Carlos Menchaca is a Chicano dancer and choreographer who blends the traditional and avant-garde, he strives to defy gender norms and convention in flamenco while venerating its history. Carlos has had the honor of studying and performing with an array of some of the most renowned flamenco artists. Aside from his work as a solo performer, Carlos has toured internationally with such companies as Soledad Barrio and Noche Flamenca, Yjastros: The American Flamenco Repertory Company, and Flamenco Arts International. He has performed in Sölden, Austria; Managua, Nicaragua, The United Arab Emirates, The Chan Centre for Performing Arts (Vancouver, Canada), The Z Space (San Francisco, CA), and both The Joyce Theater and Joe’s Pub at The Public Theater in New York City. In 2023, Carlos broke barriers performing as principal dancer with Yjastros: The American Flamenco Repertory Company’s Xicano Power at the Festival de Jerez (Spain), the first U.S.-based company to be featured at the esteemed festival. Most recently, Carlos was selected by the city of Albuquerque’s Urban Enhancement Trust Fund to choreograph a series of works focusing on the collaboration between local, intergenerational artists. Carlos has also been a passionate faculty member of the Conservatory of Flamenco Arts since 2007 and is regularly invited to teach and choreograph for other schools and ensembles around the United States.