Andreas Arnold

As an artist in a globalized world, Andreas Arnold expresses himself through a musical kaleidoscope that reflects the classical traditions of his homeland Germany, jazz from the US where he has been living for the last decade, and music from the Mediterranean, in particular the Spanish art form of flamenco. Through this unique fusion, Arnold proves that purity is not defined by any one culture or style but transpires when one finds his voice to express his personal experience in society, art, and life. While living between New York City and Andalusia, Spain, Arnold has participated in numerous productions as an instrumentalist, composer, improviser, and producer, touring on five continents. On his new album Ojos Cerrados he was accompanied among others by Carles Benavent, legendary and longtime bass player of Paco de Lucia. To date, Arnold has released three albums of original electric and acoustic music under his name. Because of his strong affinity with the Mediterranean, the Goethe Institut Paris commissioned him in 2013 to bring the multimedia performance Suite Camus to the stage. The following year he produced Dunya, the second album of Jordanian vocalist Farah Siraj as well as, A Contraluz, flutist Maria Toro’s debut album that featured the rhythm section of Jean Michel-Pilc, Ben Street and Justin Brown. His latest work Ojos Cerrados, on which he collaborated with vocalists Antonio Lizana, Carles Denia, and Alfonso Cid was recorded in Barcelona and is the vision of flamenco-jazz for an ever-evolving artist.

Anna Librada
Producer and Creative Director

Anna Librada Georges is a classically trained teaching and performing artist with international experience. She has taught percussive dance, flamenco, modern, world dance and yoga throughout the United States, Spain, Italy and Japan. Anna was a featured soloist at the 2010 world premiere of Earthbeat! at Jacob’s Pillow’s Doris Duke Theatre. She has performed at many venues throughout the country and is a longtime member of Vanaver Caravan. In 2005, Anna moved to Spain, her father’s homeland, to immerse herself in flamenco. She studied with greats La Presy, Ivan Vargas and Fuensanta “La Moneta” and in Sevilla with Isabel Bayon, Manuel Betanzo and Andres Marin. Anna began the Hudson Valley Flamenco Festival while living with her family in Sanlucar de la Barrameda, Cadiz, Spain in 2018 and has produced and directed the annual event from afar ever since. In 2020, Anna was accepted into Flamenco Vivo’s Consorcio for flamenco professionals, a group dedicated to building a national network of flamenco artists to grow flamenco in the USA. Anna forms part of the artist consultants with the United Flamenco Arts Society.

Anna currently lives with her husband and two daughters outside of Washington DC where she performs as a soloist and a member of Alma Dance Company. She continues her life-long study of flamenco with Edwin Aparicio and Yolit Yospe-Kachlon. She teaches weekly classes at Alma Dance Studio and practices as a somatic-informed psychotherapist. Anna holds a BA in Dance and Arts Management from Emerson College and a Master of Social Work from Yeshiva University.

Bárbara Martinez

Bárbara Martinez grew up performing in New York City. Originally from Venezuela, she comes from a lineage of Argentinian tango singers, including her grandmother Morenita Rey and great-aunt Libertad Lamarque. For almost 20 years Bárbara has worked as a dancer and singer with several flamenco dance companies, as well as productions of Carmen at the Metropolitan Opera, where she sang as a child.

In 2010, Barbara performed to a sold out house at Carnegie Hall/Weill, singing an eclectic repertoire of flamenco, Latin and world music with a magnificent group of musicians. She has appeared in the documentary “Sobre Las Olas – A Story of Flamenco in the U.S.” by Carolina Loyola-Garcia and the photography exhibit entitled “100 Years of Flamenco in New York

Yahlly Kachlon

Yahlly Kachlon, born in 2006 in Maryland, has studied multiple dance genres from the young age of 3, such as Ballet, Modern, Contemporary, Jazz, and Flamenco. She has studied internationally in Israel, Canada and Spain, participating in the Festival de Jerez, and studying with the Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company. Yahlly was named the winner of the 2023 Torcuart Flamenco contest in the under 18 division. She has trained with some of the largest names in Flamenco, such as Marco Flores, Mercedes Ruiz, and Olga Pericet. As of now, she is the youngest member of the Alma Dance Company, and also proceeds to study Ballet and Contemporary. Yahlly will continue to dance internationally, as well as expand her dance journey into college.

Deirdre Towers

Deirdre Towers, producer of the award-winning LA CHANA, is a dancer/ choreographer who works with her composer/guitarist Jared Newman. She produced the Dance on Camera Festival, co-sponsored by the Film Society of Lincoln Center from 1994-2012, and taught flamenco in the NYC school system for 12 years through City Center. Also a writer currently working for The Dance Enthusiast, she taught flamenco history for six summers in Santa Fe, New Mexico for Maria Benitez' Institute of Spanish Arts. Her multi-media work SURPRISED BY JOY is the latest in a series of installations entitled BELL 8 and multi-media performances that explore emotional waves and the natural trio danced by the light, wind, and the sea.

