Justine Bayod Espoz is an international arts and culture journalist who also works in arts administration, curation and production through her companies ToritoMedia and ToritoArtists.
A native of Chicago (USA), Justine holds B.A.s in English and Spanish Language and Literature from Smith College, as well as a Master’s in Cultural Management from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid.
Justine has written for publications across the globe, including Art Monthly Australia, Dance International (Canada), Tanz (Germany), Acordes de Flamenco and Suzy Q (Spain), Pointe, Dance Magazine and Dance Spirit (USA), among many others. Other highlights in her journalism career include her work as Assistant Editor of the now-defunct bilingual cultural publication Terra Incognita and as Editor-in-Chief of MAP Magazine in Madrid, Spain.
Specializing in the critique and history of Spanish dance (classical, folkloric and flamenco), Justine has produced a number of Spanish dance productions, including Flamenco A3 by Flavio Rodrigues, EviscerArt by Vanesa Aibar and, most recently, Flamenco Joven y Jondo and Alhambra by trio Corazón de Granada. She has also worked as the guest curator of the Ay! Más Flamenco Festival produced by the World Music Institute in New York City and the Duende Flamenco Festival produced by the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto. Additionally, she has given didactic presentations on the origins and history of flamenco at schools, universities and museums across North America.
Justine recently began the arts nonprofit ToritoArts to promote cross-cultural communication, education and appreciation through the performing arts. The organization’s primary focus is presenting unique opportunities to discover and understand cultural and ethnic movements and traditions through the arts, with a focus on reaching non-traditional and underserved audiences. All of this with the ultimate goal of expanding arts engagement and increasing ethnic and cultural understanding and exchange.