La Tanya is trained in flamenco, classical Spanish and regional Spanish dancing. She started her professional dance career at the age of 15 after being spotted by the internationally acclaimed dancer and choreographer Antonio del Castillo.
She subsequently moved to Madrid to further her flamenco dance studies at Amor de Dios Studios.
In Spain she integrated with the Spanish culture becoming fluent in Spanish and expanded her dancing career to became an actress working for the Spanish TV channelAntenna3 in Farmacia de Guardia and Humor 5 Estrellas on Tele5 and playing one of the leading roles in the Spanish box office hit El Robobo de la Jojoya with actors Martes y Trece.
In the United States of America she diversified into dance theatre management, while performing in New York, Los Angeles, Washington Smithsonian Institute, San Francisco and Austin Playhouse for the Jose Greco Dance Company.
She also took time to study screenwriting in California and taught flamenco classes in New York at Steps on Broadway and Fazils.
In 1996 she returned to South Africa and founded SoloFLAMENCO with Antonio del Castillo as the artistic director.
She produced and starred in Agony & Ecstasy, Gitano, Misa Flamenca, España ’99, Peña Flamenca and Percusión which was performed at the State Theatre, Aula Auditorium, Wits Theatre, Muckleneuk Amphitheatre and the Nelspruit Civic Theatre, while producing the movies Bailando la Palabra and Boda Zulu for the Spanish production company Larpos.
In 2010 SoloFLAMENCO relocated to Cape Town establishing a youth company that appeared at the Artscape and Baxter Dance Festivals, as well as a professional company with regular shows and guest artist appearances at theatres and intimate venues such as Masque Theatre, Magnet Theatre, The Nassau Theatre, Cape Town City Hall, Villa Pascal, Belville Civic, Alliance Francaise and the Embassy of Spain in Cape Town and Namibia, besides participating in festivals such as Creative Cape Town, US WoordFees and the Greyton Classical Music Festival.
“culturally one was transported to southern Spain, visually glued to beautiful dancers expressing every emotion through dance – and at a ferocity that captivated everyone....extraordinary performance of music, passion and force ... we were mesmerised” — Jonathan Riley - Octagon Broadcasting