Cecilia Davila

Cecilia has been dancing flamenco for the past 15 years, though her love for the art form began much earlier. From a young age, she felt a strong connection to flamenco but didn’t have the opportunity to dance until later in life. That moment came while studying and teaching at Northeastern Illinois University, where she took her first flamenco classes with Libby Komaiko and Irma Suárez. Since then, she has continued her flamenco journey whenever her professional schedule allowed, studying with a variety of exceptional teachers, including Azucena Vega, Michelle Nacimiento (La Caoba), Carmela Greco, Paloma Gómez, and Claudia Pizarro.

Although she has never pursued flamenco professionally, it has remained a constant and passionate presence in her life. For her, flamenco is more than dance — it is art, exercise, mental stimulation, healing therapy, and nourishment for the soul. It brings energy, preserves memory, and sustains both body and spirit. She believes flamenco is a powerful form of expression that welcomes everyone, regardless of experience. If you love art and movement, it is never too late to begin.

Taking classes with Claudia Pizarro has been especially meaningful. Now that Claudia has returned to Chicago, she is deeply grateful to once again be part of her classes. She values the way Claudia continues to create opportunities for the community to experience and share flamenco. These experiences serve as a beautiful reminder that no matter our age, we can keep learning, performing, and feeling vibrantly alive.