Compañía Irene Rodríguez: Flamenco Soul

This April, Compañía Irene Rodríguez returns to the Pillow to present the world premiere of Flamenco Soul. In this intimate and magnetic solo dance performance, accompanied by live music from a three-person ensemble, Rodríguez will exhibit a nonstop energy and virtuosic power, with seating in the round and state-of-the-art acoustics immersing audiences in the rhythm and passion of these renowned artists.

Founded in Havana in 2012, Compañía Irene Rodríguez has emerged as a vital force shaping the evolution of flamenco and Spanish dance in Cuba and beyond. Under the direction of principal dancer and award-winning choreographer Irene Rodríguez, the company forges a distinctive choreographic language rooted in classical Spanish dance and flamenco, showcasing contemporary movement, theatricality, and Cuban musical and cultural traditions. This fusion of tradition and modernity has earned the company recognition around the world, as well as appearances on major stages including Lincoln Center, New York City Center, The Joyce Theater, the Kennedy Center, and at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, where the company appeared in 2017 and 2019. At Jacob's Pillow, Rodríguez has also performed in the annual Gala in 2020 and 2022 and the Doris Duke Theatre opening program in 2025.

A longtime educator, festival director, and artistic leader named “an intense, exacting dancer” by The New York Times, Irene Rodríguez has worked extensively with Ballet Nacional de Cuba and as a choreographer with U.S. entities such as Kansas City Ballet and Dayton Performing Arts Alliance. In 2018, she was awarded the Orden de Isabel la Católica, one of Spain’s highest civilian honors, and the following year she served as Director of the Flamenco and Spanish Dance Program at The School at Jacob’s Pillow. Now based in the United States, she continues to tour internationally, advancing a flamenco aesthetic that is unapologetically contemporary and unmistakably her own.

"Rodríguez: energetic and forceful dancer of contemporary Flamenco."

The New York Times