We would like to pay our respects and acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land of the Eora nation and also pay our respects to elders both past, present and emerging.
Always was, always will be.
Flamenco Australia is an Australian based Spanish Dance Company committed to preserving ancient story telling traditions, for a contemporary audience. ttps://youtu.be/wErfFveW_D8?t=62
Artistic Director Marina Tamayo Pushing the Boundaries of Flamenco Dance
Marina Tamayo Flamenco provides professional choreographic services with focus on its social impact.
Commissioned choreography uniquely crafted for each client. Bringing visions to life Tamayo follows the choreographer’s creative process of choreographic inspiration, musicality, storytelling, collaboration, rehearsal techniques, artistic vision.
Marina Tamayo Mallorca Film Festival Atlandita, July 2024 Carmen By Benjamin Millepied.
“She is often described as possessing ‘duende’ – a soulful depth unique to true artists. Tamayo’s illustrious career spans decades and is marked by collaborations with iconic figures in the dance world” Dance Informa, Renata Ogayar June/20254
“Marina Tamayo in the non-speaking role of Carmen’s mother really taps into untamed female power. Her ‘fight for your life’ flamenco is a showstopper. Staged on a platform of bare boards against an unforgiving desert backdrop as she faces off a vicious gunman, this was a film opener that was going to be hard to match“.
A highly accomplished choreographer with an impressive portfolio, Tamayo has crafted a diverse range of compelling dance works for ballet, musical theatre, contemporary dance festivals, eisteddfod, fashion runway shows, charity events, commercials, feature films, pop music videos, content branding and television productions.
Marina’s authenticity and unique Flamenco style has guided her to choreograph on National programs like SYTYCD Choreographers Ball, The Living Room, Spick and Specks, SBS News, SBS International, SBS Spanish, ABC Documentaries, NSW Education Department Dance workshops, VIP events as a guest artist such as Wolf Blass Awards, Emirates VIP Melbourne Cup, Centurions Ball, Victorian National Art Gallery, Channel 10 Lifestyle with Miguel Maestre, Nathalie Portman’s 40th Birthday, and most recently Pub Choir at HOTA with Sahara Beck, Astrid Jorgensen, NSW School Spectacular 2024 (for segment 3) and most recently collaborated with Christopher Esber’s Paris Fashion Show Launch 2025 social media teaser.
Christopher Esbers Teaser Launch for Paris Fashion Week 2025. Team of design collaborators:
Designer Christopher Esber; Location Swift House; Hair by Madison Voloshin; Makeup by Filomena Natoli; Videography by Ed Triglone; Lighting Ryan Achilles; Management Enya O’Donnell ‘BRAND’; Model Franny Richardson; Dancer Marina Tamayo
” Throughout my career, I have been humbled by the generous audiences, the support of my family, friends, and community. My story is a testament to the universal language of dance, its power to transcend time, borders, touch souls, inspire, and captivate”
Marina Tamayo, la Rubia de Vallekas, Mayte Maya, Felipe Clivio and Andres Heredia, Madrid 2025
Marina Tamayo is a distinguished professional with a career that has flourished over decades, and she continues to be actively involved in global projects. Her expertise spans various domains, including outstanding performances, impactful teaching, successful producing, and innovative choreography. Her expertise and dedication have earned her numerous nominations for international and national awards “marked by iconic dance figures in the dance world” including her recent Broadway, New York nomination for her Flamenco contribution in the feature film Carmen, ‘Outstanding Choreography in a Theatrical Release off Broadway’ alongside Director/ Choreographer Benjamin Millepied.
Marina Tamayo, Flamenco, Broken Hill, NSW.
Marina Tamayo’s exceptional skill lies in her ability to seamlessly integrate authentic storytelling, collaborate, and draw from her Andalusian heritage and extensive knowledge of Gypsy culture, all within a contemporary context. Her journey into the world of Flamenco began in a traditional manner, learning from her mother in Granada and immersing herself in the vibrant atmosphere of Sacromonte alongside her grandmother. In 1982, she officially began her Flamenco studies in Granada under the guidance of the local gitanos in particular Paco Torres and Monolete.
