Mina Fajardo Flamenco Dance

https://minafajardo.com/biography/

Mina Fajardo was born in Japan. She is a singer-songwriter and composer renowned as a flamenco dancer, playwright, choreographer, and teacher. She teaches flamenco dancing and singing at several schools, including SFCC, Moving Arts Espanola, and Española Public School. In the past 38 years, she has choreographed and performed more than 5,000 concerts.

Mina Valle Fajardo, “Mina,” has received extensive training in flamenco, Escuela bolero, Jazz, Tap, and ballet. Mina has received flamenco training from El Guito, Carmela Greco, Ciro, La Tati, La China, Alejandro Granados, Yolanda Heredia, Isabel Bayon, Rafaela Carrasco, Pastora Galvan, Karime Amaya, Mercedes de Cordoba, Nazaret Reyes, Jose Maya, Ursula Lopez, Adela Campallo, Rafael Campallo, Concha Vargas, Eva La Yerbabuena, Farruquito, La Lupi, Andres Marin, Joaquin Ruiz, and Keiko Issiki.

She has taught in the Maria Benitez Institute for Spanish Arts, Northern New Mexico University, Santa Fe Community College, Eva Encinias Sandoval’s National Institute of Flamenco, Nava Elementary School, Sweeney Elementary School, James A Rodriguez Elementary School, Chimayo Elementary School, Carlos Vigil Middle School, The New Mexico Academy of International School, Santa Fe High School, Santa Fe Danceworks, Moving Arts Española, Maria Vazquez Flamenco Denver, The Spanish Institute of Dance in Houston, Texas, and Fazil Dance Studio & Japanese Chamber of Commerce in New York City.

Fajardo has performed in Japan, New York City, San Francisco, Boston, Denver, Houston, Maryland, Tulsa, and Albuquerque, and has made several television appearances in Manhattan, New Mexico, Japan, and Spain. In Santa Fe, she has performed at the Santa Fe Opera and the Santa Fe Jazz and International Music Festival at the Lensic Theatre.

She has performed with many artists, including Elena Andujar, El Pripi, La Tibu, Carmen Rasarao, Chuscales, YiYi, Silverio Heredia, Tequila de Jerez, Omayra Amaya, Jose Cortes, Manuel Gutierrez, Kina Mendez, Jose Cortes, Juan Siddi, Raquel & Amparo Heredia and Keiko Isshiki.

She choreographed and performed in many productions, including "Memories of Granada - Holiday Flamenco" (2024), "Doce Mujeres - 12 Women, The Power of Women" (2024), “Guitar and Tree” (2024), “Holiday Flamenco” (2023), “Flamenco Passion” (2023), “Chuscales at Tulesa” (2023), “Sleeping Woman Mountain” (2023), “The Four Seasons & Poetry of Antonio Machado” (Santa Fe, NM, 2022), “Memories of Doña Tules” (Santa Fe, NM, 2021), “ Orange & Lemon” (Santa Fe, NM, 2021), “Tree of Life” (Santa Fe, 2020, “Gypsy Moon & Stars” (Santa Fe, 2019), “Monet’s Moon 2019” (Santa Fe. 2019), “Tulsa Jazz” (Tulsa, OK. 2019), “Felia de Abril” (2019), “Holiday Dream” (Santa Fe, 2019), “Monet’s Moon” (2019) “Carmen La Golondrina” (Santa Fe, NM 2018), “The Little Match Girl” (Santa Fe, NM 2017), “Dance with Spirit” (Santa Fe, NM 2017), “Illusions in Arts “Calligraphy & Choreography” (Santa Fe, NM 2017), “Romance de la Luna “ (Santa Fe, NM, 2016), “Una Nota de Lorca” (Santa Fe, NM 2016), “Gypsy Book” (Santa Fe, NM 2015), “Flamenco Masters at Cleo Parker.

Robinson Theatre” (Denver, CO 2015), “Houston Spanish & Flamenco Festival 2015” (Houston, TX 2015), “Flamenco X3”(Santa Fe, NM 2015), “Gypsy Passion”(Santa Fe, NM 2014), “Flamenco Fiesta!” (Santa Fe, NM 2014 & 2013), “Forever in My Heart” (Santa Fe, NM 2013), “My Gypsy Soul” (Santa Fe, NM 2012), “Chuscales at Old Main, Boulder” (Boulder, CO 2011), “Chuscales y Mina Fajardo con Las Tres Mujeres” (Las Vegas. NM, 2010), “Chuscales Live at MIT” (Boston, MA 2009), Telluride Jazz Festival (Telluride, CO 2008), “Chuscales at Tubac” (Tubac, AZ 2007), “Soul del Arte Tradiciones e Innovaciones” (San Francisco, CA 2005), “Ainadamar, Landscapes and Impression” Santa Fe Opera (Santa Fe, NM 2005), “A Night of Flamenco Magic” Lakewood Cultural Center (Denver, CO 2005), “Santa Fe Jazz and International Music Festival” (Santa Fe, NM 2004 & 2001), The John E. Marlow Guitar Series “Flamenco Night” (Chevy Chase, MD 2004), SJC Multicultural Arts Series “Flamenco” (San Juan Capistrano, CA 2003).

She appeared in the films Flamenco Passion & Soul (1999), El Payo (2010), Españoles en el Mundo—Nuevo Mexico (2013), CNN Heroes Roger Montoya (2019), Univision—Salvador Ruiz (2022), and AARP-Roger Montoya (2023).

She teaches flamenco dance classes at Teatro Paraguas Studio and Moving Arts Española. She performs with Chuscales and her group at Local Tablaos & Theaters in Santa Fe, NM.

www.minafajardo.com