Photo by Agata Raymond
Teaching
A Calgary native, Jane currently lives in Edmonton where she has been teaching flamenco dance since 2001. Her classes focus on proper dance technique and the understanding of the rhythmic and musical structure of flamenco so the dance can be approached with an improvisational attitude and an understanding of where dance fits with song, rhythm and guitar. She sings for her classes and regularly hosts guitarists and student singers for accompaniment as well as guest teachers for workshops in both song and dance.
Education
Jane has been dancing since she was very young. Her early studies included many years of tap, jazz and ballet. She was finally bitten by the flamenco bug on a trip to visit friends in Seville, Spain during the Feria of 1996. Upon returning to Calgary the following year, she began taking classes with then Calgary teacher Marilyn Malinsky. Since then, Jane has taken classes from many teachers from all over Canada, the United States, France and Mexico, and has travelled to study in Spain and South America. Her studies focus on dance and also include flamenco history, song, percussion, and piano.
Highlights of Jane’s education have included classes with such international artists as: Juana Amaya, Jairo Barrull, David Peña Dorantes, los Farrucos, Ismael Fernandez, Juan del Gastor, Javier Heredia, Carmen Ledesma, Ramón Martínez, Sonia Olla, el Oruco, Manuela Rios and many others.
Jane regularly returns to Spain to further her studies. Most recently, she spent an intensive month of study in Seville, Spain in the summer of 2018. Unable to return due the pandemic, she has attended daily online classes with her mentors in Spain throughout the past 3 years. She has also studied with Canadian flamenco artists including Claudia Carolina and Oscar Nieto.
Performance
Guest artist – Selected productions
A Quiet Flamenco (2018)
Flamenco at the Lantern (2018 Calgary)
Flamenco at MacEwan (2017 Edmonton)
Sunday Evening Flamenco at the Yardbird (2017 Edmonton)
Flamenco at the AGA (2016 Edmonton)
Flamenco at the Arts Barns (2015 Edmonton)
Ventanas (2014 Edmonton)
Sketches of Flamenco (2013 Calgary – 2012 Edmonton)
Flamenco Song, Dance, Music, Stories (2010 Edmonton)
Tríptico (2009 Edmonton)
Ritmo! (2009 Calgary)
Flamenco y Ole (2008 Edmonton)
Noche Flamenca (2007 Edmonton)
Flamenco 2! (2006 Calgary)
Jane has performed as a member of local Edmonton trio Flamenco con Tres with guitarist Nyles Varughese and singer/dancer Irena Dumicz. She was a co-founder and member of the Alberta based collective chufla-arte flamenco. She was one of the original members of the Calgary based performance group Flamenco Asi.
Producer and Director
As co-producer, Jane has presented:
Flamenco at MacEwan (2017 Edmonton)
Sunday Evening Flamenco at the Yardbird (2017 Edmonton)
Flamenco at the AGA (2016 Edmonton)
Flamenco at the Arts Barns (2015 Edmonton)
Sketches of Flamenco (2013 Calgary – 2012 Edmonton)
Tríptico (2009 Edmonton)
Flamenco y Ole (2008 Edmonton)
© Marc J Chalifoux Photography
Jane was the Artistic Director and co-founder of the now closed Edmonton Flamenco Festival and a founding member of the Flamenco Society of Edmonton.
etc.
In addition to her interest in the study of flamenco. Jane holds her ARCT in piano from the Royal Conservatory of Music and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in printmaking from the University of Calgary. She has been teaching piano to all ages since 1989 and continues to dabble in graphic design.
Flamenco with Jane 