The Company

The Core Members

Artistic Director Kristina de Sacramento came to flamenco by way of Paris, France; not your usual path, but it’s worked out well. Kristina has been studying, performing, and teaching flamenco since 1987. She established her own school in 1995 and merged it with her new performing company, Anda Flamenco, in 2001. In 2002, Kristina conceived, choreographed and produced the Fringe Festival hit, “Que Será, Será: A Flamenco Comedy," and followed it in 2004 with the critically acclaimed, “Doña Quixote: A Flamenco Comedy." After spending 2006-2008 relocating and constructing a new home for the company and school, Kristina plans to premiere "Señora Butterfly: A Flamenco Comedy," in 2009. In addition to theatrical venues, Kristina performs regularly in the Twin Cities, both as a soloist with her own company and Rincón del Flamenco, and as a guest artist with other local companies. As passionate a student as she is a teacher and performer, Kristina returns to Paris and Spain annually to continue her professional studies.

Guitarist Trevor “El Rebujito”

Guitarist "Rafael de Tresa,” known in other circles as Michael Ziegahn, has been playing guitar since graduating from Highland Park Sr. High in Saint Paul... awhile ago. His local teachers have included Michael and Tony Hauser and Pedro Cortes Jr. In Spain, Rafa has studied with Luis Maravilla and Antonio Andrade, and briefly but memorably with the venerable Manolo Sanlucar. In addition to being the first guitarist for Anda Flamenco School, Rafa has his own group, Sendero Flamenco, and is also known for his gigs at Irish pubs and his vocal work with local ensembles. Rafa was both the narrator and one of the four guitarists for Anda’s 2004 production, "Doña Quixote: A Flamenco Comedy.” In September 2008, he was the guitarist for "Hiroshima - A Night Dreamt and A Day Flashed to Burn.”

Dancer Virginia “La Chispita” has studied dance her whole life and continues to study often in Spain with such masters as Merche Esmeralda, Eva La Yerbabuena and Juana Amaya. She has been dancing with Anda Flamenco since its inception in 2001, and has performed the solo roles of both the relentless stage manager/company soloist in “Que Será, Será” and the plucky Sancha Panzasson in "Doña Quixote." A versatile and talented dancer, as well as a fine physical actress, La Chispita has also performed in theatrical works of other companies too numerous to mention, and can be seen igniting the stage as a guest artist at many venues in town!

 After a few months of study in Chile while serving in the Peace Corps, Dancer Andrea continued her flamenco studies with Kristina de Sacramento in 1997 and joined Anda Flamenco Company in 2003.  Currently, Andrea takes advantage of workshops given by flamenco maestros traveling through Minneapolis, and returns to Spain whenever she can. In addition to appearing with Anda Flamenco in "Que Será, Será," Andrea's other theatrical performances include "Explorations in Flamenco," and, most recently, "Romería" and "Marchita." She can also be seen performing in local tablaos with different groups, including Anda and Rincón del Flamenco.

Dancer Juana María began her flamenco studies in 1996 with Kristina de Sacramento, and became a member of Anda Flamenco Company in 2007. She performs regularly with both the company and Las Zapatistas, Anda’s street-performance company. Juana has also been a guest artist at tablaos with both Rincón del Flamenco and Alfredo y Amigos. First exposed to flamenco in Andalucía (while studying to become an architect), Juana now frequently returns to Spain to study flamenco. Of her many Spanish maestros, she feels most influenced by Javier Latorre, La Chiqui, Pastora Galvan, María Magdalena, Manolete, and Adriana Maresma Fois.

Dancer María Luisa came to Anda Flamenco School in 2004 after four years of prior flamenco study. In 2007 she was invited to become a company member. As well as performing with the company and being a guest artist with Rincón del Flamenco and Alfredo y Amigos, María is the Managing Director of Anda Flamenco's second company, Las Zapatistas. She traveled to Spain for the first time in 2007 to study with Angel Muñoz in Jerez and the incomparable La Tati in Madrid, and plans to return in 2011.

The Remembered Member

Singer María Elena “La Cordobesa” hailed from Cordoba, Spain, where she made her flamenco debut at the age of six while hiding under her mother’s dining room table out of shyness. María Elena’s powerful, evocative, and plaintive cante (song) was the essence of traditional flamenco. She was the founder of Rincón del Flamenco, a premiere flamenco troupe in the Twin Cities. One of a handful of native flamenco singers in the US, María Elena shared her song internationally, as well as with the Twin Cities and Anda Flamenco. In addition to receiving three coveted Minnesota Music Awards, María Elena was awarded La Cruz de la Orden de Mérito Civil in 2008. This prestigious honor was bestowed upon her by Juan Carlos, the King of Spain, in recognition of La Cordobesa's years of contribution to the art of flamenco in the U.S. "La Cordobesa" died on April 29, 2009 and will be forever remembered.

Members "In Absentia"

Dancer Anna is currently "in absentia" in Berlin with her Spanish-born husband, Gonzalo. In addition to dancing and teaching flamenco, Anna is still in demand internationally as a flamenco costumer and is developing quite a following as a milliner. In 1997, while studying to become a seamstress, Anna saw Kristina performing one night at the now defunct Loring Bar - THE 90's venue for Rincón del Flamenco and a host of other edgy Twin Cities performers. Anna was instantly drawn to flamenco. She began studying immediately with Kristina and was soon making Kristina's costumes as well. Anna continued to hone her dancing and costuming skills to perfection in the four years she spent furthering her dance studies in Sevilla, returning to Minneapolis as a guest artist for both "Que Será, Será" and "Doña Quixote." If her performing schedule permits, look forward to seeing her in "Señora Butterfly" as well.

Dancer Rico "El Viajero" is currently "in absentia" in New York City, where he has been working in the financial sector for three years. He is still thrilled to be living there, and in addition to continuing his flamenco studies with Omayra Amaya, he's trying forms like hip-hop as well. After beginning his studies with Kristina, Rico trained extensively at Amor de Dios in Madrid, with private coaching by Antonio Reyes. Rico has been performing since 2001 with Anda Flamenco, including a featured role in “Que Será, Será.”

The Guest Artists

Dancer Vicki García and Kristina met in Jerez in 2002 while studying with Manolete. Kristina promised Vicki a role in the upcoming Doña Quixote, but the two lost contact. They ran into each other in a Spanish train station a year later, and soon Vicki was flying to the U.S. for the first time. A Canary Islands native, Vicki had studied extensively in Madrid with Merche Esmeralda, and later with La Truco before taking on the role of the enchanted windmill in Doña Quixote. She is now finishing her studies in veterinary medicine in Madrid while working at the zoo, and also performing as a percussionist in an Arabic/flamenco fusion group.