Margarita Bruce
Margarita acquired her first taste of flamenco from her mother, Maria Cortes, a Spanish dance piano accompanist in Mexico. She has performed with such prestigious companies and artists as Jose Greco, Jose Molina, Luis Montero, Sara de Luis, Mariano Cruceta and Jose Junco. In addition, she has been a featured soloist with the San Antonio and Portland Symphony Orchestras. She has also appeared with Maria Benitez and Manolo Rivera in Portland Opera and Dallas Opera productions. She is a founding member of Al-Andalus, with whom she has appeared from coast to coast. As a featured artist with Young Audiences of Oregon from 1990-1998, Margarita performed throughout the northwest. Margarita is founder of Encuentro Flamenco Dance Company and a Spanish dance artist with Ft. Worth's Ballet Concerto Company, with whom she has performed principal roles in Amor Brujo, Bolero, Andalusian Suite and Jaleos.
Margarita’s 20-year teaching career includes a variety of dance curricula, workshops and programs with dance schools, ballet companies, colleges and arts programs. Her faculty memberships include the School of Oregon Ballet Theater, Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing Arts (current), Tampa Bay Performing Arts Classical Patel Conservatory (current), Margo Dean and Gayle Corkery Schools of Ballet in Ft Worth (current), and Ft Worth Country Day School (current). Her summer workshop invitations include the schools of Texas Ballet Theatre, Ballet Arkansas, Oregon Ballet Theater, Ballet Austin and Rio Grande Valley Ballet. She has also guest taught at various universities and colleges, including TCU, Reed College, University of North Texas and Willamette University. Margarita has also done residencies for the San Antonio Independent School District and Texas International Theatrical Arts Society (TITAS) through the Texas Commission on the Arts.