About Reflejos Flamencos
Reflejos Flamencos shares Spanish music and dance with Tulsa. What started twenty years ago as a father-daughter duo showcasing flamenco guitar and dance by Johnny Beard and daughter, Lexi Allen, now includes guitar and percussion by Dylan Allen and singing by Adriana Ramirez Nelson.
In 2010 Lexi and Dylan formed FlamencoTULSA in their native Oklahoma. Flamenco TULSA’s purpose is to celebrate flamenco and the Spanish arts and to explore and share the rich multi-cultural heritage of these arts as well as the impact they continue to have on the world. This is done through classes, educational opportunities, performances, and other community events.
Our vision is to build a thriving, supportive, and culturally sensitive community that affects positive change through the Spanish arts; to promote global education by providing Spanish arts education programs and scholarships for children and adults; to foster cross-cultural connections, individual creativity, artistic expression, and collaboration in our community through high quality shows and exhibitions and world class workshops and performances from top international artists; to partner with other organizations that share the common goal of making a positive difference in people’s lives.
Lexi Allen
Lexi Allen has grown up with flamenco music and began her formal dance training at age five. At the age of seven, she began performing flamenco with her father, guitarist Johnny Beard.
From an early age Lexi’s dance ability and natural grace were recognized by her instructors. Lexi was chosen by internationally acclaimed flamenco dancer, Maria Benitez to be a soloist at many of her annual flamenco presentations. In addition to flamenco, her dance studies include ballet, Spanish classical, and modern.
Lexi has studied and performed flamenco with many of Spain’s leading flamenco artists. After returning from studying in Seville, Lexi was invited to teach flamenco dance with the Maria Benitez Institute for Spanish Arts in Santa Fe, NM for the 2005 Flamenco Workshop. Lexi has served as guest choreographer and professor of dance at Oral Roberts University and currently teaches flamenco dance with FlamencoTULSA, the organization she co-founded with her husband, Dylan Allen.
Johnny Beard
Johnny Beard has been playing the guitar for over forty years. Over the years he has worked with many top flamenco performers. He studied with well known musicians such as René Heredia, Roberto Castellón, Pedro Cuadra, Jose Valle Fajardo “Chuscales”, Antonio Andrade and other guitarists in Spain.
He has performed at many of Maria Benitez’s annual flamenco festivals. Johnny is delighted to teach and perform with daughter Lexi and Reflejos Flamencos, in venues around the country and at many local events including the Mayfest and OK Mozart International Festival. Johnny has entertained countless children with lecture demonstrations in schools around the state through the Arts & Humanities Council of Tulsa’s Artists in the Schools program. Johnny, also an expert craftsman, builds flamenco guitars and cajones.
Dylan Allen
Dylan Allen's musical journey began over twenty years ago after receiving his grandfather's acoustic guitar. He plays acoustic, electric, classical, and flamenco guitar along with the cajón. He studied flamenco guitar with Joaquín Gallegos and Johnny Beard. His sharp ear for rhythms enabled him to easily transition to percussion instruments like the djembe and the flamenco cajón.
He has been influenced by such artists as Francisco Javier Orrosco “Yiyi” and Guillermo McGill. He furthered his knowledge of the Spanish culture through his travels to the Spanish cities of Seville and Madrid. Dylan draws from a diverse musical background and approaches flamenco with an appreciation for the traditional structure as well as for modern musical influences. In addition to his work with flamenco, he leads worship and provides guitar and vocals at Community Brookside.
Adriana Ramirez Nelson
Adriana Ramirez Nelson's first exposure to the main stage was her role in the broadway production of “Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” The play was performed in the Chicago Theater starring Donny Ozmond. Adriana was signed on as part of the children’s choir for a three month contract. During her early years, she studied voice under Ingrid Mueller. She majored in Music Business at Western Illinois University where she took up piano, guitar, and percussion.
During this time she studied voice under Mr. Terry Chasteen. Since college she has played at many of the venues of Chicago Including some in Indiana. Some of these venues include Subterranean, Elbo Room, The Cubby Bear, Uncommon Ground, The Museum of Science and Industry, and Double Door. On June 13th 2009 she participated in Chicago’s largest independent music fest, I AM Fest through the Chicago Noise Machine local arts music organization.
The year of 2011 marked her move to Tulsa Oklahoma where she joined the band Balderdash. She released a cd with the band in May 2014 entitled "Balderdash Introducing Adriana." In May of 2016 Adriana joined Reflejos Flamencos. Since then they have performed at local establishments and venues such as Guthrie Green.