It was 1972 and, growing up in Casablanca, she savoured the constant sunshine and its sweetly-scented gardens.

But, due to growing tensions in the Middle East between the Arabs and Israel which, a year later, would result in the Yom Kippur War, Karen’s parents, Jacqueline and Ilan Benhamou, decided to move to Paris.

The youngest of four children, two of Karen’s elder sibling had already moved to the French capital to attend university .

Decades later and having lived in Morocco, France and the UK — and also spending time in Spain — Karen decided to follow her dream to become a professional flamenco dancer.

She went on to produce several flamenco-based shows, the latest of which is House of Flamenka.

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