Mini-Workshop: Introduction to Flamenco
MICRO-WORKSHOP: INTRODUCTION TO FLAMENCO
Featuring dancers from the Spanish National Ballet
Location: Rehearsal Room 16.S.01, Building 16, Getafe Campus of Carlos III University of Madrid.
Dates: Thursday , November 12, 19, and 26, and December 3, 2026.
Hours: 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Intended for: The university community. No prior experience required. (30 spots)
Credits: Through the Activity Passport
Taught by Maribel Gallardo, rehearsal director and former principal dancer with the Spanish National Ballet.
Four sessions to discover flamenco from the inside: listen to it, feel its rhythm, and start dancing it under the guidance of professionals from the Spanish National Ballet. You can also discover flamenco by moving your body. We invite you to take your first steps in this artistic language with a free mini-workshop led by Maribel Gallardo, a rehearsal master and former principal dancer with the Spanish National Ballet, a company directed by Rubén Olmo.
Four sessions to discover flamenco from the inside: listen to it, feel its rhythm, and start dancing it under the guidance of professionals from the Spanish National Ballet.
Flamenco is also best discovered by getting moving. We invite you to take your first steps in this artistic language with a free mini-workshop led by dancers from the Spanish National Ballet, a company directed by Rubén Olmo.
Over the course of four sessions, you’ll gain hands-on experience with the rhythm, movement, and expressiveness of flamenco dance. This is an opportunity to learn alongside professionals from the company, develop your ability to listen, and explore how the body can communicate through dance.
The workshop is designed for college students who want to experience flamenco for the first time. You don’t need any prior experience or dance knowledge—just curiosity and a desire to participate. Its short format offers an introduction to the dance, focused on learning and shared enjoyment.
You also don’t need to be fluent in Spanish to follow along and enjoy the workshop. The hands-on nature of the sessions, watching the demonstrations, and moving around allow everyone to share in the experience regardless of language.
Maribel Gallardo is one of the leading figures in Spanish dance, with a career that combines performance, choreography, and teaching.
She began her dance studies at age six and earned her degree with honors at age fourteen. In 1975, she helped found the National Folk Ballet under the direction of Pilar López, and in 1981 she joined the Spanish National Ballet, where she attained the rank of prima ballerina in 1985 under the direction of María de Ávila. Throughout her career, she has performed leading roles in iconic works of the Spanish repertoire, such as *Medea*, *Blood Wedding*, and *La Celestina*, and has premiered choreographies created especially for her, such as *Chacona* and *Goyescas* by Victoria Eugenia. In 2021, she appeared in *La Bella Otero*, a production directed by Rubén Olmo.
Since 2002, she has served as a rehearsal teacher for the Spanish National Ballet, a role through which she contributes to the transmission and preservation of its artistic repertoire.
Her career has been recognized with numerous awards, including the AISGE Actúa Dance Award (2017) and the Gold Medal for Merit in the Fine Arts (2021). In 2022, she also received the Commemorative Medal from the Alicia Alonso University Institute of Dance.
She has been extensively involved in teaching Spanish dance courses and workshops, both in Spain and internationally.