natalia monteleon, director
Arte Flamenco
Natalia Monteleon, director and principal teacher
Natalia has been involved in flamenco for over 30 years, as a dancer, teacher and choreographer. Her teachers have included Flamenco with Ana Martinez, Paco del Puerto, La Tati, Carmela Greco, Maribel de Sevilla, and Raquel Pena, and Classical Spanish Dance with Maria Morales
Natalia has been soloist at the Kennedy Center's Terrace Theater, Wolf Trap Theater, George Washington University's Lisner Theater, the Warner Theater of Washington, the Embassies of France and Spain, the University of New Orleans, and the Contemporary Arts Center of New Orleans. As director of Arte Flamenco, Ms. Monteleón, has staged performances at the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage, the Baltimore Museum of Art, the University of Maryland, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, and at all major Hispanic and international music venues throughout the mid-Atlantic region. She has recorded with Brother Ah’s New World Ensemble cd “Celebration”, and was dance director for the GALA Hispanic Theater production of the House of Bernarda Alba, and coached actors for the Arena Stage’s production of Yerma.
After twenty years of performing both as a soloist and in companies, on stage and in flamenco tablados, Natalia decided to devote her skills to teaching, choreographing and developing new talent. Natalia is very proud that many of the dancers that have emerged on the scene in the DC-Baltimore area began as her students, and with a sound background in the elements of flamenco culture, they are now on their own performing in companies and as soloists.
Jen Graham
Jennifer Graham "La Jeni", flamenco dancer, choreographer, teacher, and mother of two beautiful girls, discovered a passion for flamenco dance and culture through music and film shared with her by her father, and by dancing at home with her mother, a former ballet dancer. The artistic thread has been woven throughout generations in her family. Her grandmother Annette was a notable singer of her time, singing at Radio City Hall, the Catholic USO and sang regularly on the radio including filling in for "Frankie" or Frank Sinatra when he couldn't make it. La Jeni's foundation in flamenco began and flourished under the instruction of Anna Menendez. Her growth continued locally under the instruction and direction of Edwin Aparicio and Genevieve Guinn. Her flamenco roots grew further through studies in Jerez, Granada, and Sevilla. Jose Moreno has enriched all aspects of her flamenco studies with his unique multifaceted mastered approach to flamenco and enhanced cultural insight. She has studied with international flamenco artists such as Auxi Fernandez, Jose Galvan, Jose Antonio Galvan, Pastora Galvan, Manolete, Judea Maya, Mercedes Ruiz, Ana Maria Lopez, Ester Aranda, Domingo Ortega, Rafaela Carrasco, Manuel Linan, Carmela Greco, La Tati, La Truco, La Meira, Aflonso Losa, Nino de los Reyes, Nelida Tirado, and Antonio Vargas. She performed as a soloist and company dancer for Pastora Dance Ensemble, and also as a former dance company member of Flamenco Aparicio. Company and solo performance venues have included theatre stages, as well as intimate tablao settings. Theatre performances have included the Lisner Auditorium, Gala Hispanic Theatre, Shakespeare Theater, Millenium Stage at the Kennedy Center, Warehouse Theatre, HR-57, Creative Alliance Theatre, Area 405, and the American Dance Institute. Soloist tablao performances have included stages in Washington, D.C., Alexandria, Virginia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, NYC, NY, Newark, New Jersey, Miami, Florida, Newport, Rhode Island, and more. In 2025, she joined the Arte Flamenco de Natalia Monteleon as a substitute teaching artist and then joined the team as a teacher in the Fall of 2025. La Jeni was proud to share her experience with the students of Arte Flamenco. This is her 2026 debut as a teaching artist for Arte Flamenco's recital, please welcome her and her students in her first year teaching Bulerias de Jerez and their first year performing this festive dance. She is honored to teach for Arte Flamenco and share in the magic of Natalia Monteleon's studio.
Deirdre Wendel
Deirdre, a primary member of the Arte Flamenco Company, has been performing and studying flamenco for many years throughout the region and in New Mexico. Together with a strong background in classical ballet, Deirdre's professionalism and graceful style adds to her value as a teacher. She is currently teaching farruca for advanced students.
