Ania "La Candela" Bio

Ania Bartelmus, "La Candela", is an internationally renowned flamenco dancer based in Atlanta, GA, and the Founder/Director of her company. Over the years, she trained with Spain’s top flamenco artists during her 3 year stay in Sevilla and other frequent visits to this flamenco capital.  She has appeared in venues in Poland, Switzerland, Spain and US including Spanish tablaos, US venues, CBS program “Better Mornings Atlanta” and PBS program “This is Atlanta”.  Ania was a featured dancer in the music video “Kiss the Night” by Summer Azul, and principal dancer for David Maldonado's flamenco symphony tour "Noche de Pasion". 2005 - 2011 she performed as a soloist for Calo Gitano Flamenco Dance Company, and as a guest dancer with Berdole Flamenco, Julie Baggenstoss. In 2019 Ania was chosen as a finalist for the Flamenco Vivo Certamen USA competition and as of 2020 Ania is honored to be a member of Flamenco Vivo’s professional Consorcio Flamenco, a group dedicated to growing flamenco on the national stage. In 2020, Ania was commissioned to create choreography for the City of Atlanta’s project “Pandemic Atlanta”.  As director of La Candela Flamenco Ania collaborates with local musicians to create flamenco arrangements and flamenco fusion pieces, which she also produces. 

To book Ania, or contact her for interviews and collaborations, please use the contact form or contact her directly at ania@lacande.la

2022 - A&E Atlanta Grant Recipient

2020 - Pandemic Atlanta Choreography Acquisition by the City of Atlanta

2020 - Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana Concorcio participant/ scholarship recipient

2019 - Finalist of the Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana Certamen

2012 - Centro de Arte y Flamenco de Sevilla scholarship recipient

Ania Bartelmus is the lead dancer as well as founder and director of La Candela Company. Ania’s love affair with flamenco started years ago when she first saw a live flamenco show in her hometown Wrocław. Before discovering flamenco she trained in many other dance forms, theater and gymnastics but it wasn’t until she saw flamenco that she became passionate enough to pursue it as a career. Her passion for flamenco made her leave everything and move to Seville, Spain to pursue her dreams of becoming a professional flamenco dancer and start her own company. Upon her return to Atlanta, Ania started collaborating with other national flamenco artists and kept going back and forth to Seville for more training and more performing experience. Eventually, in 2014, Ania started her first company called Ania Flamenco which last year became known as La Candela Company. La Candela means the flame and is also Ania’s nickname. It was in Seville that Ania received her nickname from the renowned flamenco signer Curro Fernandez who saw flamenco flame in Ania.

Ania is in charge of musical and dance arrangements, booking national and international artists for her shows as well as managing company’s day to day operations. She lives her dream of making a living with flamenco, creating new shows and dancing every day. Ania listens to flamenco music, her exercise is dance, and her favorite travel destination is Spain. Even her partner Greg is very involved in flamenco and is behind most of the photos and videos that you see of La Candela Company, as well as, all the stage and equipment needs.