Compañía Alma Flamenca
Acclaimed Flamenco ensemble, Compañía Alma Flamenca, has built a profile for presenting some of the highest quality Flamenco in Australia. The dance company is comprised of uniquely expressive, multidisciplinary, and captivating dancers who are trained both in Spain and Australia. Their respect and lifelong dedication to the great art of Flamenco shine through their powerful and emotional stage presence, connection, and stunning technique. The company includes dancers Sugika Nishiue, Adriana Morales, Lisa Vertue, Natalie Quici, Catherine Ziersch, and Anita Zazzaro. After performing at WOMADelaide 2017, they sold out their premiere performance of ‘Ida y Vuelta’, which later won the Best Dance Weekly Award (Adelaide Fringe 2019). They also toured to New Zealand in 2019 selling out the world-famous Victoria Spiegeltent at Hawkes Bay Arts Festival, delivering world-class Australian Flamenco to international audiences. Their most recent production, Las Cuatro, was awarded with another Best Dance Weekly Award at The Adelaide Fringe 2021, and the company later toured Las Cuatro to Sydney’s Darling Quarter Theatre in 2022.
Roshanne de Silva Wijeyeratne
Director
Roshanne de Silva Wijeyeratne is an internationally and nationally awarded Flamenco dancer who lives between Spain and Australia. She is Director of Alma Flamenca Dance School in Adelaide and two-time award-winning dance ensemble Compañía Alma Flamenca. Her company have been invited to WOMAD (2017), Hawke’s Bay Arts Festival selling out the world-famous Victoria Spiegeltent in New Zealand (2019), the Adelaide Guitar Festival (2021) and most recently presented their award-winning show ‘Las Cuatro’ in Sydney’s Darling Quarter Theatre (2022).
Roshanne teaches regular classes in Adelaide and also teaches workshops and performs as a soloist around the world, most recently in Seville, London, NYC and Auckland in 2019 and locally in Sydney, Darwin, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Lismore, Hobart, and Adelaide. Her passionate performances have been received with standing ovations, invitations to professional tablaos in Spain, and much acclaim both in Spain and Australia.
She is the only Australian recipient of the Beca de Oro (Gold Scholarship) from Madrid’s prestigious Flamenco academy, ‘Amor de Dios’ (II Ciclo Dedicado a la Formación Completa del Baile Flamenco) and won the Best Dance Overall Award of the Adelaide Fringe Festival 2022 as a soloist with Sydney Flamenco company, Flamenkisimo. “Roshanne’s main solo was the climax of the program… It was exhilarating” - Sydney Morning Herald 2018. Click here to view full biography.
Sugika Nishiue
Sugika is a dancer gaining international recognition and performance opportunities while also offering dance classes at Alma Flamenca Dance School in Adelaide. She has trained with Roshanne Wijeyeratne, Director of Alma Flamenca, since 2011 and undergoes annual professional development in Spain. She was the first dancer to perform as a part of grand maestro Manuel Betanzos’ Espacio Proprio program (Sevilla, Spain) and has also been invited to perform as a soloist in Osaka, Japan. As a part of Compañía Alma Flamenca, she has performed at WOMADelaide 2017, The Adelaide Guitar Festival 2022, won two Best Dance Weekly Awards at the Adelaide Fringe Festival 2019 and 2021, and has recently toured to Sydney with the company, performing at Sydney's Darling Quarter Theatre. Sugika’s impressive skills and honest expression brings a style that is sensual, powerful and undeniable.
Lisa Vertue
This explosive dancer started her dance career early learning with countless Flamenco teachers across Australia and has been a student of Roshanne Wijeyeratne’s for 20 years, while also teaching at Alma Flamenca Dance School. She has a special combination of impressive strength, technical ability and power that is equalled by her ability to captivate an audience with true and honest expression. She lights up the stage. As a part of Compañía Alma Flamenca, she has performed at WOMADelaide 2017 and The Adelaide Guitar Festival 2022, won two Best Dance Weekly Awards at the Adelaide Fringe Festival 2019 & 2021 (soloing in 2021), and has recently toured to Sydney with the company, performing at Sydney's Darling Quarter Theatre.
Adriana Morales
This Venezuelan-born Flamenca came through the Alma Flamenca program from beginners through to advanced at record speed, and after only 4 years was welcomed into the Company. Tenacious and passionate, Adriana brings emotion and depth to her performance and is an exhilarating woman to watch. As a part of Compañía Alma Flamenca, she has performed at WOMADelaide 2017, and won two Best Dance Weekly Awards at the Adelaide Fringe Festival (2019 & 2021), soloing in both productions and has recently toured to Sydney with the company, performing at Sydney's Darling Quarter Theatre.
Anita Zazzaro
Anita began dancing Flamenco not long after Roshanne, where they met under the instruction of Liana Vargas, performing in countless shows, festivals and events together. Anita has learned with Roshanne for almost 20 years and contributes an incredible amount of dance experience to the Company. Also trained in ballet, jazz, tap and classical styles, Anita is soulful dancer with improvisation skills that leave audiences thrilling. As a part of Compañía Alma Flamenca, performed at WOMADelaide 2017, has won two Best Dance Weekly Awards at the Adelaide Fringe Festival (2019 & 2021), and is also our resident children’s dance teacher with qualifications in Primary School education, and majoring in Spanish language.
