Jesús and Amalyah Muñoz

In conversation with Roadrunner editor, Madison Garay.

We’ve been dreaming of this for a very long time. I came here because I fell in love, and now I am in love with Albuquerque.

– Amalyah Muñoz, bailaora flamenca and instructor at Flamenco Works, Inc.

Cruising down Albuquerque’s Route 66, there is a little black building in Downtown bursting with talent. Welcome to Flamenco Works: the brainchild of flamenco artists Jesús and Amalyah Muñoz. Jesús established his own flamenco company, Jesús Muñoz Flamenco, in Albuquerque in 2010, and since co-founded Casa Flamenca and Flamenco Works. The Muñozes' most recent venture is Fiesta Flamenca Burqueña, a Route 66 signature event hosted in downtown Albuquerque on Civic Plaza. The free flamenco festival enters its second year, a dream made possible through a labor of communal love for flamenco.

The Muñozes hope that those witnessing flamenco for the first time walk away with a sense of emotional connection and fulfillment. “Our performance is its own education. It's in listening to a letra, dancing to that poetry, then interpreting and transmitting that to the audience, who feel it,” Jesús explained, “I tell my students, you must dance with complete integrity. For someone who is visiting and seeing this for the first time, you as the dancer are the complete history of flamenco. You are a cultural representation the minute you step on that stage.”

Jesús Muñoz was entering his final year of high school when his family moved to Albuquerque. His flamenco journey began with a guitar class, where his teacher invited a young flamenco guitarist to demonstrate. “He had 10 fingers on that guitar, moving like a cartoon. It was incredible,” recalled Jesús.

That incident would inspire him to hone his musical craft at the University of New Mexico (UNM), where he was exposed to flamenco dancing. He grew up in a dancing family, surrounded by the beats of rancheras and bailes mexicanas at social gatherings. At first, Jesús was reluctant to delve into a studio discipline. He soon embraced it, traveling transatlantic to Cádiz, Spain, to master his craft. He performed at iconic Route 66 venues such as the KiMo Theatre and El Rey, while his career rose to new heights on the national stage. “I toured for 10 years on the East Coast, but I never really left Albuquerque. I always come back,” said Jesús.

He spent eight years with Casa Flamenca, until 2018. Jesús was ready to contribute his knowledge and artistry to Burqueños in a new way. He then established Flamenco Works, Inc. with Amalyah in the historic Barelas neighborhood. Four years later, they moved Downtown to a new location on Central Avenue, as Route 66 is known in Albuquerque. There, lowriders cruise into the sunset, enveloped in the sounds and scents of New Mexico.

“Central is our front yard. Part of our mission is to create and present world-class flamenco art for all community members – let’s give it to as many people as possible.” said Amalyah.

Jesús and Amalyah performing live in 2023.

Thus, Fiesta Flamenco Burqueña was born. “We are proud of Flamenco Works, and we wanted to continue that ethos in another big way,” remarked Jesús. A free flamenco festival on an outdoor stage was a novel idea. "It made the most sense to do it on Civic Plaza [in Downtown]. Then, we bring together the lowriders, food trucks, and local and national artists – the people who make Albuquerque so special,” Amalyah affirmed.

She called Fiesta Flamenca Burqueña  “an investment in Downtown,” explaining, “We are bringing legends to the stage for free so that everyone has the opportunity to experience their artistry. This year we are hosting Mercedes de Córdoba, all the way from Spain.”

You can find Jesús and Amalyah sitting in the front row at Fiesta Flamenca Burqueña, admiring the artists as much as they did when the music first moved them years ago. That is the transcendent power of flamenco – performers do not merely stage human experiences; they channel it from the soul. The effect is tangible. 

“When I dance alegrias, I don’t ‘pretend’ to be happy – I recollect happiness, scraping it from experience,” said Jesús. “Sometimes I dance alegria and I am back in Spain. Sometimes I dance alegria and I see my baby boy’s face.”

This year’s Fiesta Flamenca Burqueña will take place on Civic Plaza on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. Doors open at 6 p.m. and performances are from 7 to 10 p.m. Free tickets are available online and must be reserved in advance, as space is limited. Headlining artists will also perform at Flamenco Works’ tablao on Central Ave the following evening, Sept 28th, from 7-9pm. In addition, keep an eye on Visit Albuquerque’s Events Calendar for upcoming tablaos and festivals in Albuquerque.

Flamenco performance at Tablao Flamenco, 2024. Photo courtesy of Inspirado.