Flamenco Producer/ Flamenco Choreographer/Flamenco Dancer

Pepa Molina starts to dance Flamenco at the age of 9 in Sydney, Australia, where she later trains and performs with Antonio Vargas and Diana Reyes.

in 1993 she moves to Spain to pursue a career in Flamenco dance, learning and performing with “La Mariquilla, Manolete & Juan Andrés  Maya” where she makes her debut at the legendary gipsy caves and Tablaos of  “El Sacromonte”, Granada. At the same time trains in ballet, classical Spanish dance, regional & Escuela Bolera with Maite Galan obtaining the official Spanish dance & Flamenco certificate course with APDE, Madrid, Spain.

Tours Spain alongside Eva “La Yerbabuena”, “Beatriz Martín” in “El amor Brujo” with Manolo Marín as guest choreographer & in  Manolete’s “Flamenco Soy” (Bienal of Flamenco in Seville 1996, International music and dance Festival, Alhambra Granada. Tivoli Theatre, Barcelona, Alhambra Theatre, Granada etc…)

In 1998 she  moves  to Madrid where  she studies at the legendary “Amor de Dios” and performs at the emblematic  tablaos “El Café de chinitas, Corral de la Morería, Corral de la Pacheca,  La Villa Rosa, Casa Patas, Las Tablas, Tabalo Café Zyriab, Las Carboneras” & in Adrian Sanchez’s Dance company “Taracea” in Florida Park Theatre.

Performs in Japan at the “Blue Note Café”, Tokyo and “El Flamenco”, Osaka, alongside Mercedes Ruiz, Andres Peña and Isabel Lopez 1999- 2000.

Tours in Spain and internationally as a soloist (Argentina, England, Africa, Panamá, Italy, Spain, France, Brazil, Russia and Asia) with

Paco Peña and “Los Losadas” Rafael Amargo and “Arrieritos” dance theatre companies.

Rafael Amargo´s productions; “Amargo,  Poeta en Nueva York,  Troya  Siglo XXI” 2000 – 2004, MAX  performing arts prize for the best dance company 2001 & 2002. Highlights; Festival de Flamenco de Jerez, Spain. Gran Rex Theatre, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow, Russia.

Arrieritos’s award-winning production “13  Rosas” from 2005 – 2009, (winner of the “Festival de Huesca” best touring production award, 2006. Chivas Telon prize 2007.  MAX Prize, best company & best production, 2007).

in 2007, dances in “Flamencos XXIst century” alongside Rafaela Carrasco, Manuel Liñan, Marco Flores in the legendary tablao “El Cordobés”, Barcelona in 2007. In the same year she´s guest choreographer for “Alma” Flamenco Dance Co, London, UK.

In 2004, she creates her own dance company “Compañía Pepa Molina”, producing, choreographing & touring the following major Flamenco dance productions worldwide:

BODY OF WORK:

  • 2004 “De ese arte” (Of that art) 
  • 2009 “Ni aqui ni alli” (Nore here nore there) 
  • 2011 “Flamencamente” 
  • 2012 “Ay Pepa” 
  • 2014 “Pepa Live” 
  • 2016 “Bush Bailando” 
  • 2020 “Flamenco A3” 
  • 2021 Flamenco Ensemble “Las Flamenkas” with live music 
  • 2023 “Perceptions” 

Performs “De ese arte” and “Flamencamente”, at “Lara Theatre” Madrid, “Punto Flamenco”Milan,  “Miller´s studio Theatre”Zurich 2005, International Festival of music and dance  Granada “La Chumbera”  in Granada 2006.  “1º Festival Emocion” Birmingham, 1º National Women´s Flamenco Festival Pinto 2007/8, Madrid. Harrogate International Festival 2008, Summer Festival at Aranjuez Bullring Madrid 2008.  

