Juan Vergillos is an award-winning critic, published author, and accomplished historian who has presented his perspectives on a variety of flamenco topics to flamenco fans, students, professionals, and academics on four continents for more than 30 years. He has published much of his knowledge in six books, the most recent being Nueva Historia del Flamenco (2021), in which he elaborates on his theory about the origins of flamenco in the frame of Spanish history and Western art. Juan also shares his knowledge as a guest at universities, flamenco peñas, and dance companies, where he is a frequent lecturer on flamenco history, contemporary issues, and aesthetics across Spain and internationally.
Juan understands the art form in praxis, having collaborated with some of the most important artists, directors, and producers, to create major theater productions, museum exhibits in Spain, and even a new flamenco festival just outside of Seville. In that same city, he regularly publishes reviews of flamenco performances as a flamenco critic of the Diario de Sevilla, and he works as a professor at the University of Sevilla. Since he was a young author, Juan has received several awards reflecting his long-standing and deep dedication to flamenco, including the National Prize for Flamencology by La Cátedra de Flamencología de Jerez (2012), Spain’s highest honor for a flamenco history expert.