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Dublin-based dancer/choreographer Ana O'Malley-Castellanos received her BFA in Dance from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Over the last decade she has performed with the Philadelphia Civic Ballet, Camerata Opera Theatre, Latin Fiesta, Flamenco Olé, The Philadelphia Orchestra and the Ballet des Jeunes under the direction of Ursula Melita (with which she toured Europe several times). She has also choreographed a number of works for these companies, including Gracias Espana (1991), Reflections (1995) and Song of Sonia Sanchez (1998). In addition to performing and choreographing, Ana taught weekly Spanish Dance and Flamenco classes in Dublin up until 2002 and has been on the Faculty of Philadelphia's Chestnut Hill College's Summer Arts Programme for over 10 years teaching Ballet, Jazz, Broadway and Flamenco & Spanish Dance courses and workshops. Ana studied Flamenco and Spanish dance with Julia Lopez, Mariquita Flores, Jose Molina and at Ballet Hispanico, New York. She has performed with Flamenco guitarists Carlos Rubio and Juana Martin, singer Dominico Caro and dancers Jorge Navarro, Julia Lopez and Roberto Lorca. Click here to see a clip of Ana performing. When back in the States, Ana continues to study with Julia Lopez (Philadelphia) and Victorio at Fazils Studios, New York.
		Ana is the founder and and Artistic Director of Dublin based Flamenco y Más Spanish Dance Company and has been based at the City Arts Centre for the last two years and now teaches weekly classes at Brendan Scully's Dance Studios. She performs regularly with percussionist Cuco Castellano, Havana A Good Time and local guitarists giving lecture demonstrations both in Northern Ireland and the South. Ana has performed in several St Patricks Festivals and appeared on RTE's Den Two (1999), RTE 1's Special programme 'Dublin 4' (2000) and "Off The Rails" (2002) as well as TV3's Ireland AM (2000).She performed at the Bank of Ireland during Dublin's Guitar Week, The Ark in Temple Bar, Kinsale Arts Festival 2001, Castlereigh Arts Festival, Belfast 2001, Irish Art & Design Awards 2002 and many cultural programmes hosted by Daniel Dultzin, former Mexican Ambassador to Ireland, and the Alliance Francaise. Since 1999 she has been involved with Artists in Schools Programmes with the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, The Music Associations of Ireland, Waltons New School of Music and as Choreographer with Havana Good Time, which has been awarded 1st Prize in the 2000 Guinness Living Dublin Awards in the Primary Schools Category for their work with Special Schools.
Flamenco y Más gives the dance student opportunities to perform what they have learnt in class and the chance to experience first hand a festival atmosphere and improvisation which is the heart of Flamenco - expressing oneself in rhythm. Flamenco y Más appeared in local World Session nights at the Castle Inn and Frazers in Dublin, performed for the opening of the KINSALE ARTS FESTIVAL 2001 and most recently performed in the Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown Public Libraries "Saoire 02" Summer Series at Stillorgan Library, August 2002. The Student Company made their debut in May 2000 on TV3's Ireland AM and has since been invited to perform at many of Dublin's Community Cultural Events. In May and June 2001 the Students and Company took part in concerts at the Rupert Guinness Theatre and Dublin's Writer's Museum. The School also provides Special Workshops in Dance, Guitar and Singing with visiting and touring flamenco artists such as Al Kamar's Elena Vicini, Joaquina and members of Flamenco Express, Fiesta Flamenca's Juanita Martin, and most recently with Juan Martin's Arte Flamenco Puro dancers Raquel de Luna and El Tigre.
	Reviews - What They're Saying
Drogheda Arts Centre, Co Louth Eastern Dance Meets Flamenco "Ole,Ole, Ole........Flamenco dancers took the Drogheda Arts crowd by storm last Saturday evening." Drogheda Independent 16th May 2003
Temple University Rock Hall, Philadelphia: "The most dramatic piece of the evening was 'A Song of Sonia Sanchez'...Choreographed and performed by Latin Fiesta dancer Ana Castellanos. The climax came when Rheingans and Castellanos shed their shawls...then everything came to a pause...and all three Musician, Singer and Dancer join in a deafening performance physically and emotionally. The evening ended back in Spain..."Bamboleo" was performed energetically as Castellanos, who astonishingly danced as many different dances as there were musical styles, brought the audience to its feet...." Yvette Nuñez, Temple News 1998	Flamenco y Más at the Kinsale Arts Festival, Sept 2001			Repertorio Español Theatre - New York City: "Ana (Castellanos) moved with charm and panache through a variety of dances...from rumba Flamenca to jota all in authentic colourful costumes...Ms Castellanos' attractive and spirited jota and her excellent castanet playing wonderfully ended the classical section of the programme with the same sound of Bravos that pervaded throughout the afternoon." Alan Wasserman, El Hispano 1995
"But the real party heat was created by the presence of Ana (Castellanos) the Flamenco dancer.......who entertained the masses into the small hours." The Star, Wednesday March 1, 2000	"Flamenco y Mas was one of the major highlights of the Saoire 2002, summer fun at Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown Libraries as far as I was concerned and a real high point for the Festival of World Cultures. The feed back has been marvellous ... and I do hope that we will have the pleasure of having you back next year." Marian Keyes, Senior Librarian (Culture) 2002		Performing at the opening of the Kinsale Brewing Company: "Spanish flamenco dancers, who were in Kinsale for the commemoration, added an exotic flair to the launch." The Irish Times, Sept 25, 2001
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