Anna Mendak (flamenco, belly dance)
A dancer of flamenco and belly dance with a psychologist degree. Her adventure with dance began in modern dance group, where she performed as a child. She learned to dance flamenco in Poland and Spain, taught by masters such as: Carmen de Torres, Juan Polvillo, Ana Maria Amahi, Araceli de Alcala, Adela Campallo, El Torombo. She dances in polish well-known groups "Danza del Fuego" and "Rumbero Flamenco". She gave concerts with Rafael de Huelva, Juan Polvillo and Rafael Cortes. She co-operated with guitarist and singer Rubin de la Ana as well as performed during the International Guitar Festival in Brna, accompanied by Rafael Cuena Garibi - professor of Guanajuato University in Mexico. In 2003 she obtained a scholarship of Juan Polvillo. A year later she won the 1st prize and the prize of public in the competition for the best Polish dancer during 3rd Flamenco Festival in Łódź. She co-operates with Slovak and Spanish group "Agustito", which gives performances all over Europe. She practiced Egyptian style of oriental dance with teachers Elwira Isypowa and Elwira Janiztki, as well as during courses in Turkey and Spain. She performs under a nickname "Samira" and leads workshops and permanent courses of belly dance in Wrocław. She is the co-author of performance "From orient to flamenco", it in which she unites flamenco with its roots - the oriental music and belly dance. This project won the 2nd prize during International Folk Festival Ethnosfera 2002. She co-operated for several years with TV Polsat and TVP 2. She leads flamenco courses in Wrocław and Płock as well as the holiday workshops flamenco as well as summer flamenco and belly dance workshops in Krzyżowa, Lądek Zdrój and during the Biennale
of Contemporary Dance in Poznań.