With an unwavering passion and dedication to the art of Flamenco, Marina Tamayo has firmly established herself as a revered master in the realms of choreography and performance. With a lifetime spent devoted to the art of Flamenco and Spanish dance, Tamayo generously imparts her expertise through her commissioned work, public speaking, and captivating performances on the global stage.
Flamenco Australia, established 1998, is passionately dedicated to championing and conserving the vibrant cultural narratives of Spain and the gypsy community.
“I recently had the pleasure of receiving an invitation from Astrid Jorgensen, the inspiring founder and leader of Pub Choir, to join as a guest artist. The experience was thrilling and purposeful, bringing together 3000 voices from all walks of life, together, to sing as one, I danced”.
The Team at HOTA Pub Choir 2024 Honest Feeback Tour with Astrid JorgensenMarina Tamayo at HOTA Pub Choir 2024 Honest Feeback Tour with Astrid JorgensenMarina Tamayo at HOTA Pub Choir 2024 Honest Feeback Tour with Astrid Jorgensen
Astrid established Pub Choir with the mission of empowering individuals to integrate music into their daily lives without the pressure of judgment.
International Dance Day amongst Spains foremost artists.
Marina Tamayo with Rossy d Palma, Maria Pages, Farruquito, Damian Jalet, Pedro Almodovar, Antonio Banderas, Penelope Cruz, JulioBoca, Pastora Galvan, Carmen Linares, Jesus Carmona y ArcAngel for International Dance Day 2021 produced by Maria Pages, El Centro Coreográfico María Pages de Fuenlabrada.
” I am committed to sharing my passion for justice in women’s rights, the rights of the child, and multicultural equity. I strive to improve the safety, welfare and well-being of all children and young people in NSW. We speak up for children and young people to ensure that their rights are respected and their points of view heard by adult decision makers and create opportunities for engagement and inspiring new generations of dancers and artists “
Marina Tamayo is a professional Sydney-based Flamenco choreographer, activist and dance artist. She is an active board member of AUSDANCE NSW, a registered and accredited Proficient Teacher with the New South Wales Education Department, a trained Project Manager, Composer, and qualified Production Audio Engineer; RAD and Cecchetti Ballet, Flamenco and Spanish Dance, advocate for the rights of inclusion for communities and works with Deaf/deaf, special needs, teaches EALD students;holds a Certificate II in Auslan, and asissts in fundraising for causes Living Ocean, women and children.
As a dance teacher, Tamayo draws on various strategies of teaching, including scaffolding, differentiation, and inclusive teaching, to support students’ learning outcomes. She holds a Bachelor of Education and a current NESA Proficient teacher accreditation; Cert II Auslan and offers teaching services that align with AITSL teaching pedagogy standards of excellence to professional performing arts schools, academic institutions and communities worldwide.
National College of Dance, Summer School 2023 – Flamenco with Marina Tamayo
“Since 1982, I’ve had the privilege of working as a choreographer in reputable professional training centres within the Australian Ballet industry. During my career, I’ve been fortunate to create a diverse range of fused choreographies, and collaborative commissioned pieces for a multitude of spaces and genre. “
Marina Tamayo’s work is characterised by a unique blend of Flamenco, ballet, contemporary, escuela bolera and Spanish dance. Her groundbreaking collaborations have redefined Australian Flamenco ballet discourse. She has partnered with internationally elite choreographers and esteemed dancers such as Antonio Vargas, Aitor Hernandez, Victor Zarallo, Jesus Olmedo and Benjamin Millepied to create pioneering Spanish theatre performance works.