Yolit Yospe-Kachlon

Yolit was born and raised in Israel and fell in love with dancing as a child. She studied Ballet, Contemporary, Jazz, and other genres and discovered flamenco as a teenager while attending art school. After many years of study with master flamenco teachers in Israel including Carmel Nathan-Shelly, Timo Lozano and others, she began her performance career in her home country. Upon arriving in the US in 2004, Yolit began working as a lead preschool teacher. She also continued dancing, studying with Edwin Aparico and Anna Menendez and dancing in their companies, performing at The Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage, Shakespeare Theater Company, Public Playhouse Theater, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Dance Place, Gala Hispanic Theater, Tablaos and various festivals. In addition, Yolit had the privilege to attend workshops in both the US and Spain with some of the most world renown Flamenco Maestros, such as Manolo Marin, "La Truco", Marco Flores, Manuel Liñán, Maria Juncal, Alfonso Losa, Mercedes Ruiz and Olga Pericet among others. Yolit led the youth and adult flamenco program at American Dance Institute, and CityDance School of Dance. In 2015, she established her own performance company, Alma Flamenca. The company has weekly classes and rehearsals with original repertoire. In January of 2022, she fulfilled a lifelong dream and opened Alma Dance Studio where she leads classes, workshops, rehearsals, and showcases and other events. The studio offers a variety of dance and movement classes for children and adults. Yolit lives in Rockville, MD with her husband and 3 daughters who share the love for the performing arts, just like their mother.

Elisabet Torras Aguilera

Elisabet Torras Aguilera was born and raised in Barcelona where she studied Flamenco and Danza Española at the Conservatory of Dance and Theatre of Barcelona and continued her studies later in Madrid. Amongst her teachers were La Chana, Carlos Lérida, Carmen La Talegona, Alfonso Losa, Concha Jareño, Belen Cabanes, Gala Vivancos, Javier Latorre, Miguel Ángel Rojas y Carlos Rodríguez, Cristina Casanova, Nuria Truco, Eli La Truco, La Lupi, Eva Yerbabuena, and Belén Maya.

Elisabet has toured Europe and Asia with Zarzuela, Clasico Español and Flamenco companies. In 2009 Elisabet was invited as a guest artist for the Flamenco Festival “Viva España” in Moscow and the “Presidence Belge”-Festival in Brussels. She toured Spain and China with Flamenco pianist MANOLO CARRASCO's company, performed several seasons with JAVIER LATORRE’s Somorrostro Dansa Flamenca Company and danced for ROJAS & RODRIGUEZ Company in Madrid in 2011.

Luis Osa

Colombian percussionist born and raised in Medellín where he studied music and music management. He has been working as a percussionist for more than 15 years. Since 2005 he has immersed himself in Flamenco cajón playing, specializing in the accompaniment of Flamenco song and dance with masters such as Israel Heredia, Israel Suarez “El Piraña” and Ramón Porrina.

Ania “La Candela”

Ania Bartelmus, "La Candela", is an internationally renowned flamenco dancer based in Atlanta, GA, and the Founder/Director of her company. Over the years, she trained with Spain’s top flamenco artists during her 3 year stay in Sevilla and other frequent visits to this flamenco capital.  She has appeared in venues in Poland, Switzerland, Spain and US including Spanish tablaos, US venues, CBS program “Better Mornings Atlanta” and PBS program “This is Atlanta”.  Ania was a featured dancer in the music video “Kiss the Night” by Summer Azul, and principal dancer for David Maldonado's flamenco symphony tour "Noche de Pasion". 2005 - 2011 she performed as a soloist for Calo Gitano Flamenco Dance Company, and as a guest dancer with Berdole Flamenco, Julie Baggenstoss. In 2019 Ania was chosen as a finalist for the Flamenco Vivo Certamen USA competition and as of 2020 Ania is honored to be a member of Flamenco Vivo’s professional Consorcio Flamenco, a group dedicated to growing flamenco on the national stage. In 2020, Ania was commissioned to create choreography for the City of Atlanta’s project “Pandemic Atlanta”.  As director of La Candela Flamenco Ania collaborates with local musicians to create flamenco arrangements and flamenco fusion pieces, which she also produces. 

Ricardo Sanchez

Ricardo is a Mexican flamenco guitarist who started playing different music styles when he was 6 years old and began playing flamenco at 13. This art form has led him to speak through his instrument, expressing emotions without words.
Ricardo attributes a significant portion of his flamenco guitar skills and compositional training to Adrián Juárez, Mauricio López, and Josué Tacorente, Mexican flamenco guitar players, as well as Juan Campallo and José Luis Medina, well-known flamenco guitar players from Spain.
He’s been a musical performer, musical director, and composer at different festivals across the Americas.
He’s performed in various flamenco festivals and also recorded his guitar music with renowned artists of several music styles, such as Marjorie de Sousa, Juan Gabriel, Mariana Seoane, and Susana Harp.
Teaching and sharing his knowledge have always been important aspects of his flamenco journey, helping others understand and be captivated by the richness of this complex yet remarkably stunning art form, flamenco.