Who We Are
Flamenco Pittsburgh is dedicated to teaching flamenco art and culture in Western Pennsylvania through ongoing classes, outreach, and performances.
The organization has evolved over the years to be an all encompassing flamenco cultural center for classes, community events, theatrical shows, and outreach programs. We offer ongoing seasonal classes for beginner and intermediate students, as well as a rich outreach program for K-12 and higher education institutions.
Our History
Since its founding in 2002 by partners Carolina Loyola-Garcia and Rocio Nogales, Flamenco Pittsburgh has promoted flamenco music, song, and dance through classes, performances, and outreach in Western Pennsylvania, Western NY State, and Eastern Ohio. Artistic and Executive Director Loyola-Garcia continued to nurture flamenco arts in the Pittsburgh region, producing consecutive seasons of programming, when Nogales relocated to Europe in 2004.
Flamenco Pittsburgh’s programming celebrates flamenco’s roots in Hispanic culture and history (it is a Heritage Treasure, per UNESCO), and engages audiences from within and outside of the Hispanic community.
Loyola-Garcia is also co-founder and Artistic Director of the professional Pittsburgh-based ensemble, Alba Flamenca. The ensemble performed each year from 2010 to 2023 in a wide range of Pittsburgh venues with up to a total of twelve musicians, dancers, and special guests. For 13 years, musicians in Alba Flamenca also contributed live accompaniment for the larger showcases produced by Flamenco Pittsburgh. The ensemble Alba Flamenca was founded by Carolina Loyola-Garcia, Jon Bañuelos, James Bond, and Barbara York in 2010.
Now, as Flamenco Pittsburgh has established itself as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, a new, more expansive operating model is being developed, to host guest flamenco artists from around the US to collaborate with flamenco dancers and musicians in Pittsburgh for an annual series of performances and workshops.
We are grateful to all the students who have shared our studio and passion to learn flamenco, as well as the many talented artists who have collaborated with us over the years. Some of those artists include: Jon Bañuelos, Barbara York, James Bond, Luke Savage, Mark Ferguson, Flor Isava-Machi, María Nuñez, Guillermito de la Isla Rodríguez, Erik Lawrence, Jeff Berman, Layo Puentes, Toni De Paolis, Ben Barson, PhatManDee, Lynn Speakman, Sofia Hurtado, Hansel Correa, Claudia Quintana, Mir Ali, Marija Temo, and Alice Blumenfeld.
