Roshanne Wijeyeratne
Roshanne spends a great portion of each year living in Spain, from where she performs, studies, and teaches workshops (London, Madrid, Sevilla, & New York). She is Director of Alma Flamenca Dance School in Adelaide, and is founder and Director of the Alma Flamenca Performance Company, Compañía Alma Flamenca, and co-founding member of Velada Flamenco Performance Company. She also teaches workshops and gives performances throughout Australia (Sydney, Hobart, Darwin, Brisbane, Perth, Gold Coast, Lismore, Byron Bay).
Born into a family of musicians, since childhood, Roshanne has been trained in classical piano, voice and various dance forms, including Flamenco. She travels the world annually developing knowledge, styles and approaches and has spent extended periods of intensive professional development in Sevilla, London, Madrid, New York City and Albuquerque. (See list of recent training below)
Roshanne 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 Formacion Completa del Baile Flamenco) and has been recognised by some of Spain’s finest flamenco maestros, as a formidable artist.
Roshanne’s experience as a teacher (BEd), musician, singer, and dancer along with her friendly nature are all a part of what makes her a unique teacher. She has the ability to explain the complexities of flamenco rhythms and the relationship between dancer-singers-musicans which is an integral part of flamenco dance and improvisation. Her techniques which have been collated from all over the world and developed from her vast knowledge of music and dance facilitate the opportunity for her students to not only feel the emotive music of flamenco but express it with intention from head to toe.
Her passionate performances have been received with standing ovations, invitations to professional Tablaos in Spain, and much acclaim both in Spain and Australia. “Roshanne’s main solo was the climax of the program…It was exhilarating” – Sydney Morning Herald 2018. In 2003, she was scouted out of dance class with flamenco master Juana Amaya to perform at the iconic venue ‘La Carboneria’ in Sevilla, and has since performed in Flamenco Tablao in Madrid, Flamenqueria in Sevilla, Laberinto in Sevilla during the Bienal season 2019, and in Tablaos in New Mexico. She performed as a soloist for the legendary flamenco singer Pepe de Lucía, accompanied by world renowned guitarist Oscar Guzmán (Adelaide Guitar Festival) and with Pepa Molina (Fringe 2014). Her performances have built her reputation as a ‘dancer gaining momentum around the world” (Kosta Jaric, Reviewing Adelaide 2010). Roshanne’s talent as a dancer alone is impressive with fiery, rhythmic footwork and a style direct from Andalucía, but her ability to express her genuine emotions through dance and emote at the same time is raw flamenco at its core.
“Roshanne Wijeyeratne’s main solo was the climax of the program… It was exhilarating” (Jill Sykes, Sydney Morning Herald 2018)
“… the charismatic Roshanne Wijeyeratne, whose Seguiriyas was a high point of the evening… the stuttering stamp of Wijeyeratne’s dazzling feet, the suppleness of her yearning arms and her expressive facial mobility took the evening to another level.” (Alan Brissenden, Radio Adelaide 2011)
“The dancing by Roshanne Wijeyeratne (an Adelaide-based dancer gaining momentum around the world) is strong, fluid and rapid” (Kosta Jaric, Reviewing Adelaide 2010).
“The fiery and passionate Roshanne Wijeyeratne… a riveting solo” (Phil Callaghan, Ausdance 2009)
“Flamenco fans packed the Darwin Entertainment Centre thrilling at Roshanne Wijeyeratne’s dancing in particular” (Northern Territory News 2007).
RECENT TRAINING
Sevilla: Miguel Angel Heredia, Manuel Liñan, Manuel Betanzos, Fuensanta ‘La Moneta’, Manuela Carrasco, Farruquito Juan Manuel, Belen Maya, Ana Morales, Irena La Sentio, Alicia Márquez (Paco Peña), Manolo Marin, El Torombo (Noche Flamenca), Rafaela Carrasco, Ramón Martínez, Pastora Galván, Isabel Bayón, Andrés Peña, Soraya Clavijo, Pilar Ortega, Miguel ‘El Rubio’, Ursula Lopez, Rafael Campallo, Eduardo Guerrero, Adela Campallo, Pilar Ogalla, Andrés Marin, David Pérez, Yolanda Heredia, Patricia Guerrero, Asun Demarco, Guadalupe Torres, Maria Angeles Gabaldon, and Juana Amaya.
Madrid: Antonio Canales, La Truco, Carmen ‘La Talegona’, Concha Jareño, Jose Maya, Pepa Molina, Marco Flores, Maria Torres, Olga Pericet, Maria Juncal, Inmaculada Ortega, Carmela Greco, Paloma Gomez, David Paniagua, and Alfonso Losa.
