--- FLAMENCO IS A WAY OF LIFE ---

 Michelle Nascimento "La Caoba" is the artistic director of "Flamenco Triana". She has been dancing most of her life and is extensively trained in Jazz, Ballet and ethnic dances.

After seeing Flamenco, she falls in love with it and begins studying this art form in Spain, at the famous Flamenco Academy "Amor de Dios" with some of the most acclaimed masters: Ciro, Maria Magdalena, Carmela Greco, Paco Romero, La Tati, Rafaela Carrasco, Timo Lozano and Candela Soto. Living in Sevilla, she intensively trains with such great gipsy legends as Juana Amaya (one of her biggest influences) and the Farruco family. She also studies with Manolo Marin and Jose Galvan. Now she goes back to Sevilla every year in order to bring back the most authentic and updated Flamenco and to pass it on to her students and her audiences.

Performing throughout the United States, Europe and Northern Africa, Michelle Nascimento "La Caoba" has appeared in many different venues such as in the Opera "Carmen", dance festivals such as "Dance Chicago", "Tappininthetwincities" in Minneapolis, theater shows like "The Nut Tapper" Christmas show and "We are the Drums" at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts in Milwaukee .

She also performs locally with her company Flamenco Triana at "1492 Tapas Bar", "Cafe Suron", "Barba Yianni Grecian Taverna" etc.

In Spain Michelle Nascimento "La Caoba" works on several television shows as a regular principal dancer, and appears in magazines, newspapers, televison news highlights and cultural programs.

Focusing on educational programs for children, she shows the origin and history of Flamenco in many schools, libraries and museums.

In Chicago she is  an acclaimed and dedicated Flamenco teacher, teaching independently, as well as for Hyde Park School of Ballet, Columbia College, The Old Town School of Folk Music, The Salt Creek Ballet etc. Many of her students get the opportunity to perform with her, especially children, pre-teens and teens.

Michelle Nascimento "La Caoba" keeps receiving invitations to teach workshops and to perform nationally and internationally.

It is her wish to bring this ancient art form to all people, to share her experience and knowledge with her students, her audience and the community, contributing to the constant growing of the arts in the form of education and reaching a higher cultural awareness