“Ni aqui  ni alli” (Nore  here  nore  there)  is praised by the critics on it’s premiere at Pradillo theatre “La otra mirada del Flamenco”, Madrid 2009 the renowned  “Veranos  de la villa” Festival Madrid. “Lara  theatre”, Madrid, Flamenco Festival Cuitat Vella, Barcelona, Flamenco “Out off Theatre” , Flamenco Festival of Milan Italy, Expodanza 2010  and  is state funded by comunidad de Madrid to form part of the official Madrid Theatre circuit 2010. “Distrito Artes Festival – Danza Madrid” 2011.  Nore here nore there received State funding from Comunidad de Madrid, Spain.

In 2012  “Ay Pepa”, tours at C,C. Paco Rabal on the 12th of January , C.C San Agustín del Guadalix 24th of March ,Teatro Paco Rabal 27th of May, Madrid , Sta Eulalia, Huesca 2012. Teatro Capitol, Calatayud 11th of december 2012. Theatre circuit “Distrito Artes” Dance festival, 18th and 21st of December 2012. Ay Pepa forms part of  AECID’S official Performing arts catalogue throughout 2013 and 2014 programed by Spain’s Governing body of The Ministry for the Arts and culture. In 2013, Ay Pepa is nominated for best female dancer and best dance production at the prestigious MAX performing arts awards in Spain. Apde dance Awards GALA extraordinaire at Nuevo Apolo theatre, Madrid.

Performs in “Flamencas por Albeniz” Orchestrated live with the Pan American Symphony orchestra along with La Truco, Maria Juncal and Carmela Greco at the Listner Theatre, Washington D.C March 2011.

“Pepa Live” premiered at the Adelaide “Fringe Festival”, Star Theatre, Adelaide, February 2014.  Also performed at “Crosscurrents” Festival, Bankstown Arts Centre Sydney, “The Q” theatre, Queanbeyan & “Death” exhibition, Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre, Sydney, 2015.

“Bush Bailando” premiered at Dance Bites Festival, Parramatta Riverside theatres, Sydney May 2016 supported by Form Dance Projects and The Australian cultural fund. Later performed as part of Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre 2017 season & Griffith theatre’s 2018 season.

“Flamenco A3” premiered for Form Dance Project’s “Prelude” to “Encounter” at Sydney Festival 10th -12th January 2020

Flamenco Ensemble “Las Flamenkas” with live music featuring emerging artists & leading Australian Flamenco musicians at ARADQ Theatre on the 25th of April 2021. Produced, directed & choreographed by Pepa Molina. This Project is supported by the NSW Government through Create NSW & also by Dance Maker’s Collective.

“Perceptions” Premiere season Dance Bites Festival – Riverside Theatres July 20- 22nd 2023 with international artists Jesús Fernández & David Vazquez. Perceptions is supported by Create NSW, Form dance Projects, Junta de Andalucia (Spanish Govt) Escuela de Flamenco de Andalucia, Centro Coreografico Canal, Instituto Cervantes Sydney, Blacktown Arts Centre & more… Pre-Premiere at Blacktown Arts “Magnify Festival” 15th September 2019. 

Recent collaborations with Dance Maker’s Collective “All in” 2022 & “Women’s Work” 2023

AWARDS

  • Australian Dance Awards in the Services to Dance Education category – 2018 AWARD FOR SERVICES TO DANCE EDUCATION – shortilisted Nominee:

    “Pepa Molina for her work in bringing a real sense of Flamenco to Australia, making the art form accessible to Australians with her passionate and deep knowledge of the form.”

  • Dance Australia’s Critic’s choice award for Most interesting Australian group/artist in 2016 for Bush Bailando, presented at Parramatta Riverside Theatre. https://www.danceaustralia.com.au/news/what-were-the-highlights-of-2016
  • 2 Australian Dance Awards nominations for Outstanding Achievement in Independent Dance & Outstanding Performance by a Female Dancer “Bush Bailando” Compañía Pepa Molina https://www.australiandanceawards.net.au/news/longlist-of-nominees-for-2017-awards1

Max Awards (Spain’s leading Performing Arts Awards organized by SGAE):

2002- for Amargo with Rafael Amargo dance co

2007- for 13 Rosas with Arrieritos Dance company & “Festival de Huesca” best touring production award, 2006. Chivas Telon prize 2007.  

2013- Nominated for best female dancer and best dance production for “Ay Pepa” Compañía Pepa Molina.