Andrea Kafoňková
Artist
Irish Dance
Andrea was inspired to start Irish dancing in 2006 during her stay on Clare Island in County Mayo, where she was attending set dancing classes in the local community centre. After returning home she joined Fiach bán, an Irish step dance group based in Olomouc, Czech Republic. She soon started performing at cultural events and festivals and competing at European feiseanna. She also became one of the main teachers of the group preparing dancers for competitions and choreographing dances for the group shows. In 2013 she moved to Ireland and stsrted competing for Munster where she qualified for her first World Irish Dancing Championships in 2015 and travelled to Montreal, Canada. The following year she qualified again for Glassgow, Scotland which was her last competition. She decided to retire and concentrate fully on performing. During her competitive years, Andrea met and worked with many professional dancers and teachers, e.g. Stephen Scariff, Ronan Morgan, Orfhlaith Ní Bhriain, Ciara Sexton, and Lauren Smyth. Thanks to their guidance she was able to pursue her dreams and goals and gain priceless experience as an adult dancer.
Flamenco
Andrea was first introduced to flamenco back in the Czech Republic where she was regularly taking beginners classes with a dance group called Aires Del Sur, but it wasn't until she moved to Ireland when she started perfoming. In 2016 she joined Los Paddys, a Clare based band whose music represents a fusion of Irish trad and South American rhythms. This was an ideal combination for her as both an Irish and flamenco dancer and a great opportunity to start choreographing her own pieces. Nowadays she can be seen performing with the band across Ireland, Europe and most recently also the South American continent. In 2018 she started cooperating with Yovanna Torres Blanco, a flamenco and Mexican dancer based in Limerick. Together they've created a dance show called Raíces which combines flamenco and Mexican folk dance. This new connection gave her a chance to further develop her dance skills and expand on the opportunities for a performing career.
Music
While on a break from dancing due to a foot injury three years ago, Andrea was looking for alternative ways to stay connected with music. She started singing and playing the bodhrán with Los Paddys members, joining local Ennis bands for a few songs and playing at Irish music sessions. She continues spreading her love for music through rhythm and singing songs of various genres.