Tamayo has taught at many leading Australian ballet and contemporary dance institutions including, The Centre for the Performing Arts, The Australian Dance Theatre, Academy of Music and Performing Arts, National College of Dance, Classical Ballet 121, Department of Education Arts Unit, Sydney Dance Company Vocational programs, and Tanya Pearson’s Ballet Academy, The Arts Unit Dance Ensemble workshops K – 12 Department of Education.
Tamayo’s dance studies include: 1974 – 1983, trained in classical ballet and contemporary dance with Kenneth Norman, Garry Carse, Jackie Johnson, Spanish dance with Jacky Thompson and Flamenco Theatre with Antonio Vargas. In 1984, she studied Flamenco privately with the gypsy masters Paco Torres, Mario Maya, and Manolete in Sacromonte, and in Madrid, Granada, Jerez, Belen Maya, Luis de Luis, Ester Marin Garcia, Manuel Antonio Reyes and advanced Spanish classical with Graciela Rios Saiz, in Buenos Aires and La Tati, Eli Truco and Merche Esmeralda in Madrid.
“Tamayo’s solos are wild and expressive; soft arms are a foil for the complexity of her lower body” Lesley Graham, The Mercury, 2017.
Hernandez Tamayo – EMERALD at MOVE Contemporary Dance Festival – Commissioned by Festival.
Photo: Soloist at The National Gallery of Victoria, for the Centurian Picasso curators dinner, Winter series.
Nominations & Awards International and National:
2024, Marina Tamayo and Benjamin Millepied nominated for ‘Outstanding Choreography in a Theatrical Release’, by the Broadway legend Chita Rivera Awards. Located in New York, the official awards night is May 20th. The Chita Rivera Awardsrecognizes dance and choreographic excellence on Broadway, Off-Broadway and in film. https://www.chitariveraawards.com/index.php/nominations
2023, Marina Tamayo was awarded a Fellowship for Outstanding Contributions to the Performing Arts in Australia by AMPA Professor Ian Bofinger, Executive Dean and Dr Maya Gavish (Faculty of Dance Performance) at the 2023 Graduation ceremony of Bachelor’s and Master’s of Dance.
2019, Marina Tamayo & Aitor Hernandez nominated in the category ‘Outstanding Achievement in Choreography’ by the Australian Dance Council, for their choreographic collaboration producing a groundbreaking Spanish contemporary work, EMERALD, Hernandez Tamayo
2018, Marina Tamayo was nominated for her ‘Service to Dance in Australia’.This was presented by the Australian Dance Council for her contributions to the Australian Arts industry.
“My expertise lies in the captivating art of Flamenco. I’m deeply grateful for the experiences and collaborative opportunities that have enriched my career, and for the remarkable artists who have shared their stories, shaped my vision, guided my art and talents with me, but the most influential of all was my mother”
Articles from Press: Carmen Directed by Benjamin Millepied. Starring Melissa Barrera, Paul Mescal, Rossy de Palma, Marina Tamayo, Nicole da Silva, Benedict Hardie, Elsa Pataky
Marina Tamayo at Chita Revira Awards Broadway, New York 2024Awarded Fellowship from AMPA, 2023 NIDA Theatre, NSW
In 2023, Marina Tamayo was awarded a Fellowship by AMPA in recognition of Outstanding contributions to the Performing Arts sector in Australia, presented by Professor Ian Bofinger, Executive Dean and Dr Maya Gavish (Faculty of Dance Performance) at the 2023 Graduation ceremony of Bachelor’s and Master’s Dance.
Photo by Marina Tamayo Fellowship Award Wenny Tan, AMPA, 2023
Marina Tamayo Fellowship Award, Photo by Wenny Tan, AMPA 2023
Marina Tamayo Fellowship Award, Photo by Wenny Tan, AMPA 2023
In 2018 – 2021, Tamayo worked with Classical Ballet 121, a full-time classical ballet academy, with Gilly Reevie and Iohna Loots. During this tenure, Tamayo designed and delivered the exam curriculum for the Spanish and Flamenco dance studies in the Australian Teachers of Dancing full-time Certificate 4 and Advanced Diploma in Elite Performance course, 2021.
