Ensemble Español - Flamenco Passion

7 DAME LIBBY KOMAIKO, FOUNDER The Ensemble Español Center for Spanish Dance and Music, the Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater, the Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Youth Company and the American Spanish Dance and Music Festival, Professor Emeritus of Dance in the Department of Music and Dance at Northeastern Illinois University F or over half a century Dame Libby’s innovative, unique and visionary career has encompassed art, education and culture. Her passionate pioneering creations are respected and hailed throughout the Americas and internationally. In 1983 she became the first American artist in history to be decorated with Spain’s highest honor, the “Lazo de Dama de Isabel la Católica” by Juan Carlos I, King of Spain, for her superlative work in spreading the cultural and artistic values of Spain throughout the U.S. Dame Libby began her dance training and performance in classical ballet and character dance as a young child with Elisa Stigler at the Chicago Musical College of Roosevelt University. As a teen, she studied Jazz, Modern and Musical Theater with Gus Giordano. At the age of 18, she auditioned for the legendary José Greco and given the opportunity to learn and perform with his world famous Spanish Dance Company in the U.S. Her beloved journey into the Spanish dance world led her to the company of Lola Montes. Dame Libby’s career included musical theater, opera, television, film and orchestra, including guest performances with Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops. With the Ensemble Español she performed with the Detroit Symphony, the Evanston and Skokie Valley Symphonies, and repeated performances with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. She worked as choreographer and coach for several Chamber Opera Chicago performances. She studied in Spain and in the United States with Elisa Stigler, Gus Giordano, Maria Alba, Nana Lorca, Lola Montes, José Greco, Edo, Manolo Vargas, Paul Haakon, María Magdalena, Pedro Azorin, Ciro, Pacita Tomas, and Roberto Lorca, with whom she partnered for several years. In 1976 she created and founded the Ensemble Español , the premier Spanish Dance Center and Company in the United States to have “In Residence” status at a university, Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago. She choreographed 60 works in the company’s extensive 135 plus choreographic roster and producing major international Flamenco ballets and dramas, folkloric suites and classic modern interpretations with guest artists from Spain and the Americas. Dame Libby completed the filming of a video documentary, Ensemble Español: The First 20 years, 1976-1996 , in 1998. She produced a CD of Spanish music and castanets, “Dama Libby and Friends”, which benefits the Ensemble’s Youth Scholarship and Endowment Funds still today. Dame Libby passed away on February 2, 2019. We honor her legacy and the gift she has left us all with the Ensemble Español at our in resident home, Northeastern Illinois University. Gracias adorada Dama Libby de todo Corazon. For donations or more information on our Dame Libby Komaiko scholarships and endowments contact Kim Grigsby at Kim@eesdt.org