Natalie Quici
It is hard not to be mesmerised by the subtlety and finesse of this striking dancer, but don’t be fooled. With her musicality and staccato footwork, fiery turns and a deep understanding of Flamenco, Natalie Quici is both enchanting and electrifying. After beginning her training with Liana Vargas, Natalie then lived and danced in Spain and London training for extended periods of time with the great maestros in Sevilla and then joined the Alma Flamenca team. As a part of Compañía Alma Flamenca, she has won two Best Dance Weekly Awards at the Adelaide Fringe Festival (2019 & 2021), soloing in 2021 and has recently toured to Sydney with the company, performing at Sydney's Darling Quarter Theatre.
Catherine Ziersch
Catherine Ziersch has been training with Alma Flamenca since late 2021 and is the newest members of Compañía Alma Flamenca. She began and developed her Flamenco skills with Areti Boyaci and danced as a core member of Flamenco Areti performance group for 10 years, winning an Adelaide Fringe Best Dance Weekly Award in 2015 and performing at the premiere of film documentary on legendary guitarist Paco de Lucia at The Adelaide Guitar Festival 2016. She has also trained with Flamenco maestros from Spain including Ana Romero, Maria Bermudez and Inmaculada Ortega. Catherine's elegance, passion, and rhythmic precision are just some of the incredible elements she brings to the stage, delighting audiences who get the chance to watch her dance.
Meet the Alma Flamenca Musicians and Special Guests
Alain Vālodze
Guitar virtuoso Alain Vālodze is an invaluable element of the incredible musical ensemble for Alma Flamenca. Alain plays with passion and emotion and his love of world music creates a rich and unique Flamenco sound. His music is not just something to hear, but something to feel.
Adrian van Nunen
Adrian van Nunen is an exciting part of the flamenco ensemble with his percussive sounds. Trained in Spain, Adrian is a skilled cajon player who understands Flamenco accompaniment and adds energy to any performance with his accents and punctuation.
John Cassidy
John Cassidy has five decades Flamenco experience as a soloist and accompanist. For a time, he lived in Madrid with his talented late wife, Rubi Cassidy, a highly regarded Flamenco dancer and visual artist. He has toured Australia over, worked with countless artists and continues to grow the Flamenco community by teaching Flamenco guitar at the WEA. It is always humbling to have John’s knowledge, experience, and artistic skill as part of any performance.
Chachy Peñalver
Director of the Sydney Flamenco Studio and award-winning dancer, Chachy Peñalver, collaborates with Alma Flamenca regularly and has won 2 Best Dance Awards collaborating with Roshanne. Chachy has a unique interpretation of Flamenco and has that ability to move an audience from rapturous applause to tears and back again with her incredibly interpretative movements and heartfelt expression.
Zoe Vélez
Zoe Vélez, is a regular collaborator with Roshanne both with Alma Flamenca and her own Company Flamenkisimo. A drama graduate of NIDA, trained in both Flamenco dance and song, Zoe skills are an incredible display of Flamenco soul and arte. She commands the stage both in the quietest moments of Flamenco Jondo and in the fury of a Flamenco Fiesta!
Paco Lara
Francisco Lara Puerto (Paco Lara) is an acclaimed Flamenco guitarist from the authentic cradle of Flamenco that is Jerez de la Frontera, Spain. Embodying the unmistakable Jerez style of Flamenco guitar playing, Paco is a formidable soloist, and is also revered for his ability to accompany Flamenco singing (cante) and dance (baile). Since September 2017, Paco has called Australia home and performs throughout the country.
Kieren Ray
After completing tertiary study in Classical guitar at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music in 1996, Kieren went to Spain to study Flamenco guitar in 1997. He was a student of various distinguished teachers in Seville, Jerez, Madrid and Cordoba.
Kieren tours and performs extensively throughout Australia, playing at major festivals, theatres and concert halls. His music has been broadcast on national and local radio and television including the ABC and SBS.
Felipe Kunze García
Felipe Kunze García is a master in his approach to each Flamenco style (palo) giving each of the songs its rightful feel and unique emotion. His compositions and musicality are second to none and he has collaborated with Roshanne across Australia and across different companies performing in "Tablao" in Adelaide, across Australia with Flamenkisimo, and most recently in "UNSAID" with The Sydney Flamenco Studio 2019.
Aloysius Leeson
Aloysius Leeson is one of Adelaide’s most experienced Flamenco guitarists who brings a puro sound and melodic depth to any performance. He has released several albums, including Chispa Flamenca including a collaboration with Roshanne on palmas and most recently Florilegium in 2017.
Jay Dabgar (IND/MEL)
Born into a family of tabla players in India, Jay has studied Indian percussion for more than 20 years under the guidance of world renowned and respected musicians and teachers, including Shree Nandan Mehta. In Australia, Jay has collaborated with many different artists from different backgrounds in Indian Classical, Semi Classical, Fusion and World music, including as an invited guest to world music events and festivals.
Clarisa Di Salvo
This Argentine triple threat now resides in Spain but tours the world for performances and workshops. Clarisa is not only a soloist dancer in the tablaos of Sevilla, she is also an accomplished Flamenco singer and palmera. Her vocals are compelling and her dance performances encapsulate everything that is Flamenco.