About
Julissa Cadenillas began her dance training in ballet, tap, jazz, and Greek-folk dancing at the age of five and was introduced to Flamenco dance at the age of eight. At the age of 15, she was awarded a dance scholarship by the Ballet Hispanico School of Dance and became a member of the Ballet Hispanico Student Dance Company, performing from 1990 to 1992 throughout the New York City metropolitan area.
Upon finishing her Bachelor of Arts at NYU’s Gallatin School in 1997 she began more intensive Flamenco dance training with such well-known artists as Jorge Navarro, Victorio, Jose Molina, Liliana Morales, Melinda Marquez, Gabriela Granados, Mariano Parra, Jerane Michel, Dionesia Garcia, Jose Galvan, Nelida Tirado and Omayra Amaya. She also began performing flamenco dance professionally at various venues, such as the 92nd Street Y Harkness Dance Center, Alegrias, the Jacob Javits Center, the Europa Club, Franklin Station Café, Hunter College and Columbia University, to name a few. In recent years she’s performed frequently at Sabor Restaurant in Astoria and at the renowned Zeiterion Performing Arts Center in Massachusetts.
In July 2002 she was awarded a dance scholarship by the American Bolero Dance Company to further her studies of Flamenco, Escuela Bolera, and Classical Spanish Dance. She performed with the American Bolero Dance Company at various NYC public schools during 2003-2004.
In 2004, Julissa became an artist in residence at various NYC public schools through LEAP (Learning through an Expanded Arts Program) and through PACT (Partnering Artists, Children, and Teachers). In 2005 she received a Master of Science in General and Special Education from Touro College and began teaching English and dance to students with special needs.
From 2006-2007, Julissa performed in New Jersey with the Alborada Spanish Dance Theater. From 2005-2013, she performed as a soloist in Connecticut with the Val Ramos Flamenco Ensemble and in New York City with the Flamenco group named Aaale!
Julissa has performed with various well known flamenco artists such as Dominico Caro, Val Ramos, Arturo Martinez, Matt Moadel, Carlos Revollar, Gisele Assi, Mieko Seto, Barbara Martinez, Sol Koreaus, Alfonso Cid, David Castellano, and Oscar Valero.
In 2013, Julissa was awarded the Generation X scholarship from the Mensa Education and Research Foundation to complete her dance teacher training at the renowned Dance Education Laboratory. For the 2013-2014 school year, she taught dance to special needs students at IS 192. Julissa believes that dance education is a vital component in the physical, artistic, and intellectual development of every child.
"Gravity defying footwork.”
~Turner Falls Newspaper
718.628.4467 / 917.892.7245
