Claudia Cruz

NAME: Claudia Cruz

PLACE OF BIRTH: Cadiz, 17th July 1986

STUDIES: At the age of 5 she started dancing flamenco, later, at the age of 10 she started learning ballet and Spanish Classical dance lessons in the Danza Cibayi Academy, managed by Charo Cruz.

She took flamenco lessons from artists such as Juana Amaya, Javier Latorre, Israel Galván, Rafaela Carrasco, Belén Maya, Alejandro Granados, Carmelilla Montoya and La Chana. She also took contemporary dance lessons from Mijita Dakota, ballet lessons from Pacy Sánchez and Teresa Caudón and Spanish Classical dance from Fernando Galán and Silvia Oen.

Claudia has also studied drama with Caco Castelo, Eduardo Bernal and Manuel Morón.

CAREER: In 2001 she performed in the show Pregón Carnavalesco (Carnival Announcement) in Cadiz starring Sara Baras. In 2003 she collaborated with the theater company Los Ulen, with the Monaco ballet performing the work Carmen de Bizet.

In 2005 she travelled to Japan with the show Pasión Flamenca (Flamenco Passion) with figures such as Enrique El Extremeño, La Tobala, Pedro Sierra and La Moneta. The same year she toured with Andalusian Tourism showing andalusian flamenco in Europe.

Years later, in 2008, she joined the Cadiz Company, managed by the Andalusian Agency for the Development of Flamenco, sharing stage with artists like Junco, David Palomar, Rosario Toledo and Ana Salazar.

Her first show, Con Alma (With Soul) was released in Cadiz in 2009 with the collaboration as a guest artist of Enrique El Extremeño.

In the season 2010/2011 she played as a guest artist in the show Niña Pastori in Christmas, the first time that Niña Pastori introduces a dance artist in one of her shows.

She was part of Antonio El Pipa’s company from 2008 to 2012 as the first dancer being his dance partner in European and American tours and participating in several festivals such as Jerez Festival, Mont de Marsan, Parc de la Villete, etc.

In February of 2012 she participated again as guest artist in the Carnival Announcement of Cadiz La Pepa 2012 starred Niña Pastori. In May of the same year she was the guest artist of the master Rancapino in the show Ayer y Hoy (Yesterday and Today) and several months later she presented her show “Claudia Cruz” in the Bicentenary of the Court of Cádiz.

The year 2013 was a great one to Claudia, in February she participated in the Jerez Festival as a soloist in the show “Vivencias” with Antonio “El Pipa”, Tía Juana “del Pipa”, Concha Vargas and Carmen Ledesma and in the show “En la Raíz del Flamenco” released in Lope de Vega in Seville along with the artists Dorantes, Farruquito, Remedios Amaya, Juan de Juan, Pastora Galván, etc. In March she participated in the Multicultural Festival “Art joins Generations” in Poland. In September she starred as soloist dancer the show “Jeregueño” in the Bienal of Malaga.

In 2014 she participated as guest artist in the I Cycle “Just Dance” in Venta de Vargas, in the show “Ni el hambre la vamo a sentí” sponsored by the Council of Cadiz in the Municial Centre of Flamenco Art La Merced and in the III Flamenco Festival in Japan, along with great artists such as Mercedes Ruíz, Pastora Galván, La Moneta, Patricia Guerrero, Jairo Barrul, etc.

Claudia Cruz is a great flamenco artist and her art has been recognized several times. She has worked as a teacher and also in important tablaos such as Villa Rosa in Madrid and El Cordobes in Barcelona.

FESTIVALS: Granada Corral del Carbón Festival in 2007, Jerez Festival, Sevilla Bienal, Performing Arts Festival, Villete Park, Mont de Marsan, Alburquerque Festival, Multicultural Festival “Art joins Generations” in Poland, Bienal of Malaga, III Flamenco Festival in Japan.

AWARDS: First Award in the national contest in Hospitalet, Barcelona, in the Matilde Coral and José de la Vega award categoryin 2006, first award in the national contest of Ubrique in 2006, first dance award for Alegrías in the national contest of Peña de la Perla in Cadiz in 2005 and first award in the national contest of Estepona Cantora in 2005.