El Junco
El Junco was born in the Flamenco neighborhood of Santa María, Cádiz. At a young age, he began dancing at Peña El Nazareno. Later, he joined Vicente Marrero’s Soleá Dance Group and the Peña Enrique El Mellizo School of Dance, and eventually, he continued his training in Jerez with Juan Belmonte. As a young dancer, El Junco shared the stage in Jerez with such flamenco legends as Adela “La Chaqueta”, Chano Lobato, Juan Villar, and Alfonso de Gaspar.
El Junco eventually moved to Sevilla and began studying with the renowned flamenco teacher Maestro Manolo Marín. Soon thereafter, in 1996, the renowned dancer Cristina Hoyos invited El Junco to join her company. El Junco remained in her company for years, during which time he worked as principal dancer and choreographer in “Arsa Y Toma,” “Al Compas Del Tiempo,” “Tierra Adentro,” “A Tiempo Y Compas,” “Yerma,” “Romancero Gitano,” and “Viaje Al Sur.” Eventually, the prestigious Ballet Flamenco de Andalucía contracted El Junco to be principal dancer and assistant choreographer for the company.
In 2007, El Junco presented his solo work at the Festival de Jerez and the Festival Ciutat Vella. One year later, he received el Premio Max de las Artes Escénicas, an award given to outstanding stage artists, for best male dancer in Spain. El Junco continued to choreograph and perform his works, which include, “La hora del Duende,” “Junquerias,” and “Encuentros,” which is done in collaboration with the accomplished flamenco guitarist Pedro Sierra. In 2009, the Agencia Para El Desarrollo Del Flamenco, or the Agency for the Development of Flamenco, commissioned El Junco to choreograph and perform in the production “CÁDIZ,” a celebration of flamenco from his hometown. In the same year, El Junco presented the production “Por Un Sueño,” with dancer Susana Casas.
El Junco performs regularly at important tablaos in Andalucía and performs in theatres as well as dance and music festivals around the world. HE is especially recognized for his excellence as a teacher. He is unusually capable of transferring his artistry to his students.