Brisas de España was founded by award winning Artistic Director-Dancer-Choreographer-Master Teacher, Carolina Lugo. She is widely regarded as one of the most gifted Flamenco-Spanish dance artists of her generation. Carolina is a master of the castanets and Spanish dance. Her music video of her castanet interpretation of "Leyenda", is shown on the nationally broadcast show, Classical Arts Showcase. Carolina has dedicated herself over the last ten years to preserving the lineage of artistry of La Argentina, Antonio Triana, Luisa Antonio Triana, Lola Montes, Merche Esmeralda, Ciro and Azurin, by teaching the art form of both genres-Flamenco-Spanish dance, to a new generation of artists and dancers.

Carolina made her professional debut at the age of 14. She has danced and toured the United States and internationally with leading companies, Lola Montes Spanish Dance Company, Luisa Triana Flamenco Dance Company, Jose Greco, Rosa Montoya Bailes Flamencos and has shared the stage with international Flamenco artists from Spain, such as Genaro Gomez, Cruz Luna, Teodoro Morca and Benito Palacios, performing in major concert halls throughout the United States and internationally as well as with leading symphonies throughout the country. Carolina danced as a guest artist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic for multiple seasons at the Hollywood Bowl and was a featured soloist with the Los Angeles Opera in their productions of "Carmen" and "La Traviata" at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Most recently, Ms. Lugo has danced and collaborated on choreographic works with international Flamenco artists from Spain, Manuel Betanzos, Concha Vargas, Antonio Vargas {featured artist in the films "Strictly Ballroom" and "Mission Impossible II"} and Pepa Montes.

Carolina created a base of operation in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1995, when she founded her Dance Company and School. She is a Master Teacher and has been training and developing dancers for her company since that time. She has guest taught workshops and master classes nationally and internationally for Ballet Schools, Flamenco Dance Academies such as Rosa Montoya Bailes Flamencos Dance Academy and Folklorico Dance Groups throughout the West Coast.  In 2004, 2005, she was guest teacher for the Diablo Ballet Summer Intensive Program and the Walnut Creek Civic Arts Center, Northern California's largest Community Arts Program..."She approaches her teaching with dedication and purpose, which results in an outstanding product."...Lauren Jonas, Artistic Director, Diablo Ballet

Carolina has been commissioned by numerous Musical Conductors with various symphonies over the last eight years to choreograph and perform a variety of excerpts and complete Flamenco Ballets of leading Spanish and French composers such as “Carmen" by Bizet with the California Symphony and Conductor Barry Jekowsky in 1998 and the theme song from the musical score of “Zoro” along with a selection of Spanish dance pieces with Maestro Jekowsky in 1999. Carolina and her Company were presented in concert at that time, at the Concord Pavilion before an audience of ten thousand.  In 2000, Ms. Lugo again collaborated with Maestro Jekowsky when he commissioned her to choreograph and perform the complete Flamenco Ballet of her critically acclaimed piece of the “Three Cornered Hat” by Manuel de Falla. Ms. Lugo and Company toured Nevada with the Reno Philharmonic to sell-out audiences. She gave an encore performance of this piece with conductor, Joyce Johnson-Hamilton and the Diablo Symphony in 2001. She collaborated with conductor Mitchell Sardou-Klein and toured Northern California with the Peninsula Symphony in 2003. The appearance of Brisas de Espana with the symphony was instrumental in drawing large audiences exceeding 1700 per concert. Carolina and Company have given encore performances of her critically acclaimed Flamenco Ballets of the "Three Cornered Hat", " La Vida Breve", "Bolero", "Carmen", "Leyenda" and "La Boda de Luis Alonso" to sell-out audiences with Maestro, Allan Pollack with the Mendocino World Music Festival and numerous other symphonies throughout the West Coast.

Maestro Pollack requested an encore performance of Ms. Lugo's acclaimed piece the "Three Cornered Hat" with the Sacramento Camellia Symphony in 2005, for which she once again received critical acclaim for her choreographic creation of an “intense operetta full of steamy and fiery emotion…and flirtatious interplay”…The choreography incorporated classic Flamenco steps as well as more balletic elegance.” Carolina was invited as a guest artist by the Golden Gate Opera in 2005 and collaborated with them to present her dance company in her acclaimed choreography of “Carmen” conducted by Geoffrey Gallegos and stage directed by Ms.Edna Garabedian, Managing Director of California Opera Association. Ms. Lugo was commissioned by the opera to choreograph and stage for the principals and cast, excerpts from the complete opera for this production. Carolina has been invited to tour China with the Hangzhou Opera Company in October 2006 as a guest artist, to dance and choreograph for their principals and cast, in their production of "Carmen" by Bizet.

Carolina has received multiple Creative Works Awards since 1999 from the Diablo Regional Arts Association (DRAA). Her works include her creative fusion of Flamenco dance, song and music with Brazilian Samba. The Contra Costa Times said “Brisas sizzles with hot moves and music”, her fusion of Flamenco and Argentine Tango dance, song and music, creation of “Waves of Rhythm” set to the music of Ravels “Bolero” using the intense energy of Flamenco, the story telling of Spanish dance, the haunting harmonious notes of "Boléro” and the pulsating beats of Flamenco and Spanish music, 2002 for the creation of “Leyenda” which explored Spanish composer Isaac Albeniz composition by fusing the pulsating rhythms of Flamenco, the haunting undertones of Middle Eastern music and the lyrical romantic  notes of 18th Century Spain, through song and dance and in 2003 for the creation of “Ritmos del Corazón” {Rhythms of the Heart}. She has been awarded with Creative Works Grants from the Zellerbach Family Foundation since 2001.

Carolina began her dance-teaching career in Southern California in her early twenties. While a company member of Rosa Montoya's Bailes Flamencos, Ms. Lugo taught all level classes for Rosa Montoya's Flamenco-Spanish Dance Academy  during the summer while Ms. Montoya was away in Spain. Ms. Lugo eventually founded her own school in 1995 where she teaches weekly classes at her Dance Academy at Dance Connection Performing Arts Center in Concord, Diablo Light Opera Studios in Pleasant Hill and Kids-N-Dance Studio in Oakland. She has taught master classes in Spanish and Flamenco dance for Diablo Ballet, Walnut Creek Civic Arts and Education Center, San Francisco Dance Center, The Flamenco Society of San Jose, and the Sacramento Cultural Arts Center. Carolina teaches workshops  and master classes for Ballet and Dance Schools throughout the West Coast.

Ms. Lugo is the recipient of the prestigious 2006 Arts Recognition Award of the Arts and Culture Commission (AC5) of Contra Costa County. The award is in recognition of her outstanding involvment in the arts and the significant impact that she has had on the cultural life of the county and in the community. The Award Gala Ceremony, including entertainment and reception, will be held in the historic El Campanil Theatre in Antioch at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, October 22.

Carolina Lugo’s mission is to preserve the rich Spanish arts and culture that is a part of California History,  to continue the cultural traditons of the first Spanish Dance Company that arrived in California more than 165 years ago. To retain the lineage of artistry of Flamenco-Spanish dance by presenting cutting edge performances, using both Americain born artists and artists from Spain, teaching the art form of both genres to a new generation of artists and dancers and to expose and educate the immediate and surrounding communities about Flamenco-Spanish dance, song and music to a a new generation of audiences. Ms. Lugo is looking forward to sharing her passion and love of Flamenco-Spanish dance, song and music with you in the coming years.