Our Story
Compañía Carmen Romero is a Spanish dance and music collective based out of Toronto, Canada. Originally founded in 1986 by Carmen Romero who is of Spanish heritage and was raised in Canada. They have created full length productions as well as short works in film and theatre that have been showcased nationally and internationally.
"The exclusive focus and depth of Romero’s commitment to the art of flamenco is not just understandable given her family heritage, but somehow fitting and more authentic. She truly belongs to the history of flamenco in a way not easily achieved by non-Spanish dancers." Dance International
Photo credit: Denise Grant
Artistic Statement
“Discover your passion” is a statement that describes Compañía Carmen Romero as a collective that is vibrant and unbounded. It is a collective that employs the art of Spanish Dance and Music as a means of expression, creating work that speaks to their own truth as artists who belong to a community that is no longer bound by geographical location. They live, observe, interact and reciprocate meaningful ideas and emotions that become the genesis of their creations. The work can be edgy or eloquent. Powerful or sublime. Always respectful and intentional, thereby conveying a message of strength, passion and community.
Mandate
Compañía Carmen Romero is a dance and music collective whose language of expression is in the Spanish Dance and Music genre. Compañía Carmen Romero considers Spanish Dance to be more than a form of performance. It is an emotionally powerful language used to communicate and connect with audiences in meaningful ways. Music is a central component to our creations especially in flamenco as dancer’s interact with the music and manipulate it while improvising. Our recent creations incorporate unique soundscapes while interactive with live music through dance that create visceral experiences for artists and audience to experience.
Our collective is also a place for professional training and creation where a core of artists are able to train and create culture-specific work. The collective is committed to the preservation and integrity of the culture and tradition of Spanish dance. Compañía Carmen Romero works within a collaborative spirit and invites curiosity, challenge, and risk into the process. The collective creates work that is relational, current and emotional.
Photo credit: Levent Erutku