Design and implementation of school incursions for a period of 18 years. These incursions are aligned to the cultural dance curriculum for K to HSC levels, NESA Syllabus. Currently, Tamayo works with the Arts Unit of the Department of Education in the delivery of regular Flamenco class incursions/workshops in professional studios throughout the year. Regularly, Tamayo volunteers at community-level dance festivals and charity events.
Marina Tamayo Dept of Ed. Arts Unit Flamenco workshops May 2024 SDC
Marina Tamayo Dept of Ed. Arts Unit Flamenco workshops May 2024 SDC
Marina Tamayo Dept of Ed. Arts Unit Flamenco workshops May 2024 SDC
In addition, she has contributed to various academic PhD papers on Flamenco and duende. These contributions are formal research papers, sharing her knowledge and experience in Flamenco to the academia in Australia: The University of Sydney Ms Lillian Shaddick and Dr Amanda Card at the Discipline of Theatre and Performance Studies; Bond University, Leisurely seeking duende; Making meaning through the embodied experience of flamenco dance; Grant Sean Hawkes, University of Sydney; Spanish: What is Flamenco?; ABC Radio Melbourne with Warwick Long, Flamenco and its Roots, ABC Hobart, Flamenco and Duende.
Production Las Alpujarras at The Peacock Theatre, Hobart.Marina Tamayo Soloist, Choreographer Alegrias Spanish Tapas 2014 – 2024.
“Millepied’s movie, is a complete re-imagining, debuting Sept. 11 at the Toronto Intl. Film Festival released by Sony Pictures Classics, begins in Mexico with a jaw-dropping flamenco number that showcases Marina Tamayo as Carmen’s mother on the grounds of the family’s house. “
“Picture opens in rural northern Mexico Chihuahuan Desert as dancer Zilah (Marina Tamayo), performing a stripped down flamenco of intense, percussive precision is gunned down by a mysterious pair of cartel criminals”
Director Benjamin Millepied Original Score By: Nicholas Britell Written by: Alexander Dinelaris and Loïc Barrère & Benjamin Millepied Starring: Melissa Barrera, Paul Mescal, Rossy de Palma, THE DOC #Carmen#TeaserTrailer#SonyClassics#PaulMescal#MelissaBarrera
Las Peinetas Spanish Dance Theatre – A Flamenco Ballet.
Photo by Sebastián Estrada, WoW Moments Production, 2022.
Las Peinetas Spanish Dance Theatre – Fusion of Flamenco and Ballet.
Since 2015, Tamayo has formed the Flamenco Ballet performance group called ‘Las Peinetas’. The group is made up of professionally trained ballet graduates who have studied at prestigious National and European Ballet schools, Sydney Dance Pre-Professional.
Las Peinetas perform Flamenco Ballet. This is a signature style of Tamayo, a truly unique blend of both genres, and it is the first group of its kind in Australia. They present traditional works in a contemporary context whilst maintaining the authenticity of Andalusian folklore and Flamenco storytelling.
Adelaide Festival, 4.5 stars The Sounds of Spain, AD and Choreographer
Marina Tamayo’s Las Peinetas . Photo by Sebastian Estrada of Wow Moment Productions. 2022
Further Education
Ballet in the Australian Dance Assessment Program,
RAD and Cecchetti methods,
Bachelor of Education, Curtin University,
Classical Pianoforte Music Composition and Theory at AMEB The Conservatorium of Music
Certificate in Business Analysis,
Project Management
Diploma in Audio Engineering
Postgraduate studies in Production Sound Engineering.
NSW Primary school teaching specialising in performing arts – NSW Dance Curriculum for stages K – 6, at an EAL/D school and coaches the senior boys dance group.
Photo: Verano with Clarissa di Salvo de Argentina at Lizottes, NSW
