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Robert Adler fell in love with Flamenco during his year of study at the University of Seville, Spain. His Flamenco dance experience began with a 1985 Sevillanas workshop out of which Birmingham's first Flamenco Company, Hispanic Dance Ole, was formed. Robert also participated in this company's evolution into the Birmingham Hispanic Dance Company. Now he is anxious and proud to be part of Corazon Flamenco. Since 1985 he has studied with important professional dancers like Mariano Parra, Libby Komaiko, Jose de Udaeta. Robert is sure the energy and experience of Irene Rimer will take him and the other members of Corazon Flamenco down the path of real Flamenco passion.

Mary Jo Misra trained in classical ballet at Ballets de San Juan, Puerto Rico. In Alabama, Ms. Misra has worked as dance faculty at the Alabama School of Fine Arts and was owner and artistic director of Danzante. She holds an M.S degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education from Samford University. She is a proud member of Corazon Flamenco and dance faculty at Irene Rimer's International School of Dance.

Victoria Langdon was Artistic Director of the Birmingham Hispanic Dance Company (BHDC), She studied under Mary Day, Mary Foshee, Laura Knox, Mariano Parra, Luis Montero, Ciro, Libby Komaiko Fleming, La Tati, Manolo Rivera, Antonio Canales, Jose de Udaeta, Andrea del Conte, Patri Nader, and the late Roberto Lorca. She is also a Registered Respiratory Nurse.

Julia Quijano Former Member of the Birmingham Hispanic Dance Company, studied ballet and tap as a child; Her dance training began in earnest with Hispanic Dance Ole. Julia has studied with Mariano Parra; Jose Greco II, La Tati, Timo de Lozano, Carmela Greco, Paco del Puerto, La Tania of Mendocino, Andres Marin, and Martha SidAhmed. Julia also performs Argentine tango with Tango Elegante.

Katherine Harper has studied many dance forms including ballet, jazz, tap, modern, and ballroom before focusing on Spanish dance in 1997. Katherine began her training with Janet Rooney and has since studied from Dame Libby Komaiko, Marianno Parra, Teo Morca, Antonio Hidalgo, Marija Temo, Laura Knox, Martha Sidahmed, Ulrika Frank, Laura Garrigues, and Irene Rimer. Katherine was born and raised in Alabama and received her BS in Psychology from the University of Alabama in Birmingham. Katherine and her husband Ray have one daughter.

Ilene Brill was a member of BHDC and studied under Laura Knox, Mariano Parra, Victoria Langdon and Martha Sidahmed and attended workshops with members of Maria Benitez's company, Lydia Torrea, Luis Montero, Ciro, Paco Del Puerto and Theresa Cullen. Most recently she has studied flamenco in Birmingham with Laura Garrigues. Ilene is most grateful to the memory of Melanie Mihalik for her ballet training and for Melanie's past support of all her dance endeavors. She also thanks her former local modern dance teachers Edie Barnes, Mary Foshee and later Teri Weksler. Ilene continues to study ballet with Tara Fasshauer and Argentine Tango with Sara Alvarez and Roswell Pfister.

Roberto Verdi's first exposure to Flamenco was at the age of 14 when he heard his visiting troubadour brother playing guitar. Four years later, while attending a Jose Greco concert, he developed a true passion for the music. The next day, with no musical experience, he began his studies with a cheap guitar and a simple instruction booklet, playing several hours every day. A year later he moved to California and studied with Fiederico Mejia, and later performed as a solo guitarist.In Birmingham, he worked with the BHDC. In May of 2006, he joined Irene Rimer's Corazon Flamenco.

Janet Rooney studied ballet and modern dance with Laura Knox and Mary Foshee. She was a founding member of Hispanic Dance Ole and Birmingham Hispanic Dance Company. Laura Knox and Mariano Parra were her principal teachers of Flamenco and Baile Clasico. Marta SidAhmed has also been a beloved teacher and mentor.

