Maria Loreta Celitan - Besides Spanish dance of which she is an accomplished professional, Maria Loreta holds degrees in Art & Art History, a M.A. in Comparative Religions and an advanced Certificate in Gerontology. In dance and dance related fields, Maria has studied extensively Classical Ballet, Modern Dance, Near Eastern Dance and Bharatanatyam (Classical Indian Dance). She is a RYT and holds certification in: advanced Hatha Yoga and Cardiac Yoga from the Integral Yoga Institutes; Creative Movement for Children from Jack Weiner's School of Creative Movement and Dance Therapy from the Turtle Bay Music School. In the field of Spanish dance, she has studied in Spain with such outstanding professionals as Paco Romero, Paco Fernandez, Tomas de Madrid, La Tati, Azorin, Jose Antonio, Carmen Cortes, Merce Esmeralda & Carmela Greco. In addition to numerous guest artist appearances and solo concerts at colleges and art centers throughout the U.S., she has danced as a company member with Estrella Morena's Ballet de Madrid, The American Spanish Dance Theatre and Jose Molina's Bailes Espanoles with which she toured for many years throughout the U.S. and abroad. She has made appearances in such well known venues as the U.N., Lincoln Centers Out-of-Doors, Town Hall, the Applecore & Tri-plex theaters in N.Y.C. , Washington D.C.’s Armory Arts Center, the Kravis Performing Arts Center & Four Arts Theater in Palm Beach, Florida, NYC’s Channel 11 WBLX and both L.I.’s Staller & Tillis Centers for the Arts as guest artist with the L.I. Symphony, University of Georgia’s Arts & Humanities Center and Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival to name only a few. When not performing, Maria Loreta has taught Spanish Dance for numerous schools and institutions throughout the New York Metropolitan area including the Seiskaya School of Ballet, the Connecticut Ballet & the Ballet of Puerto Rico, as well as master classes for the Suffolk Community College, Bridgeport University’s Regional Center for the Arts and University of Georgia Arts & Humanities Center. Currently, she is on the dance faculty of SUNY Stony Brook where she teaches Spanish & Latin dance forms. An avid arts-in-education exponent, Maria has worked for such well known arts-in-education programs as The National Theater, Young Audiences, and Arts Connection. With Sol y Sombra , she has given programs for the BOCES Arts in Humanities Programs in numerous upstate New York, Suffolk & Nassau Counties. She has become a teaching artist for the Tilles Center Institute for Arts & Culture, a satellite of Lincoln Center’s Institute for Aesthetic Education. Maria has been the subject of full page articles in both the N.Y. Times and Newsday and was interviewed by National Public Radio. She has been an auditor for the N.Y. State Council on the Arts and member of numerous DEC grant panels. She was on the Board of Directors for Newsday's L.I Arts Committee .and the Performing Arts Committee of the Ward Melville Heritage Society and the executive board of Long Island’s Dance Consortium. She recently was awarded a Distinguished Lectureship at the University of Georgia’s Arts & Humanities Center and has been appointed to The Advisory Board on the Arts for the Suffolk County Legislature. In 1984 Maria Loreta founded the Sol y Sombra Spanish Dance Co., Under Maria Loreta's direction, it has been the recipient of numerous grants from the New York State Council on the Arts , Suffolk & Nassau Counties’ Offices of Cultural affairs and JP Morgan Chase Bank.
Gregorio de Silva is an accomplished jazz dancer and choreographer on the national scene. Mr. de Silva, in the past few years, has performed as guest artist with both Rosa Montoya's Bailes Flamencos and Maria Benitez's Estampa Flamenca. He is currently working throughout the U.S. with Carlota Santana's Spanish Dance Co. Mr. de Silva is also a principal Spanish dancer for both the New York City Opera and Metropolitan Opera.
Sofia Islam, a native of Pakistan, Ms. Islam has toured nationally and internationally as a member of Jose Molina's Bailes Espanol. She has also danced as soloist with Andrea del Conte's Danza Espana and Charlota Santana. Currently she is dancing with the Metropolitan Opera's new production of La Traviata.
