Over the past several decades, the popularity of Flamenco has rapidly transcended the borders of its Andalucían birthplace and has become a truly global art form. "Zamani," derived from the Arabic root "Zaman," means all at once "past," "bygone," and "contemporary." It is in this sometimes paradoxical (and sometimes perhaps profound) spirit of ephemera and foundation that Zamani Flamenco taps both Andalucían tradition and cross cultural innovation to bring an energetic and living flamenco to contemporary audiences. Based in Seattle, WA, this ensemble of musicians and dancers has trained with Marcos and Rubina Carmona, of the Pacific Northwest’s beloved Carmona Flamenco.
A lifelong dancer, Zanbaka (whose sobriquet comes from an Arabic word meaning "white flower") began studying Flamenco in 2000 with her primary instructor, Rubina Carmona. In 2001, she was invited to join La Peña Flamenca de Seattle, which is comprised of the advanced students of Marcos and Rubina Carmona. In addition to Zanbaka's dedication to La Peña, she's had the opportunity to study with Oscar Nieto, Kasandra Lea, Maria “Cha Cha” Bermudez, Antonio El Pipa, and Timo Lozano through workshops and recently completed a 3 month Flamenco intensive in Spain, along with Zamani Flamenco’s Daniela Serrano where she studied with La Truco, Ana Maria Lopez, Isabel Bayon, and Alicia Marquez. Besides her passion for Flamenco, she is also a performer, choreographer, and instructor of Middle Eastern dance.
A long time interest in Spanish art and culture combined with a background in competitive figure skating was the foundation for Daniela's initial enthusiasm for flamenco. This has lead to a dedicated study and appreciation for all aspects of the art. She has studied with Rubina Carmona since 2001 and began performing with La Peña Flamenca de Seattle in 2002. Other influential teachers in the U.S and Spain have been: Oscar Nieto, Maria Bermudez, Alicia Marquez, Maria Jose Franco, La Truco, Sara de Luis, Antonio El Pipa and Belén Cabanes. She has also performed with La Jarana and appeared at Seattle's Folklife Festival in 2007 with Carmona Flamenco.
Although he has been playing guitar for longer than he cares to admit, Andy's passion for flamenco began with a tour through Andalucía in 2001. Since then he has studied and played with musicians in Jerez, Granada, Paris, and in his hometown Seattle. Most recently he has been a student of Marcos Carmona and has had the fortunate opportunity to play for Rubina Carmona's flamenco dance classes and La Peña Flamenca de Seattle.
Martita has been involved in dance from an early age, studying ballet, tap, and modern prior to beginning her exploration of flamenco in 2001. She has studied with (and been inspired by) Rubina Carmona and has performed with La Peña Flamenca de Seattle for several years. Martita has also had the good fortune to study with talented artists such as Antonio el Pipa, Sara de Luis, and Timo Lozano. More recently Martita has begun to explore flamenco cante (singing) -- a lifelong passion that she has finally been able to bring to fruition.
Seattle native Rachel Sprague’s interest in dance started early: she began studying ballet at age three, then followed with creative dance, jazz, hip hop, tap, swing, salsa and even a bit of Argentinean tango. At fifteen she discovered flamenco with Carlos Saura’s then new release, Flamenco, and has been enraptured with the form ever since. Rachel studied Fine Art at Reed College in Portland and is active in dance, singing, painting, sculpture, and fiber arts. She has studied flamenco with Ana Montes, Viviana Orbeck, and Rubina Carmona. La Chispa is a member of La Peña Flamenca de Seattle under Rubina Carmona.