Sara Maria was born in San Francisco, California to an American Mother and Italian Father. She had the good fortune to discover her lifelong passion for dance at age 3 when she saw her first ballet, Swan Lake, at the San Francisco Opera House. She began studying with the San Francisco Ballet and performed four years later in San Francisco Ballet’s Nutcracker, on that same illustrious stage. Sara Maria’s devotion to the study of dance blossomed into a career dancing as a student with the San Francisco Ballet and later, as a dedicated dance instructor and performer for the Redwood Empire Ballet in Santa Rosa, California. Sara Maria has also taught dance in the public school system through Young Imaginations in Marin and Sonoma counties. Sara Maria expanded her dance education to include Character dance and performed with Character Dance Theater of Santa Rosa.
Sara Maria’s fascination for the fiery art Flamenco started at an early age as well, when she traveled to Spain with her parents. She has studied with traveling artists such as Jose Galvan, Pastora Galvan, Omayra Amaya and Juan Siddi, among others, and local Bay Area teachers – Carola Zertuche and Melissa Cruz. She continues her training with local flamenco sensation, Fanny Ara. Sara Maria artfully combines her flamenco and classical ballet training. Besides her own presentations, she has performed with several other local companies: Cuadro Iberico, Flamenco Arts, Aire Flamenco, Mark Taylor Flamenco, Los Cuatro Vientos, la Fibi’s Flamenco Live Dance Ensemble, and Duende Mendocino. Sara Maria performs throughout California and has danced at Cowell Theater and the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, Sonoma State University, Santa Rosa Junior College, Wells Fargo performing Arts Center, Cinnabar Theater in Sonoma County, and La Costa Resort and Spa in San Diego. Sara Maria has also had the joy of dancing at many Sonoma and Napa County wineries including: Chalk Hill Winery, Chateau St. Jean, Kendall-Jackson, Charles Krug Winery, Hanna Winery, Ridge-Lytton Springs, Silver Oak Cellars, Moon Mountain and Cliff Lede Vineyards, to name a few.