Ricardo Santiago began his dance training as a scholarship student at Ballet Hispanico of New York. He has also received scholarships while attending SUNY Purchase, The Alvin Aily School and Dance Theater Of Harlem. He has studied with Liliana Morales, Manolo Rivera, Luis Montero, La Tati, La China, El Toleo, Omayra Amaya, Edwin Aparicio and Nelida Tirado. In addition to touring throughout the United States, Ricardo has performed in Trinidad, Germany, Spain, Bolivia, Czech Republic, Poland & Japan. He has performed in Franco Zeffirelli's productions of Carmen and La Traviata at The Metropolitan Opera, Don Giovanni at Washington Opera, Ballet Hispanico of New York, Bailes Ferrer. Ricardo has Performed as a soloist with Carmen Rubio, Sol y Sombra, Flamenco Latino, Alborada Spanish Dance, Carlota Santana, M'oro Flamenco, Flamenco Ole, Danzas Españolas, Flamenco Sepharad and Tri-Cities Opera in Binghamton, NY where he also served as Choreographer for their Production of Carmen.
Ricardo Santiago has taught Master classes all over the US, most recently at Bucknell University. He is a teacher at The Children's Arts And Science Workshops and has taught in many outreach programs in the Tri-State area.
 
Peter Suarez is an accomplished dancer in many styles. Mr. Suarez has danced/or choreographed for the Cinncinnati Ballet, the Louisville Ballet, the Connecticut Opera, the Miami Ballet, and Ballet Arkansas. Last year, he had the distinction of being the only dancer ever hired to perform a live solo with the Gipsy Kings at Radio City Music Hall. Residing now in New York, Peter has studied and worked with such well known Spanish dancers as Jose Molina, Manolo Rivera & Victorio. He is currently appearing in the Metropolitan Opera's production of War & Peace.
Mieko Seto  Having studied Flamenco extensively in New York, where she now makes her home, Meiko continued her studies of the art form in what many consider one of Spain's most authentic Flamenco cities, Maron de la Frontera, with Maria Luisa Serrano. She has performed with Carlota Santana's Flamenco Vivo, the American Bolero Company and Andrea del Conte's Danza Espana.
Yloy Ybarra, is an accomplished jazz and modern dancer. Ybarra has studied Flamenco extensively in Spain. He has performed with Maria Benitez's Estampa Flamenca and Andrea del Contes's Danza Espana. Mr. Ybarra is currently directing his own Mexican Folkloric Dance Company.
Arturo Martinez  Playing the blues, electric and jazz guitar at an early age, the young Mr. Martinez was soon attracted to the Flamenco guitar. He is now an acknowledged, accomplished professional in this art form and has accompanied such well known Flamenco artists as Jose Greco, Jose Molina, Maria Alba, Joaquin Fahardo, Chuni Amaya and Pilar Rioja. Recently, Mr. Martinez has received recognition in the N.Y. Times for his own original Flamenco compositions.
Bárbara Martínez is a singer and dancer for several flamenco companies, including Sol y Sombra, Andrea del Conte Danza España and Pasión y Arte. She can also be seen performing with fusion music groups, such as Gazpacho Andalú and Flamenco Sepharad. Her recent credits include singing for Pilar Rioja at El Repertorio Español, solo dancer at Town Hall for The World Music Institute, choreographer of Herakles Via Phaedra at La Mama E.T.C and actress in Hell for Fortuna Productions. She has also been performing with The Metropolitan Opera for the past four seasons in Carmen and La Traviata.
Alfonso Cid, born & raised in Sevilla, the heartland of Flamenco, Alfonso became a member of one of its most significant Flamenco clubs, the Pena Flamenca Torres-Marcarena in 1987. As founder/member of Al Bano Maria, the resident group of this Pena, he toured Andalucia in connection with the Universities of Sevilla & Edinburgh in an effort to introduce Flamenco to High School and college students. After training as a classical flautist at the Sevilla Conservatory, he joined the world renowned Flamenco show, FLAMENCO PURO touring with them as singer & flautist throughout 1997. Alfonso is the featured vocalist on Miguel de la Bastide's CD "El Cambio" for LB Records and worked with Jesse Cook's CD "Vertigo" for Narada Records. Alfonso currently lives in New York City.
Dominico Caro  studied the art of Flamenco singing in Sevilla, Madrid and living among the gypsies in Maron and Jerez de la Frontera. He studied with such renowned masters as Antonio Mairena, Fosforito, Fernanda de Utrera and Diego del Gastor and has sung for the legendary Jose Greco, Maria Benitez's Estampa Flamenca, Teo Morca and Jose Molina's Bailes Espanoles. He has appeared in Columbia Artist's Concert Tours, Julliard's production of "La Vida Breve" and Cable Television's "Live from Atlantic City"