An Evening of Flamenco

Alma Rodriguez Céspedes was born in Murcia, Spain and began her musical education at the age of seven in the Superior Conservatory of Murcia. When she was fifteen she co-founded a theater company which was based on the themes of rhythm, music and set design. Called 'Skandalo Teatro', the company received prizes in best lighting, set design, and best direction at the Festival Ciudad de Murcia. Upon leaving this company she joined the international company 'Arena Teatro'. This company toured throughout Europe, playing the World’s Fair in Sevilla as well as in Mama’s Theater in New York. During her time in Arena Teatro Ms. Rodriguez completed her degree in acting from the Escuela Superior de Arte Drámatico y Danza de Murcia of the Universidad de Murcia.  In 2006 she and her husband founded theflamencoworkshop.com Currently, she continuing as an active singer, being one of the few authentic Spanish singers in the area as well as teaching singing and castanets at her home in Baltimore county.

Upon graduating from the University of Virginia in 1992 Paul Villmoare moved to Spain. For the next eight years he immersed himself in flamenco and flamenco culture.  In 1993 he began studying with Fernando Mejías, a well known guitarist in the Madrid tablao scene, and soon began learning how to accompany the dance with the bailaora Maruja del Palacio at El Camborio studios. From 1999 to 2001 Paul collaborated with Washington based dancers Edwin Aparicio, Sara Menendez, Sara Candela, Sara Jerez as well as Natalia Monteleon's dance company, Arte Flamenco. During this time he met his future wife, "cantaora" Alma Rodriguez, and began to perform with her around the Baltimore and Washington Metro Area. In 2001 he returned to Madrid where he began studying with master flamenco guitarist Enrique Vargas. From 2001 to 2006 he studied intensively with Enrique Vargas and also took some master classes with “El Viejín”.  Paul currently serves as an officer-at large on the board of the flamenco association Torcuart.

Estela Vélez de Paredez was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She trained intensively with Maestro Antonio Santaella of Granada, Spain to whom she owes her development as a flamenco artist, and with other renowned flamenco masters such as Carmen La Talegona, David Coria, La Farruca, Rocio Molina, Mercedes Amaya, Joaqui­n Grilo, Pastora Galvan, Israel Galvan, Belen Fernandez, Alejandro Granados, Adrian Santana, and Miguel Vargas, to name a few. Her dance training also includes ballet, jazz, tap, and belly dance.  Currently, Vélez de Paredez is faculty at CityDAnce and teaches in Fairfax, VA. She was faculty at the Joy of Motion Dance Center for 19 years until 2020 and Séber Method Academy from 2020-2023. She has taught at Summer Intensive programs including for the Metropolitan School of the Arts (2017-2021), Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington, DC (2008-2014) and BalletNova (2016). She regularly teaches master classes throughout the DC Metro area including at the Wolf Trap Center for the Performing Arts (2015) and regularly offers lectures on the history and background on the art of flamenco.

Daniel began dancing flamenco in January 2006 training intensively with local flamenco artist, Estela Vélez. He's also studied with renowned Flamenco masters Alejandro Granados, La Farruca, Carmela Greco, Antonio Santaella, Adrian Santana, Marco Flores, Miguel Vargas, David Coria, and many others.  Daniel joined Furia Flamenca in 2006, and shortly thereafter became the company’s lead male dancer and a soloist for the company. His performances include the Kennedy Center Honor's tribute to Honoree Justino Diaz (2021), Washington National Opera's production of Carmen (2015) and Don Giovanni (2007) at the Kennedy Center; soloist in Furia Flamenca’s Lorca: Flamenco Poetry (Atlas Performing Arts Center, 2011, 2015; the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage, 2010; Alden Theater, 2009) where he was an Emerging Performer finalist at the Metro-DC Dance Awards (2011); Ida y Vuelta: De Donde Vienes Mestizo in Managua, Nicaragua (2011), and a featured dancer in Teatro Lirico DC’s La Verbena de la Paloma at the Gala Hispanic Theater (2014).  He has also performed in tablaos locally and abroad in Puerto Rico and Nicaragua. He's taught flamenco at the Kirov Academy of Ballet summer intensive in D.C (2009) and Maryland Youth Ballet (2017-2021).  Daniel has supplemented his Flamenco with training in ballet, modern, and aerial dance.  

Brazilian percussionist Bruno Lucini showcases through his music an openness to the world’s cultural diversity and its wide vocabulary of rhythms and instruments. As a world-fusion musician he blends hand percussion and drumset in a polyrhythmic hybrid setup. Lucini plays Samba, Bossa and Brazilian Jazz, as well as Salsa and Latin Jazz performing frequently in Washington DC/New York city corridor with well-known groups Origem (Lucini Bros), Veronneau and John W. Warren and Downtown Tumbao. Has performed at nationally recognized venues such as Kennedy Center Millennium Stage, DC Duke Ellington Jazz Fest, Sculpture Garden Jazz DC, Blues Alley, Howard Theater and Silver Spring Jazz Fest.