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Sachiko “La Chayí” Flamenco

Annual Student Dance Showcase

FIESTA FLAMENCA 2019

Dancer Bios:

AIMEE ELIZABETH

Inspired by an approaching trip to Spain in the fall of 2017, Amiee decided on a Sevillanas class where she began studying under Sachiko.  That trip to Spain introduced more opportunity to see Flamenco and so begins this journey. Flamenco definitely feels like that most challenging dance style Amiee has taken on and she is looking forward to continuing to learn and grow as a Flamenca.  In her free time Amiee works with people in chronic pain, teaches and enjoys time with her 8 year old son and Siberian Husky.

CIA SAUTTER

Cia dances, acts and tells stories.  With a doctorate in Religion and the Arts from the Graduate Theological Union, she brings a wealth of training and experience to her work.  Though she has learned many dance forms, Cia now focuses on Flamenco.  She has been studying with Sachiko since 2018.  Inspired by acting study, especially at the Globe theatre in London, Cia developed Storydance theatre, using a combination of active storytelling and dance.  She creates work combining her knowledge and skills choreograph dances with roots in Jewish culture.

ELENA LA ACEITUNA

Elena Sánchez Weinkam, born to Spanish parents in NY, was exposed to Spanish music and dance at an early age.  She has studied Spanish dancing, on and off, since 1981.  Most recently she studies and dances regularly as a company member of Anda Flamenco in Minneapolis and in the greater Orlando area.  She has studied Bata de Cola with Sachiko since 2017.  She continues to study and advance her skills by attending the annual Flamenco Festival de Jerez in Spain as well as numerous Flamenco workshops in MN and FL.  “Flamenco is more than a hobby. The quest to learn and understand more is a continuous part of my being”.

HILDE DE ROOVER

Hilde started dancing flamenco, about 10 years ago.  She has studied flamenco mainly with Susana di Palma (Zorongo Flamenco Dance Theatre) and had the privilege of being accepted into Zorongo’s Majas apprentice program, which she left at the end of last year.  Since 2019 she also takes classes with Sachiko. 

INGRID JOHNSON

Born and raised in Oaxaca, Mexico. Ingrid has a deep interest in learning different styles of dance specially the art of flamenco.  She joined Sevillanas workshop with Sachiko in 2016 and has been taking flamenco classes with her since then. She admires Sachiko for her technical expertise and her patience in teaching students. Ingrid has been living in Minnesota for 14 years and is currently married and lives happily with her two kids.

JOAN “JUANA MARIA” BREN

Joan sought out flamenco performances as an Architecture Student studying in southern Spain. Years later, after becoming a Licensed Architect, she started taking classes from Kristina de Sacramento of Anda Flamenco Company and School.  In 2007 “Juana Maria” became its company member. For over 10 years Joan has traveled to Spain to attend the Festival de Jerez, Jerez de la Frontera, to take flamenco workshops with various artists. She especially enjoys performing the choreography of Chiqui de Jerez. The desire to learn the technique of dancing with the Bata de Cola led Joan to study with Sachiko since 2017. 

PING WANG

Ping published 13 books of poetry, prose and translation.  Her new book Life of Miracles along the Yangtze and Mississippi was published in 2018.  She’s recipient of National Endorsement for the Arts, Bush Foundation, Lannan and McKnight Fellowships.  She’s the founder and director of Kinship of Rivers project. When she was a child in China, she found a card with a flamenco dancer in a burning pile of books.  The gypsy spirit ignited the fire since then. After she moved to Minnesota, she started dancing with Zorongo Flamenco. She has been studying with Sachiko since 2016.

SHANNON RUSSELL

Shannon came to Flamenco a year ago in the most Minnesota of ways when a garden party for the visiting maestro Juan del Gastor was planned but weather did not permit and the party became a house party at her home. It was there that she met Sachiko and soon thereafter joined her Sunday Classes at Tapestry Folk Dance Center. Prior to becoming a student of flamenco Shannon did English Morris and Rapper Sword Dancing and continues to study Middle Eastern Dance at the Cassandra School of Middle Eastern dance and is a new member of Cassandra's Khazanah. 

TIANNA PATTERSON

A native from Minnesota, Tianna’s background is Performing arts, Dance Contortion, and Theater.  Flamenco became her inspiration attending shows at Conga Latin Bistro performed by Anda Flamenco.  She has taken classes with Sachiko and Anda Flamenco since 2017 and hopes to continue her Flamenco study and performances.  Flamenco is an art form which has an influence to Bomba, a dance of her Puerto Rican heritage roots.  She has studied and/or performed with Circus Juventas, Izvorsal Romanian Dance Group, and El Arco Iris Center For the Arts Puerto Rican folk dance, Bollywood Dance Scene, Stepping Stone Theater and Young Artist Initiative.  

TOMOKO SILBERT ​

Dancing has always been Tomoko’s love.  She started to take Sachiko’s beginners classes intrigued by the beautiful hand movements and steps of Flamenco in 2017.  When she is not dancing, Tomoko enjoys her other hobbies such as playing piano, quilting and making flower arrangements. Her family is supporting and cheering her as she continues her path in Flamenco.

TRISHA BEUHRING CUDECK

A native of southern California, Trish moved to Minnesota with her husband Bob in 1983, conducted research in developmental psychology at the University of Minnesota until 2006, and split her time between Minnesota and Ohio from 2006 until 2018. She has been taking classes with Sachiko "La Chayi" since 2015, at the Zorongo Dance Theatre and School in Minneapolis since 2008 and with Griset Damas Roche from 2014-2017 while in Ohio. She and Bob returned to Minnesota permanently in 2018. They have three adult children and a granddaughter who are becoming aficionados of  flamenco. 

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