Featuring:
Alexandra Rozo - Dancer / Director
Vanessa Albalos - Dancer
Manuel Gutierrez - Dancer
Jose Cortes - Singer
Alex Jordan - Guitar
Gerardo Morales - Cajon
Tangos
Solo de guitarra
Solea por Buleria
Seguiriya
Intermission
Sevillanas
Solea
Solo de cante
Alegrias
Alexandra Rozo - (Dancer / Director) is an actor, voice-over artist, flamenco dancer, poet, producer and mother. Ever since I can remember I've been in front of a camera or on a stage. I grew up as a child actor and host for Univision and Telemundo in my hometown of Miami, Florida. I worked on everything from kids shows and sketch comedy, to dramas and yes, telenovelas. My childhood was definitely not traditional. My on-camera work led me to voice-over and dubbing at a very young age. Being bilingual helped open many doors for me in this field. Working behind the mic feels like home to me and is still one of the things I enjoy most.
When I wasn't working as an actor, I was dancing. I trained in ballet, modern dance, jazz and classical Spanish dance. But before any of my formal dance training, I was briefly introduced to flamenco. I was immediately mesmerized and fell in love with the music, dance, costumes - everything! It wasn't until my adult years though, that I began to study and understand the complexities of this art form. I now perform and teach flamenco and plan to continue exploring and learning about this beautiful art and culture. I'm a sensitive, empathetic and dreamy Pisces hidden behind a strong Leo exterior.
I love peace and quiet, and I always try to follow my intuition. I'm fascinated by human behavior and passionate about self-development. Dancing, painting, and writing poetry are some of the things that bring me the most joy. I now call Los Angeles my home and love the life I'm creating here.
My days are filled with meditation, yoga, work-outs, music, podcasting, laughter and, of course, lots and lots of playtime with my favorite person; my 5-year-old daughter, Sofia. I'm currently the co-creator and editor of Mamá Cita Podcast. Go listen. Show some love!
Vanessa Albalos - (Dancer) was born in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico, which is where she spent her childhood. Her mother was the biggest influence in Flamenco, as she introduced Vanessa to the art from an early age and gave her an upbringing rich in music. It was then that she started to become familiar with cante and the very complex and unusual rhythms of Flamenco.
She began to study Flamenco dance at the age of 13 in El Paso, Texas with Rita Vega de Triana and Curro Niebla. After migrating to Southern California, studied with several well-known teachers in the area, including Sarah Parra, Gabriela Garza, Jose Tanaka (guitarist), Jesus Montoya (singer), Manuel Gutierrez, and Briseyda Zarate. She frequently takes the opportunity to take workshops with artists from Spain. Vanessa has toured Mexico with the Festival Internacional Cervantino, and Japan with Jose Tanaka’s Soniquete Flamenco, also recording palmas for Jose’s guitar album “Lluvia”. She appeared in the Iron & Wine video on MTV’s “Boy With A Coin”, and in Mater TV’s “Caminos Flamencos”, with Yaelisa’s San Francisco based company. She has also appeared in the annual Los Angeles Flamenco Festival, New World Flamenco Festival, Irvine Barclay Theatre, frequently at the Fountain Theatre’s Forever Flamenco Series, and Houston Flamenco Festival with Jesus Montoya Company.
Currently, Vanessa resides in Moreno Valley, California, and performs weekly at many tablaos and private venues in Southern California. She is considered by her colleagues to be captivating, inspirational dancer, and supportive, valuable compañera.
Manuel Gutierrez – (Dancer) was born in Montpellier, France, but in his veins, the blood flowing is that of Córdoba. It is at this Andalucía capital where Manuel would take his first flamenco steps with the greatest flamenco instructors to live. Flamenco would enter his life the day he was born given that it has been a family tradition for years & a lifestyle. At age 4 his father would discover they had a prodigy in their hands when he performed for the first time without any training. By the age of 8, Manuel would win his first flamenco dance award. Profound and charismatic: On stage he demonstrates his tremendous rhythmic formations, vigorous & sensible way of dancing. Manuel began his successful career in prestigious Spanish tablaos such as, Casa Patas, Palacio del Flamenco & Cordobes. He continues to tour with artists such as Juan Carmona, Chispa Negra, Chicuelo, Esperanza Fernández, Duquende. He would also collaborate with Luis Winsberg, Qawwali Flamenco, Kevan Chemerani, Eric Fernández & Souad Masse. His love for music doesn’t end with dancing; Manuel’s other artistic talents include composing & percussion.
