CURRICULUM VITAE

PERFORMANCE EXPERIENCE

Professional Companies
• Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana Spanish Dance Company, NC, NY, AK, MD. 2006, 2008.
• María Benítez’ Teatro Flamenco, Santa Fe Lodge, Santa Fe, NM. 2006/07, 2001/02.
• Mosaico Flamenco, Hyatt Resort Hotel at Gainey Ranch, Scottsdale, AZ. 1998-2007.
• ’Zona Flamenca, Pepin’s Tablao Flamenco, Scottsdale, AZ. 1999-2001.
• María Benítez’, Nuevo Flamenco, Santa Fe, NM. 1998.
• Amaya, Flamenco Sín Límites, Boston, MA. 1995-1996.
• Artes Bellas, Phoenix, AZ. 1990-1992.

Special Appearances (Selected)
• Santa Fe Dance Festival, Santa Fe, NM. Jun., 2007.
• Coming Home, an Alumni Dance Concert, UNM, Albuq., NM. May, 2006.
• LMU 2nd Annual Guitar Festival, Los Angeles, CA. Mar., 2006.
• Dance Flamenco, Telluride, CO. Feb., 2006.
• La Taberna del Alabadero, Washington, DC. Sept., 2005.
• Justice for Children, Scottsdale Center for the Arts, AZ. May, 2005.
• Alma Latina, Scottsdale, AZ. July, 2004.
• Orpheum Theater, Phoenix, AZ. Nov., 2003.
• Alegría, Long Beach, California. Apr., 2003.
• Viva la Juventud: A Showcase of Emerging Choreographers. ODC Theater, San Francisco, California. Apr., 2002.
• Maria Morena Grand opening. Las Rozas, Madrid, Spain. Nov., 2000.
• Federico, Albuquerque, NM. June, 1998.
• Festival Flamenco, “Como Corre el Agua,” Albuquerque, NM. June, 1997.
• El Fil, Expo de Libros de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Mexico. Nov.,1994.

Artistic Direction / Choreography (Selected)
• Celebrando Nuevo Mexico, Flamenco segment, The Lensic, Santa Fe, NM. Sept. 2008
• Inspiriación Flamenca, Tifton, GA & Santa Fe, NM. 2007-2008.
• Alas y Raices, Benitez Cabaret, Santa Fe, NM. Feb., 2008
• Nights of Sevilla, Various venues. Santa Fe, NM. Apr.-June 2007.
• Danza del Molinero, Shanghai Opera House 50 Year Anniversary, China. 2006. Performed by company alumni Lydia Xie.
• Cantada Mundi; Moving Company, Scottsdale Community College, Scottsdale, AZ. 2003.
• Celebrate Flamenco, The Stagebrush Theater, Scottsdale, AZ. Mar., 2003.
• Intentalo Encontrar; Moving Company, Scottsdale Community College, AZ. Spring, 2001.
• Savor y Ritmo, The Century Club, Los Angeles, California. May, 1999.
• Flamenco! Baile del Corazón. The Experimental Theater, UNM, Albuq., NM. April, 1998.
• Flamenco Festival for Funds, New School for the Arts, Scottsdale, AZ. Nov., 1998.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE
• Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana-Project Olé, Children’s classes & performance. NC. April & Oct., 2007, April, 2008.
• Moving People Dance, Adult classes, Santa Fe, NM. 2006-present.
• Institute for Spanish Arts, Advanced Chldren, 2007-2008; Adult Flamenco, 2003-2004, Santa Fe, NM.
• Arts in Education, Children’s classes, Cimmeron, NM. November, 2006.
• Maria Benítez Summer Institute, Adult Flamenco, 2006; Classical Spanish, 2002; Children’s Classes, 2001. Santa Fe, NM.
• Alma Latina Studio, Workshops, Scottsdale AZ. 2004, 2005.
• Torea Dance Studio, Adult Classes, Phoenix, AZ. 2001-2003
• Forever Young Dance Studio, Adult classes, Scottsdale, AZ. 1998-2000.
• Amaya, Flamenco Sin Límites, Adult classes, Boston, MA. 1996.
• Harvard University, Adult Flamenco (directed by Omayra Amaya). 1996.

DANCE EDUCATION
Flamenco and Spanish Dance
• Amor de Dios: Centro de Arte Flamenco y Danza Espanola: Madrid, Spain.
Instructors: Rafaela Carrasco, Manuel Reyes, El Ciro, Belen Maya, Junco. 1999-2000.
• UNM: Albuquerque, NM. BFA in Dance, Flamenco / Modern Emphasis, magna cum laude awarded May, 1998.
Instructors: Eva Enciñas-Sandoval, Pablo Rodarte.
• Instituto del Arte Español María Benítez Teatro Flamenco: Santa Fe, NM.
Instructors: Mario Maya, Rafaella Carrasco, Javier Latorre, Antonio Granjero, Lydia Torea. June, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2007.
• Festival Flamenco: Albuquerque, NM. Selected Instructors: Antonio Canales, Eva “Yerbabuena,” La Familia Farruco, Manuela Carrasco, Rocio Molina, Inmaculada Ortega. June, 1994-1998, 2006, 2008.
• Omayra Amaya: Boston, MA. 1996.
• Lydia Torea: Phoenix, AZ. 1987-1992.

Ballet
• Phoenix School of Ballet: Paul Koverman. Phoenix, AZ 1988-1991.
• Anne Snyman: Phoenix, AZ. 1984-1988.
• Various instructors: Phoenix, AZ. 1976-1984.

Modern Dance
• UNM: Albuquerque, NM. BFA in Dance, Flamenco / Modern Emphasis, magna cum laude awarded May, 1998.
Selected Instructors: Bill Evans, Sean Green, Nora Reynolds-Daniel, Alicia Perea.

University Affiliated Dance Companies
• University of New Mexico Contemporary Dance Company, Albuq., NM. 1994, 1997.
• Alma Flamenca, University of New Mexico, Albuq., NM. 1994-1998.

ADDITIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND INFORMATION

Honors and Recognition
• Member: International Dance Council. Athens, Greece. 2007.
• Barbara Kiker Award for Excellence in Dance: University of New Mexico. May, 1998.
• Bachelor of Science in Anthropology, Biology Minor. Focus: Human Evolutionary Ecology. UNM. May, 1998.
• Summer Research Opportunity Project: Psychology & Art, University of New Mexico. 1994.
• Hispanic Dance Scholarship Recipient: University of New Mexico, 1993.
• Amigo Scholarship Recipient: University of New Mexico. 1992-1996.

Ancillary Experience
• Manager: Flamenco Vivo Project Ole Arts in Education Residencies. NC,2007-2008.
• Staff writer for Flamenco USA Publication 2. 2. 2002. “Flamenco Sites in Madrid.”
• Taught English as a Second Language (business focus) for Atlas Language School in Madrid, Spain. July-December, 2000.
• Studied and resided in Madrid, Spain 1999 - 2000.
• Proficient in the Spanish language.
• Model for painters and sculptors interested in the flamenco idiom. Selected Artists: Cyrus Afsary, Ramon Kelly, Sheri Blanchard Stewart, Scott Harding.

(References are available on request. Updated August, 2008)