Kathleen Berecek has had a lifetime passion for and commitment to dance (tap, ballet, folk, jazz, character, modern and flamenco). A founding and former member of BHDC, Kathleen studied Flamenco with Laura Knox, Jose de Udaeta, Mercedes y Albano, Pacita Tomas, Patri Nader, Mariano Parra, Martha Sidahmed, Laura Garrigues and Irene Rimer. She is also Professor of Physiology and Biophysics at UAB.

Julia Navakas Stork performed folk dances of her native Lithuania, She became "Miss Julie of Romper Room" at WKAB-TV in Montgomery, Alabama, where she saw her first professional flamenco show. She traveled to Spain to experience dancers on their home turf. She teaches psychology and business to students at JSCC, volunteers as a docent at the Birmingham Museum of Art, and indulges in her love of flamenco. Julie has studied with Laura Knox, Laura Garrigues and other instructors.

Greg Hendrick, Dancer & Drummer, has lived all over this great country, but now considers Birmingham home. When he's not flamenco dancing, he's usually busy playing the congas or working on a screenplay.

Leticia Creasy and her family have made their home in Birmingham since 2001. She is originally from Texas. Her love for dance began in 1973 when she danced with the Rio Grande Valley Ballet Company under the instruction of Doria Avila and Jose Greco. In the Summer of 1984, she studied with the Bill Martin Vicount Dance Company in Fort Worth. At the University of Texas, she studied ballet while earning her pharmacy degree.

IRENE RIMER, "La Chata" (stage name given her by Maria Magdalena) started dancing at the age of 6 after her father, an attorney, and also a "matador" (bull-fighter) and Flamenco aficionado, took her to see the Ballet of Spain of Antonio Gades. Irene studied Ballet with Nina Novak, prima Ballerina of Ballet of Montecarlo. At the age of 13, Irene became the soloist dancer of the Jose Serrano Classic Spanish ballet touring several countries with the company. She also performed in Operas with famous soprano singers Victoria Vergara in "Carmen" and Catherine Malfitano in "La Traviata."

In Spain, Irene studied with La Tati, Maria Magdalena, Paco Fernandez, Ciro, Jose Granados, Xavier de la Vega, and other legendary artists in Amor de Dios studios in Madrid. She danced professionally at theaters and "tablaos flamencos" and experienced the "gypsy" living of the streets of Spain. Irene lived in Sevilla for a long time and often travelled to Morocco to study Mideaster dance styles. She has performed with "the best" artists such as El Nano de Jerez, La Tati, La China, La Morita, Juan Amaya, Antonio Amaya, El Chino de Malaga. She also had the privilege of sharing the stage with the best cantaor that ever lived, Jose Monje Cruz (Camaron.) Another privilege was getting to know and sharing Flamenco with one of the greatest guitarists in the world, el Nino Miguel de Huelva. Irene performed at the famous "Los Gallos" and at Ferias in Seville, Jerez de la Frontera, and Cadiz with El Nano de Jerez and Paco del Puerto. In 1985, Irene moved to Miami permanently and performed regularly with La Tati, Paco del Puerto, Cacharrito de Malaga, Pepe de Malaga, Estrella Morena, Leo Heredia and other artists. In May of 1998, Irene opened her dance studio in Miami, and formed professional dance troupes. Her studio focused on quality teaching and produced numerous performances where students had opportunities of performing with experienced artists.

In 2005, Irene left her well-established studio to her mother to managed, and re-located to the Birmingham area with her family. She now teaches at her studio at Cobb Lane. Irene is known to be one of the best Flamenco & Egyptian Belly Dance instructors in the US; In Belly dance, she's had the honor of performing in shows with Tamallyn Dallal, Virginia, Badia, Beata & Horacio Cifuentes, Jillina and other beautiful dancers. .Among other accomplishments Irene has a graduate degree in Accounting, Realtor Licenses in Alabama and Florida, and was given a "Black Belt" in Karate by Grand Master John Rhee in 1991.

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