Joaquin Encinias was born into one of the few flamenco families in America.  Encinias learned flamenco as a way of life from his grandmother Clarita and mother Eva Encinias. He began his first lessons in flamenco from his grandmother, Clarita, and joined her performance company at age five. At age twelve, he went on to become a soloist in his mother’s company.  Encinias recognized the advantages of a well-rounded dance training on went on to explore various techniques.  Ultimately, Encinias remained true to his roots and returned to flamenco.  Encinias has worked closely with world-renowned artists including Antonio Canales, Eva La Yerbabuena, Los Farrucos and Manolete. In 1999, he worked with director Debbie Allen in the production Soul Possessed, which premiered at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.  He has also been a featured soloist in Festival Flamenco Internacional de Albuquerque.  

His greatest contributions to flamenco can be seen by looking at both his school and his company. In 1999 The Conservatory of Flamenco Arts opened under the direction of Encinias and mother Eva.  Since that time Encinias has gone on to copy write his unique methodology, the only codified and copy-written flamenco teaching methodology in the United States.  Encinias’ company, Yjastros: The American Flamenco Repertory Company is the only professional flamenco repertory company in the United States.  As Artistic Director, Encinias has amassed a repertory of over fifteen pieces of original flamenco choreography from some of the most influential flamenco artists in the world including Juana Amaya, Isreal Galvan, La Tati, and Alejandro Granados.  Encinias’ vision for Yjastros is to preserve the beauty of traditional flamenco while imbuing it with a unique American aesthetic and energy.  

As Artistic Director of Yjastros, Encinias has been a prolific choreographer.  Encinias choreographs an average of two to three new works per year with five pieces of the current Yjastros repertory choreographed by Encinias.  Encinias has been able to redefine flamenco choreography by truly understanding flamenco movement, having an innovative and visionary use of space and demonstrating profound fluency in flamenco musical composition.  Encinias not only choreographs the movement but also arranges the music including guitar, percussion, and vocal accompaniment for each piece.  Encinias’ choreographic range is immense as his portfolio includes works influenced by esculea bolera, classical Spanish dance, and, modern dance.

In 2010, Encinias’ founded Tierra Adentro: The New Mexico School fo Academics, Art and Artesanía, a public charter school.  Through Tierra Adentro, Encinias’ artistic and educational vision impacts 250 students, grades six through 12.

Encinias has begun a new generation of artistry though his innovation and dedication to the art form.  Today, he is one of the most highly sought-after flamenco artists and instructors in the nation because of his unique exposition of technique and craft.  His musical talent and deep understanding of the language of flamenco make him an exceptional and valuable instructor and choreographer.

Jennifer Lapple is a well-known flutist and pedagogue in the Washington D.C.-Northern Virginia metro area. She has appeared as a soloist with the Pan American Symphony Orchestra in Washington D.C. and the Fairfax (VA) Symphony Orchestra, and she has performed abroad, notably in Italy with the Rome Festival Orchestra and in Luxembourg with the Echternach Festival Orchestra and the Ecole de Musique de Differdange Flute Choir. As an adjunct professor at George Mason University, Ms. Lapple teaches applied flute; conducts the university flute choir and Symphonic Band; and lectures on “The Art of Teaching Music,” an undergraduate class in music wellness. In addition, she maintains a large private studio and directs Flutopia, a prominent high school wind ensemble. She plays with several regional groups, including the Pan American Symphony, the American Pops Orchestra, and FUSE, a new music ensemble. She is also the Music Director of the Judith Lapple Summer Woodwind Camp, an annual Northern Virginia workshop in wind pedagogy for high school students and undergraduate music majors. Ms. Lapple holds degrees from Yale University (MM) and Miami University (BM) of Ohio, and she is currently working on her Doctorate in music performance and education at George Mason University. She dedicates her work to the life and memory of her mother.

Created in 1989 in the framework of the Intercommunal Music School (Saint-Calais, Sarthe, France), the choir "Emichante" has fifty singers and is conducted by Evelyne Béché since September 2005. The choir went on tour in Germany and in Belgium. From 2011, it has performed several times the Misatango by Martín Palmeri accompanied by the composer on piano and by Wolfgang Weniger on the bandoneon, then the Requiem by Gabriel Fauré, and the Missa Katharina by Jacob de Haan (choir and wind ensemble). The repertoire of the choir ranges from polyphonic music of the 16th century (Monteverdi) to contemporary song.

Glicínia Mendes - Conductor Degree in Composition and Conducting and also Degree - Music at the University of Brasilia (1985); Degree in Modern Languages - English at the Federal University of Goiás (1980). Conducted training courses in Orchestral and Choral Conducting with Conductors Gerald Kegelman (Germany), Manoel Prestamo (USA), John Pool (England) and Manuel Ivo Cruz (Portugal). Own compositions and arrangements for solo instruments, chamber music, choir and orchestra. She served at Brasília’s Music School since 1980 as music teacher and as coordinator of orchestras. Founding conductor of Brazilian Senate Choir since 1986. As a conductor she has performed throughout the country and in South America, Europe and North America.

Heike Ittmann studied Protestant church music with organ and conducting as the main subjects at the Hochschule für Kirchenmusik in Heidelberg. In 1999 she took her A-exams with honors in the subjects organ and organ improvisation. She continued her studies with an artistic postgraduate class of Prof. Johannes Geffert at the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik in Cologne. Aside from that she attented master classes of internationally well reknowned organists and conductors, among others Jean Boyer, Ewald Kooiman, Jon Laukvik and Ludger Lohmann. Since January 2003 Heike Ittmann has been cantor of Lampertheim, conductor of the Dekanatskantorei Ried and organist at the local Protestant cathedral. The artist plays soloist organ recitals and regularly conducts great concerts with her choir. Heike Ittmann's artistic profile features premiere performances of contemporary compositions as well as recordings for broadcasting network services, which has made her artistry known to a broad audience in Europe.