Photo by Lois Greenfield

The Institute for Spanish Arts (ISA)

The Institute for Spanish Arts is a not-for-profit, educational and cultural organization,  founded by the internationally acclaimed flamenco dancer María Benítez and her husband, Cecilio. 

The mission of María Benítez, Teatro Flamenco and ISA is to preserve, strengthen, and disseminate our rich and diverse artistic Spanish heritage as expressed through music, dance, visual arts and other art forms which are deeply rooted in New Mexico's traditional legacies. 

From its base in Santa Fe, the historic Spanish capital of New Mexico and New York City, the Institute seeks to bring its arts and educational programs of the highest quality to diverse audiences throughout the United States and abroad.

María Benítez Teatro Flamenco: Under the artistic direction of María and Cecilio Benítez, this company of professional dancers and musicians presents powerfully diverse and demanding repertory for music and dance with the rhythms of flamenco at its core. Teatro Flamenco performers come from throughout the United States and Spain. Teatro Flamenco is recognized as one of the nation's leading performing arts groups, with appearances in New York's Joyce Theater, Lincoln Center,  the Kennedy Center, The Hague, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Vienna, etc. Since the late sixties to the present, the Company has performed for approximately 1.18 million people in approximately 2,526 venues throughout the country and abroad not including various TV appearances such as PBS Specials, Perry Como Show, Boston Pops among others which take the audience count to at least 7 million.  Besides making a significant contribution in preserving New Mexico's Spanish/Hispanic/Latino heritage, the Institute has made a profound impact to the economy of Santa Fe and New Mexico through 34 Santa Fe Summer Seasons that continue and on-going national touring.

Estampa Espanola: In 1991 Estampa Espanola was born out of the recognition that New Mexico is immersed in Spanish culture and heritage. Estampa Espanola is an avenue to reach out to youth of New Mexico and show a particular aspect of Hispanic heritage. Under the direction of Maria Benitez, Estampa Espanola is comprised of emerging, young dancers and musicians as well as occasional seasoned professionals, bringing together the best dancers and musicians from the Southwest region.

International Spanish Dance & Music Workshop: THE 17TH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL SPANISH DANCE & MUSIC WORKSHOP HAS BEEN POSTPONED UNTIL 2009. The two-week summer workshop has evolved into an annual event serving 200-250 students from throughout the United States and several foreign countries. Using company members,  three to four additional teachers and a Master Rep Maestro, the students take classes in flamenco, Spanish classical dance, Cante,  Guitar, Guitar Accompanying Dance, Percussion (cajon) and three levels of children's dance and guitar classes which includes some 60-80 scholarship students. In 2006, ISA awarded $8,125 in workshop scholarships.

THE 17TH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL SPANISH DANCE & MUSIC WORKSHOP HAS BEEN POSTPONED UNTIL 2009.  We are working on a small program of flamenco dance and guitar to augment our ongoing classes for those previous students who are in Santa Fe during the last 2 weeks of July 2008. This will be with visiting

Email flamenco@ mariabentiez.com to be added to our workshop mailing list.

Youth Spanish Dance & Music Programs:  Inaugurated in the Fall of 1994, brings instruction in Spanish dance and flamenco guitar to Santa Fe school children, in response to an increasing demand that originally grew out of the Summer Workshop. Ongoing classes are available throughout the year with intensive studies provided during the summer. Our outreach program teaches Spanish dance and music to children and youth, ages 5 through teens, of which many are scholarship recipients. The institute is currently discussing instructional programs for dance and guitar with Big Brothers Big Sisters, 7 del Norte (Northern NM Communities) and El Rito Community College for the summer 2007 and throughout the school year.

Flamenco's Next Generation In 2003 Maria created the new youth company which continues to perform for local community events, other schools and the Lodge of Santa Fe during the summer season. This is one of the most successful programs of ISA. Dancers age range from 10 to 18 and the company presently consists of 9 members.