José Cortés - (Singer) was born in the south of France in 1974 into an important gypsy family from Almería. At the age of ten, José began his career in Jerez de la Frontera where he won the "premio del joven aficionado del cante flamenco," accompanied on guitar by Terremoto hijo. He was immersed in the world of flamenco with the greatest artists, such as Terremoto, Pansequito, Camarón de la Isla, Moraito Chico and Tomatito. Since then, he has shared the stage with the some of the best artists, including Belen Lopez, Alfonso Losa, Sergio Arranda, Manuel de la Malena, Juan Ogalla, Javier Serrano, Joselito Vega, María del Mar Moreno, Antonio de la Malena, Mara Martinez, Andrés Peña, Pilar Ortega, Antonio "el Titi," Juan Carmona, Isabel Gazquez and Manuel Gutierrez. He has sung for the workshops of Carmen Ledesma, Israel Galván, Angelita Gómez and Javier Latorre. In 2010, he moved to the United States and now works with many amazing artists such as Jason McGuire, Ricardo Diaz (and on his record Traversura), Yaelisa "Camino Flamencos", Carola Zertuche "Teatro Flamenco," Fanny Ara, Melissa Cruz, Cristina Hall, Jesus Muñoz, Jesus Montoya, Antonio de Jerez and Pedro Cortés. An incredible and traditional artist, José Cortés Fernández surprises us now by taking a step forward in his conception of flamenco by making pure flamenco live alongside other genres.
Gerardo Morales - Percussion is guitarist, percussionist, composer and recording artist from East Los Angeles who began playing guitar and percussion at 12 years old. He has traveled the world as a professional musician, including performing alongside such artists as Black Eyed Peas, Cristina Aguilera, Ozomatli, Kanye West, and with Nino and Isaac de los Reyes. His early guitar studies began with family members, and continued at Pasadena City College and later the Pasadena Conservatory. In addition to studying Classical Guitar at the Conservatorio Profesional de Música Cristóbal de Morales in Sevilla, Spain, he also studied privately with Kenton Youngstrom of the Colburn School of Music, and highly regarded Spanish Flamenco guitarists El Entri, Kilino Jimenez, and Jesus de Rosario. While continuing his studies with world renowned flamenco guitarists, he has also been teaching guitar for over 15 years both privately and through organizations like the Neighborhood Music School, LAUSD and L.A.C.E.R. After School Programs. Beyond Flamenco guitar, he has released two contemporary collaborative albums - Dreaming Awake (Morales.Lara), and Burning Star (Burning Star, artist collective). As part of Burning Star, Gerardo Morales has performed with many popular artists like Linkin Park, Blackalicious, Jurassic 5, Slum Village, Rakim, Raekwon, Cypress Hill, System of a Down, Saul Williams, Black Eyed Peas, Ozomatli, Mos Def, KRS One and numerous other worthy acts. He is an essential member of LA’s Subsuelo, and under his direction produces Flamenco, Latin, Hip Hop, R&B, and Pop shows throughout the country. Gerardo Morales has worked on films including Toy Story 3, Little Fockers, and Think Like a Man.
Alex Jordan - (Guitar) is a singer and multi-instrumentalist who has been surrounded by music his whole life. Owing his immersion to his father, who taught music for forty-one years at Serra High School in San Mateo, Alex started singing at a young age and dabbled with brass instruments (playing primarily Jazz trombone), harmonica, ukulele, bass and piano before eventually discovering the electric guitar at age 17. Songwriting and playing with a few bands throughout high school and college, he kept up his guitar practice while studying classical voice and music education at The Bob Cole Conservatory, California State University, Long Beach before joining the road crew for Cubensis - The Grateful Dead Music Experience upon graduating in 2012. Alex began to regularly sub in with the band on rhythm guitar and vocals in the spring of 2013 when he met Grahame Lesh and Friends (the nascent Midnight North) for whom he eventually auditioned and joined that December.
From 2014 to the end of 2019, Alex toured regularly with Midnight North, adding the piano and Hammond B3 to his arsenal, playing with Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Peter Rowan, and many others. In the fall of 2017, he began working on his debut solo record "The Subtle Exhibitionist" which was released in May of 2020. Like many musicians, Alex spent much of 2020 and 2021 off the road due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, taking the time to write, record, and perform many live streamed concerts. He looks forward to returning to the road in the summer and fall of 2021.