About Isabella |
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Born in
Valencia, Venezuela, Isabella Cascarano began Flamenco
dance at a very early age, and soon made Flamenco
her career as well as her life. She attended the Lilian
Matheus de Lizarraga Academy where she received Flamenco
dance instruction directly from its owner and director
Lilian Matheus and Carolina Lizarraga. |
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She received Flamenco
training from some of the most renowned teachers
and dancers in the Flamenco world, starting classes
at the Lizarraga Academy. She continued her training
with Tatiana Reina, and then attended the Amor de
Dios Academy in Madrid, Spain in 1998. Among her
most distinguished teachers were Carmela Greco,
Carmen Osado, La China, Josele Heredia, Maria Magdalena,
Timo Lozano, and, most notably, the greatest Spanish
bailaor Rafael Campallo.
Isabella participated
in multiple productions at various venues throughout
Venezuela, including Municipal Theater, Club Hipico,
Guataparo Country Club, Hotel Stauffer, Plaza Monumental,
Hotel Intercontinental y Forum in Valencia, Edo.
Carabobo, Theater de la Opera de Maracay, Edo Aragua,
Casa de Cultura de el Hatillo, Caracas.
She was an integral
member of the ballet company Las Lizarraga for four
years, and participated in the First Festival ever
celebrated in the Rios Reina Room of the Theater
Teresa Carreño in Caracas. She was a part
of the dance corps at the Lilian Matheus Lizarraga
Academy when they performed for the First Regional
Dance Festival, in which groups from the various
branches of Flamenco participated. She has also
shared the stage with the famous musical Flamenco
group Gypsy Kings and with the Spanish singer Jose
Luis Perales.
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Among the most
memorable of Isabellas performances were shows
by the Lilian Matheus de Lizarraga Academy, including
Hechizo Andaluz, Sueño Gitano,
Andalucia de Fiesta, Barrera de
Sol, Luces y Sombras with the special
participation of the principal Bailaor Sevillano Rafael
Campallo and the Flamenco music group Cheo Azpurua
Reyna presented in the Municipal Theater de Valencia. |
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Isabella served as
a principal dancer at the Lilian Matheus de
Lizarraga Academy, where she was also an accomplished
professor and choreographer. Upon her arrival
in the United States, in April of 2000, she
immediately sought out opportunities to teach
and perform Flamenco dance. She taught flamenco
classes at the United Community Center (UCC)
for Latino Arts, Inc., the Bruce Guadalupe
Community School and the UCC Senior Center
and Day Care. She also taught a master dance
class for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukees
Dance Department.
Since her arrival
to the United States, she has performed at
the UCC-Ameritech Fiesta, Mexican Fiesta,
Rockford College in Illinois, the Concert
2000 of the Milwaukee Police Band at the Pabst
Theater, the special presentation honoring
the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Wisconsin
at Latino Arts, Inc., Hispanic Heritage at
the Milwaukee Public Museum, and special programs
for children like Noche de Paz
and a special Christmas celebration at the
Aurora Weier Educational Center. Isabella
performed at the Cinco de Mayo celebration
at the Milwaukee Area Technical College, Fiesta
del Arte at Atwater School, and at the
HOT HOUSE in Chicago, Illinois.
She also performed
with all her students, adults, teenagers,
and children, in Romanceros
Gitanos (Gypsy
Ballads), dedicated to an influential
poet and dramatist Federico Garcia Lorca,
a member of Spains greatest generation
of artists. The performance was inspired by
Lorcas book of poetry, Romanceros Gitanos.
Ms. Cascarano was the choreographer and artistic
director of the performance.
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Isabellas teaching
experience includes after-school programs at the
UCC Bruce Guadalupe School and workshops at the
Atwater School Explores Hispanic Art, Rockford College,
the Milwaukee Public Museum, Cardinal Stritch University
and many more.
Ms. Cascarano participated
in the Festival Flamenco International 2001
in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to keep training with
the best dancers and teachers, including Joaquin
Encinias, Alejandro Granados, Andres Marin, Rafael
Campallo and Eva la Yerbabuena.
Isabella teaches hip-hop,
trans, house dance, Salsa & Merengue with the
Flamenco steps and movements to create a dance fusion.
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She was also invited
to participate at the Milwaukee Film Festival
in October 2003, where various film directors
recognize her abilities to dance Flamenco
and had the privilege to observe an amazing
performance.
In January 2004,
she organized one of the best flamenco events
in the Midwest, Almas
Gitanas, which had her as the main
star of the evening, with more than 40 participants
on the stage. The event presented a diverse
numbers of dances and cultural mixes with
Flamenco.
Now after all her
hard work, Isabella has started her own Flamenco
dance company Isabella Flamenco Art Center
LLC, which is resident in the Lincoln Center
of the Arts. Independently, Isabella teaches
the students of the Lincoln Center of the
Arts. Under Isabellas direction and
choreography, the students have become masters
of all flamenco styles, including castanets,
and various cultural fusions.
Isabellas latest
masterpiece came to fruition on June 18, 2004
at the Lincoln Center of the Arts with Flamenco
Roots. Dancers of all ages participated
in this breathtaking performance.
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Ms. Cascarano recently
participated in the most prestigious Flamenco Festival
of Jeréz de la Frontera in Spain during February
and March 2004. In this festival, Isabella received
instructions from the most world re-known Flamenco
dancers and teachers of Spain. Among them were Inmaculada
Aguilar, Maria del Mar Moreno, El Guito, et al.
Isabella received training certificates from the
stars of flamenco dance. She also attended some
of the best performances by El Pipa, Farruquito,
Isabel Bayon, Company of Manolete, El Guito, Mario
Maya Company presenting Belen Maya, Rafaela Carrasco,
and Alejandro Granados, et al.
Isabellas Flamenco
Art Center insures social responsibility and corporate
governance. A portion of their proceeds is donated
to the Starlight
Children's Foundation.
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