Alma de España Flamenco Dance Company
Since 1991, Alma de España Flamenco Dance Company has been part of the cultural and
artistic fabric of Victoria’s performing scene, thrilling audiences with their energy & their
dedication to this soulful & passionate art form. Founded by artistic director/singer/dancer/
teacher/choreographer, Veronica Maguire, and her late husband flamenco guitarist, Harry
Owen, Alma de España has performed with outstanding guest artists both national &
international here on Vancouver Island and throughout BC. The family members of Alma de
España continue to share the stage with many talented flamenco artists, each bringing their
own special energy and spirit, performing in monthly Flamenco Tablaos, Flamenco Theatre
productions, and Flamenco Festivals.
Meet the artists:
Artistic Director/Singer/Dancer
VERONICA “VERO” MAGUIRE, winner of the prestigious Jacqueline Lemieux Award for her
contribution to Dance in Canada, has shared the stage in Canada with North American and
Spanish international flamenco artists. Her longest artistic partnership was with her late husband
and acclaimed guitarist, Harry Owen. In a career spanning over 45 years as dancer/ singer/
choreographer, she has produced and directed world-class productions in Victoria such as
Recuerdos in 2011, and Pasajes in 2014. Veronica has performed in the Vancouver International
Flamenco Festival, Dawson City Music Festival, the Victoria Flamenco Festival, the Vancouver
and Victoria Fringe Festival, the Victoria Symphony, as well as performances throughout
Western Canada. As a member of Palabra Flamenco’s collaborative poetry & flamenco show, she
performed at the Victoria Festival of Authors. Veronica was one of six artists presented in a film
A Quiet Flamenco created by Rosanna Terraciano. She has collaborated on a couple of flamenco
films for the Victoria Flamenco Festival, directed and performed live in Alma de España’s
production Familia for the Vancouver International Flamenco Festival in 2021, and most
recently, staged and performed in For The Love of Flamenco, the opening show for the Victoria
Flamenco Festival’s 10th anniversary. Currently, Veronica’s energies are going towards
establishing a Flamenco Tablao every last Sunday of the month for flamenco artists to work their
craft performing on a regular basis for audiences to enjoy the flamenco experience.
Guitarist
GARETH OWEN is a world-class flamenco guitarist based in Victoria, B.C. He has shared the
stage with international flamenco guitarists Jesus Álvarez and Gaspar Rodriguez Roman, and has
accompanied many international artists from Spain & United States including collaborations
with Canadian artists. Gareth has recorded two albums, Gareth Owen Flamenco Guitar and El
Cobre. He has also appeared on Alma de España’s CD, Flamenco Live. He has performed solo
concerts in Calgary, Victoria and Haida Gwaii, as well as flamenco tablao performances in
Vancouver’s Chai Lounge & Kino, and in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain, Tablao El Laga. He has
performed in both Toronto and Vancouver International Flamenco Festivals, Dawson City Music
Festival, Victoria Flamenco Festival including flamenco productions Café de Chinitas in
Vancouver, and Alma de España’s Recuerdos and Pasajes in Victoria. In 2015, he performed a
solo concert with guest artist from Spain, Coral de los Reyes in Victoria, and in 2017 for Maria
Bermudez’s Sonidos Gitanos Convivencia at El Portal Theatre in Los Angeles. Recently, Gareth
has performed in a short flamenco film for the Victoria Virtual Flamenco Festival and the stage
production of Alma de España’s Familia live for the Vancouver International Flamenco Festival.
Dancer
ESTELLE KURIER began her Flamenco studies in Victoria with Veronica Maguire, artistic
director of Alma de España Flamenco Dance Company. Estelle has also received Flamenco
instruction in Canada with Oscar Nieto, Maria Bermudez, Claudia Carolina, and Yaelisa through
workshops in Victoria, Saskatoon, and Vancouver. On her many trips to Spain, Estelle has
studied Flamenco in Jerez de la Frontera, Seville, and Granada during workshops with Eva
Yerbabuena, Antonio el Pipa, Javier Latorre, Angelita Gomez, Belen Maya, and Rafaela
Carrasco, along with private classes with Juana Amaya, Irene Carrasco, Juan Antonio Tejero, and
Tatiana Garrido. Estelle has performed extensively in Victoria as a company member of Alma de
España, as a dancer and singer with Peña Flamenca, and as a choreographer and dancer for
Corbett & Lauchbaum at the Passion for Tango Festival and for Alboa at the Butchart Gardens
and the Metro Theatre. She was also the classical Spanish dance special guest soloist for the
Civic Orchestra of Victoria’s “Celebrating the Performing Arts” concert and for the Strathcona
Symphony Orchestra’s “España” concerts in Courtenay. Estelle is a translator and private
language tutor, and she is currently working on her PhD in Hispanic and Italian Studies at the
University of Victoria where she teaches Spanish and Italian classes.
Dancer
BETHANY MURPHY has been studying and performing flamenco since 2006, learning from a
wide range of teachers from Vancouver, Victoria, New Mexico, and Spain. She has performed in
countless shows, festivals, fundraisers, and private events, and since 2017 has been an active
member of the Victoria flamenco group La Luna.
Dancer/Plamera
DENISE YEO is a professional flamenco dance soloist and palmera appearing in tablaos across
Canada. She has performed in large-scale flamenco productions Recuerdos and Pasajes for Alma
de España Flamenco Dance Company. In North America, Denise has trained with award-winning
choreographers Veronica Maguire, Carmen Romero, and Oscar Nieto. She has also trained with
international flamenco artists, including Concha Jareño, Domingo Ortega, Maria Bermúdez,
Inmaculada Ortega, Antonio El Farru, Carmen Herrera, Ana María Lopez, and more. In 2017,
she co-founded Palabra Flamenco as its artistic director and principal dancer — joining
traditional flamenco with English language poetry and storytelling. The show La Palabra en el
Tiempo toured the Victoria Flamenco Festival, Victoria Fringe Festival, Vancouver Fringe
Festival, and Victoria Festival of Authors. She later performed as a soloist for Dark Sounds, a
unique collaboration with acclaimed poet Jan Zwicky, guitarist Gareth Owen, and poet Garth
Martens. In 2019, her new work Fox Woman, Yeo’s second production as artistic director, toured
the Toronto Fringe Festival and Winnipeg Fringe Festival. As principal dancer and storyteller,
she performs the roles of Fox Woman and the Hunter, with her husband, flamenco guitarist
Gareth Owen, accompanying her. Recently, Denise has performed in a short flamenco film for
the Victoria Virtual Flamenco Festival and the live stage production of Alma de España’s
Familia for the Vancouver International Flamenco Festival.