Laura Siebert

Laura Siebert, a Houston native, first experienced flamenco in 1988 by watching a class at The Rodriguez Academy of Dance. Immediately she went home, threw on a long skirt and dreamed of being a flamenco dancer. She begged her mother for classes, until finally in 1995, she was able to start classes with Rogelio Rodriguez. Her first flamenco venture outside of the Rodriguez Academy brought her to Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1998, to the Maria Benitez FlamencoFestival for an intensive-weeklong workshop with Inmaculada Ortega. Though many interests came and went, Flamenco is what stuck and in 2004 she opened The Spanish Insitute of Dance (Later Alegria Dance & Performing Arts Center), a flamenco-based dance studio, with Gracie Wilkins and Antonio Granjero. With this dance studio, she was able to produce multiple theater productions and study with talents such as Antonio Granjero, Antonio Hidalgo, Juanaire, Maria Juncal, Briseyda Zarate, La Tania, and Genoveva (Austin). She was also introduced to her two most influential mentors, Melissa Cruz & Fanny Ara, clocking in over 100 collective hours of private instruction. She was gratefully able to share the stage with her mentors in a 2011 Gala performance and at Dance Houston at The Wortham Center, along with musical talents, Ricardo Anglada & Vicente Griego. She has performed solo performances at The Wortham Center, The Hobby Center, and collaborative performances with local groups such as Dia De Los Muertos with Flamenco Andaluz, Caminos Gitanos with Marisol Monasterio, La Canastera with Danmar, and The Houston Spanish & Flamenco Festival with Solero Flamenco.