MARIA OSENDE – ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Maria Osende is a highly accomplished professional dancer, teacher, choreographer and producer. Osende’s personal and unique artistic voice ads to her deep knowledge of flamenco, ballet and contemporary dance. Her work is creative, engaging and impeccably produced. Her vision is one of flamenco as an open artistic form that is powerful and relevant in today’s world, and that can communicate with audiences everywhere.

Maria Osende’s remarkable contributions have not gone unnoticed, earning her prestigious accolades, including the “Established Artist Recognition Award” from Arts Nova Scotia and the Creative Nova Scotia Leadership Council, solidifying her status as an award-winning artist.

Born and raised in Madrid, Spain, Osende started dancing ballet at the age of seven with Luis Fuente, Julia Estevez and José Granero and later on flamenco at the Centro de Arte Flamenco Amor de Dios. 

At seventeen a Fulbright scholarship allowed her to deepen her ballet studies at the renown School of American Ballet in New York City.  Prior to moving to Halifax, Osende danced professionally with the Compañia Nacional de Danza in Spain and the Berlin Ballet in Germany, where she was soon promoted to  soloist.  During this time she worked with various internationally renowned choreographers, performing a wide-ranged repertoire of classical and contemporary dance.

Overtime, Osende’s passion for creativity and artistic freedom brought her back to her Spanish roots and to flamenco.  becoming a freelance flamenco dancer in Berlin before moving to Canada in 2003 and taking Halifax by storm.

Since then Osende has produced over 30 works, ranging from full-length main stage shows to solos and commissions. Moving comfortably between tradition and innovation, Osende also engages in projects involving other dance and music styles, architecture and theatre , as well as artistic international collaborations.  Her work continues to evolve over time, at times pushing creative boundaries, while other times remaining deeply rooted in traditional flamenco.