Defne Enç Lujan began her dance studies in classical ballet at the age of five and was soon performing in theaters in Southern California.  Her career as a professional flamenco dancer began in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1995, and she has since worked both as a company member and as a soloist with many flamenco companies throughout the United States and abroad.  She currently resides in Madrid though she travels extensively throughout Europe and the United States in her work as a dancer, choreographer, and teacher.  At present she is working on an innovative contemporary choreography project, parts of which have already been performed in San Francisco, Istanbul, Madrid, and Girona, where she was a finalist in the prestigious Dansalt Choreography Competition.