Berdolé is proud to present a live Flamenco performance of dancers and musicians featuring Antonio Granjero (dance), Francisco Orozco "Yiyi" (vocals & percussion), Joaquín Gallegos (guitar) and Julia La Luna (dance).
$12 Adv – $15 Door
Doors @ 7 PM
Antonio Granjero was born in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain. He began his studies of classical Spanish, classical ballet, and flamenco when he was ten years old, with the teachers Fernando Belmonte and Paco del Río. A year-and-a-half later, he made his debut in “Centro Cultural de la Villa” in Madrid and presided over by the prince and the princess of Spain. For several years until this company came to be comprised of adults, Antonio performed in theatres of countries such as Israel, Italy, England, Switzerland, France, Japan, and others.
As a final phase as a child’s ballet, Albarizuela performed in the Alcázares of Seville where Antonio performed as first dancer for the visit of Queen Elizabeth II of England. Afterward, he participated in the International Dance festivals of Bordeaux,” (France) and Todi (Italy).
In 1991 Antonio left Albarizuela, moving to Madrid and where he had the opportunity to share the stage with such prestigious artists as Antonio Canales, Gerardo Nuñez, and others. The following year he was invited to reappear with Albarizuela in order to represent Jerez in the International Exposition in Seville (EXPO 92) throughout the entire event. After finishing the Expo 92, Antonio returned to Madrid where he remained for two years performing flamenco dance in the tablaos of Madrid.
Antonio toured Germany and Poland as the guest artist of the flamenco company Alhama; collaborating also in the choreography of the show “Viva Sevilla.” He appears in the live compact disc recording of this show. When required, he dedicates part of his performance time to Alhama. However after a few years with this company, he concentrated most of his work on collaborations with other artists from Madrid such as La Tati, Manolete and El Güito.
In the El Güito flamenco company, Antonio Granjero performed an Alegrías which was singled-out in several national newspapers including El País and ABC, with comments such as: “exceptional talents” and reviews stating “He danced an Alegrias with a good design and better confection.”
In the summer of 1995, Antonio traveled to the United States to join the María Benitez company as a soloist and choreographer. He has maintained his collaboration with her company during the summer season and autumn tours. The company performs each summer in her tablao in Santa Fe (New Mexico) and tours throughout the United States.
Stand out performances included theaters in New York (Joyce Theatre), Dallas (Majestic Theater), Seattle, Phoenix, The dance festival of Jacob’s Pillow, Denver, Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, Boston, Springfield, Philadelphia, New Orleans and Montreal in Canada.
He has performed as guest artist with companies such as Maria Serrano Company (Sevilla), Esmeralda Enriquez Company (Canada), Susana De Palma (Minnesota) the Victor Monge “Serranito” Company. He has had the honor of performing at the most prestigious Flamenco festivals including “Bienal of Sevilla” and “Festival of Jerez” accompaning “Cañizares Company.”
In 2005, he presented sold performances at the Hobby Center Theater in Houston, Festival Flamenco de Santa Bárbara and the Empire Theatre of San Antonio. The following year he presented the Entre Flamenco Company at the National Theatre of Panama.
He has worked as the invited dancer with the Seattle Opera, and is currently the Artistic Director at Entre Flamenco Dance Space. In 2010 he was awarded a Choreography Grant from the Artist Foundation of San Antonio for the production of FLAMENCO “DEL SUR.”
Francisco Orozco “Yiyi” is from Andalusian family, born in Barcelona, and was introduced to Flamenco rhythms at the tender age of four. Yiyi was trained by Flamenco singer and father– “Joselón de Jerez” in his Spanish peña named “Peña Fosforito”. Considered a child prodigy of percussion Yiyi began his professional career at the age of twelve. By 17 years of age and one CD later, he became more involved with singing, particularly for dancers, and left Spain for Germany on a long-term contract with the company “Flamenco Rubio”. Since that time he has performed with “Compañia Flamenca Alhama” throughout Europe and Japan; with internationally known María Benitez “Teatro Flamenco” on Broadway and throughout the U.S.; Domingo Ortega in Venezuela as well “Casa Patas” in Madrid; Jose Greco II in the United States of America and Taiwan; and world-renowned guitarist Serranito . He has also performed with Alejandro Granados, Yolanda Heredia, El Toleo, El Pelao, María Serrano, La Tania, and Antonio Granjero. Critics, worldwide, have toted Yiyi’s performance as “fiery”, “riveting” his percussion techniques executed with “machine-gun speed” that possesses and “casts a spell”.
Joaquín Gallegos was born on July 25th, 1978 in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He comes from a family of artists and musicians, starting music studies at age 7 and playing the guitar at 9 years old. Joaquín has made Andalucia his second home having spent several years living, studying and performing there and in the United States as well as in Latin America. He lived among Gypsy clans in Sacromonte, Granada, learning the art of accompanying cante and baile. Some of Joaquín‘s most important maestros have been Chuscales, Manolo Sanlucar, El Viejin, Emilio Maya and Anton Jimenez. Joaquín won 1st prize at the 2002 EXPO Flamenco Competition at the Festival Flamenco Internacional de Albuquerque and was a finalist at the 2007 II Concurso Internacional "Nino Ricardo" de Murcia. His first album, 'La Jornada', was released in 2005 and Joaquín has recorded on many artists' albums and toured with Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana and as a solo artist. His fluid technical expression, deep rythmic sensibility and prolific composing abilities have made Joaquín a sought after guitarist for solo performances, accompaniment for dancers such as Antonio Hidalgo, Jose Carmona "El Rapico", Lakshmi Basile and as composer of soundtracks for films.
Julie Galle Baggenstoss (Julia La Luna) works across the United States of America as a Flamenco dancer and choreographer, teaching artist, and lecturer. She is a member of the faculty of Emory University's Dance Program, where she teaches Flamenco as part of the university curriculum. Ms. Baggenstoss teaches Flamenco arts to audiences of all ages for organizations, such as the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese, the Foreign Language Association of Georgia, Georgia Public Libraries, and the Decatur Arts Alliance. She currently tours her original shows for kids "Ferdinand por farruca" and "That's Apoyo”, and performs for audiences of all ages in traditional Flamenco concerts. In the Southeast, Ms. Baggenstoss has worked on stage for the Woodruff Arts Center, Atlanta Opera, Clayton State University’s Spivey Hall, Georgia State University’s School of Music, The Latin American Association, The Telfair Museum, the Columbus Museum, The Mobile Museum of Art, Coves Darden, P.R.E., and Peña la Pepa in New Orleans. Ms. Baggenstoss’ dance style reflects ongoing training with Spanish Flamenco teachers, including Angelita Vargas, Juan del Gastor, Pilar Ortega, Manuel Liñán, and Juan Paredes. Off stage, she produces theater and educational programming nationwide, featuring Spanish Flamenco artists in residence in the United States of America, through her company Berdolé. She is the executive director of A Través, a non-profit organizing after-school Spanish language immersive Flamenco dance and music classes in Georgia schools. Ms. Baggenstoss is also the co-founder of jaleolé, a grass-roots marketing organization that shaped Atlanta's flamenco landscape for nearly 10 years. And, she is contributor to the 2013 exhibit and catalogue, “100 Years of Flamenco in New York.”