Granada: Carmen de las Cuevas
United States: The National Institute of Flamenco – Joaquin and Maria Encinias, Auxi Fernandez, Nelida Tirado, and Omayra Amaya.
SOME PERFORMANCES
Recent Work
Soloist for Aire Flamenco Flamenco at The Quarry (Perth 2024)
Soloist for Paul Bosauder’s Tierra y Mar (New Zealand Tour 2023)
Las Cuatro presented by Compañía Alma Flamenca (Sydney 2022)
Evocacion presented by Flamenkisimo (Adelaide Fringe 2022) *Best Dance Overall Winner of Adelaide Fringe 2022*
Las Cuatro presented by Compañía Alma Flamenca (Adelaide Fringe 2021) *Adelaide Fringe Best Dance Award Winner 2021*
Ida y Vuelta presented by Compañía Alma Flamenca (Hawke’s Bay Arts Festival, New Zealand 2019) SOLD OUT
El Barrio Tablao Flamenco (New York City 2019) SOLD OUT
Tablao (Bar Gansa, London 2019)
Flamenco Tablao Septiembre (Laberinto, Sevilla, Spain 2019) SOLD OUT
Ida y Vuelta presented by Compañía Alma Flamenca (Adelaide Fringe 2019) *Adelaide Fringe Best Dance Award Winner 2019*
Flamenco Tablao Septiembre (Laberinto, Sevilla, Spain 2018)
The UNSAID presented by The Sydney Flamenco Studio (Sydney 2018)
Tablao Senora POP (Sevilla, Spain September 2017)
‘WOMADelaide (Adelaide 2017)
‘Entrelazar’ (Hobart Tour, presented by Flamenkisimo 2017)
‘Dos y Dos’ Live recording YouTube film clip produced by Byron Mark Sydney 2016
‘Luz y Sombra’ presented by Flamenkisimo (Sydney 2016)
‘Flamenco! Live (Alma Flamenca 2016)
‘Entrelazar’ presented by Flamenkisimo (Sydney 2016)
‘Tiempo’ presented by Flamenkisimo (Canberra 2016)
‘Tiempo’ presented by Flamenkisimo (Sydney 2015)
‘Flamenco LIVE’ (Alma Flamenca 2015)
‘Alma’ featuring Sebastian Sanchez 2015
Valentino Flamenco (Adelaide Fringe 2015)
Tablao Flamenqueria (Seville, Spain October 2014)
Flamenco Andalucia (Adelaide 2014)
La Macarena de Jerez (Gold Coast 2014)
‘Pepa Live’ Selective Works (Adelaide Fringe 2014)
Peña Flamenca featuring Sebastian Sanchez (Adelaide 2013)
Flamenco Tablao (Sevilla, Spain 2012), Cuadro Flamenco (Madrid, Spain 2012), The Sounds of Spain (Adelaide Fringe 2012), The Hobart Flamenco Festival (Tasmania 2011), Bizet’s Carmen with The South Australian State Opera (The Adelaide Festival Theatre 2011), Cuadro Flamenco Tablao with El Bocadillo y Antonio Españadero (Artebar Madrid 2011), Sounds of Spain with Flamenco Australia (Sydney 2011), Esencia Flamenca presented by Florian (Adelaide 2011), Bodegas Boutique (Ausdance Queensland 2011), Flamenco Fusion (The Basement Sydney 2010), The Adelaide International Guitar Festival’s El Corazon del Flamenco with Oscar Guzmán and Pepe de Lucía (The Adelaide Festival Main Theatre 2010), Carnival Choreographer’s Ball (Sydney 2009), Winter Flamenco Festival with Casa de Flamenco (Adelaide 2009), Florian Una Noche de Flamenco (Adelaide 2008), Marina Tamayo presents Flamenco Tablao with Antonio Vargas (Sydney 2007 & 2008), The Shell Darwin Guitar Festival with Oscar Guzmán (2005 & 2007), Flamenco Tablao (New Mexico 2007), La Carboneria (Sevilla 2003).
Velada Flamenco Performance Company
Museo del Grito (Adelaide Fringe Festival 2007), Florian Una Noche de Flamenco (2008), Supermegafashion @ Higher Ground Inc (throughout 2006), Adelaide Fringe Festival (Fringe Club 2006 @ Higher Ground Inc), Sincopa (2005), Primavera (2004)
Teatro del Mundo (Liana Vargas)
Universal Playground (Adelaide Festival of Arts 2004), La Guerra (Adelaide Fringe 2004), Bellingen Flamenco Festival (2003), Gypsy Bazaar (SALA 2002), WOMADelaide (2002), Adelaide Cabaret Festival (2002)
