Hipolito (Tito) Rubio (born 1954 in Monsagro, Spain). In the early 1960s many Spaniards emigrated to Australia, Tito's family among them. They settled in Melbourne where he studied flamenco with Manolo Varela and others, and became active as a performer in the Spanish community. He appeared on radio and TV in Australia. In the mid-1980s he relocated to Spain, where he was exposed to traditional flamenco families and studied with some of the world's greatest guitarists. Tito appeared in the Festival de la Ville in Madrid in 1989 as part of the company of Danza Espanola Contemporanea of Juan Maya Marote and in the Royal Palace of Morocco for Prince Felipe of Spain and King Hussein of Morocco. Tito performed with companies from Spain in various cities in Asia and in Europe, also making an extensive tour of the Middle East. In 1995 he toured the US with Maria Benitez’ Teatro Flamenco in New Mexico. On this trip he met his wife Anna. After a couple years living in Spain they moved to Philadelphia and created Flamenco del Encuentro. Tito was awarded an Artistic Fellowship by the PA Council for the Arts for 2004 and a Pew Fellowship in the Arts for 2004.
Anna Arias Rubio began her training in dance and music at age four. After training in ballet at the Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet, she started studying modern dance in her early teens with Joan Kerr and Susan Hess. Anna moved to San Francisco in 1982, training with several teachers, including Lucas Hoving and Ed Mock, and commencing flamenco studies with Rosa Montoya and with the late Maestro Cruz Luna. By 1986 she was a member of Theatre Flamenco of San Francisco, performing throughout the Bay Area. In 1991 she returned to Philadelphia and became a member of the Flamenco Ole Company under the direction of Julia Lopez. Anna currently teaches Spanish Dance/Flamenco at UArts. Anna was awarded an Artistic Fellowship for the year 2001 from the Independence Foundation and a Leeway Grant for 2004, Anna returns regularly to Spain continuing her studies with La Chiqui de Jerez, Javier Latorre, Juan Polvillo and others. Anna also writes for www.danceinsider.com.
Antonia Cruz Arias' paternal grandmother was California born Spanish singer Elena Acevedo. She was raised in the world of flamenco, but began music and dance training in the classical tradition at age four. She had been singing her entire life, but began formal training in technique at the age of twelve, at the Catholic Institute with Damaris Thillet. She studied Flamenco cante at the Fundación Cristina Heeren de Arte Flamenco in Seville, Spain, and Flamenco dance in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain. She has also studied intensely with Jesus Montoya, Gypsy singer from Seville. Antonia spent the first five months of 2008 in Madrid studying cante in private lessons with the legendary Talegón de Cordoba. Antonia has accompanied many important artists such as Antonio Hidalgo, Nélida Tirado, Inmaculada Ortega and Edwin Aparicio, and has shared the stage with singers such as Rocio Soto from Jerez, Alfonso Cid from Seville, and Marcos Marin, and accompanied classes of La Chiqui de Jerez. Antonio travels regularly to Albuquerque and Santa Fe, New Mexico to perform with some of the U.S.’s most up-and-coming young Flamenco artists.
