Belén López (flamenco dancer)
Ana Belén López Ruiz (born 1986) is a Spanish flamenco and classical dancer. The prestigious Berklee College of Music called her "one of the most passionate and roots-driven rising stars of flamenco dance." She is the Prima Ballerina of the Arena di Verona and Il Cambroio, and the muse of film director Franco Zeffirelli. Early years Belen was born in 1986 in Tarragona. Her family was from Córdoba and Seville. She is said to have been born "with dancing shoes". Her talent came to the fore right from the age of 5 when she gave a performance in Barcelona as a tribute to Carmen Amaya. At the age of 9, she represented Spain at the Interfest in Moscow. In 1994, she danced at the Teatro de Madrid with Angel Corella, at a show to benefit UNICEF, and acted on Telecinco's "The Trampoline". In the same year, she appeared on the TV contest program, Bravo Bravissimo where she earned 2nd place in the classical dance category. At the age of 11, in 1997, she represented Spain at the World Tourism Fair in Saint Petersburg. She graduated from Conservatorio de Danza de Madrid. Career At the age of 17 she established her