Melissa Cruz
May 2006
"Any dancer could make pained faces. But [Melissa] Cruz is clearly possessed by the duende the spirit that drives this deeply introspective art."
As reviewed by Rachel Howard of the San Francisco Chronicle
Melissa spent her formative years in New Orleans and came to the Bay Area to attend UC Berkeley. While there pursuing a degree in Spanish, she was exposed to flamenco and during her summer break in New Orleans between college graduation and her first year in law school, she decided to take a few flamenco dance classes. Upon returning to the Bay Area, she began studies with Rosa Montoya, with whom she trained intensively in flamenco and Classical Spanish Dance. After just two and a half years, she was invited into Ms. Montoya's professional company, Bailes Flamencos. With the company, she worked in the bay area's best venues with flamenco's premiere artists. Her continued studies took her to Spain, where she trained under Manuela Rios, Pastora Galvan, Alegria Suarez, Andres Marin.
Upon returning to the US, she toured and performed with several companies including Flamenco de la Mission with renown singer Cristo Cortes, La Tania Flamenco Music & Dance,and Carola Zertuche's Sentido Flamenco with Spanish artists Juan Antonio Suarez "Canito" and Alegria Suarez. Thereafter, she was invited to work with Madrid's acclaimed flamenco dance company, Noche Flamenca, with whom she performed at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. As a company member of San Franciscobased Caminos Flamencos, Melissa has shared the theater stage with Domingo Ortega, Manuel de la Malena, and Antonio de la Malena. Recently, Melissa has been involved in company choreography and film work and currently collaborates as dancer/choreographer in the project Flametal, a fusion of flamenco and heavy metal.As a company member of San Franciscobased Caminos Flamencos, Melissa has shared the theater stage with Domingo Ortega, Manuel de la Malena, and Antonio de la Malena.
Currently, Melissa collaborates as Dancer/Choreographer in the project Flametal, a fusion of flamenco and heavy metal. Melissa participated in the recording of Flametal's first full length album, "The Elder," released in 2005, which features palmas and taconeo in several pieces. Working with the group has given her the opportunity to perform outside of the usual flamenco venues of the theater and tablao. With the band, Melissa has taken the stage at Pound SF, Elbo Room, Oakland Metro, The Blank Club in San Jose, and Bar Sinister in Hollywood. Recently featured on the Bay Area radio station, 107.7 The Bone, Flametal was selected by the radio station to be among 32 local bands to compete for a supporting slot in The Bone's 2006 Bonebash Concert with the legendary Lynyrd Skynyrd at the 25,000seat Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California.