In 1978, Irma Suárez Ruiz went to pick up her younger sisters from a Spanish dance class at Northeastern Illinois University, home of the fledgling Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater. Just out of high school, Ruiz was promptly kicked out of the studio by the company’s founder and artistic director, Libby Komaiko. “She said, ‘We don’t want anyone to come in because the kids lose their attention,’” Ruiz recalls. She wasn’t offended as much as intrigued, and by the time she watched the ensemble perform Zapateado later that summer, she was hooked: “That program alone struck a nerve in me. I wanted to be one of Libby’s dancers.”

Ruiz enrolled at NEIU and signed up for every Spanish dance class she could, becoming a company apprentice in 1979. She eventually took the reins as artistic director in 2015, four years before Komaiko died. Now approaching retirement herself, Ruiz, 65, has spent a decade at the front of the room she was once kicked out of, helping solidify the ensemble’s status as one of the world’s best Spanish dance troupes and laying the groundwork for the next generation. (In July, she promoted company dancer José Torres to the role of associate artistic director.)

Ensemble Español’s fall concert, marking its 50th season, is effectively half a century in the making, honoring Komaiko and Ruiz with a one-night performance exclusively featuring pieces choreographed by the two women. It’s a rare treat, given Ruiz’s penchant for programming new works by guest choreographers. The spark that ignited her journey, Zapateado, is on the bill, plus two full-throttle group pieces from the archive: Komaiko’s 1993 magnum opus, Bolero (set to Ravel’s iconic ostinato), and Ruiz’s contemporary classic, 2019’s Pasion Oculta — each boundary-breaking for its time.

The performance will be a primer on Spanish dance, showcasing a depth and breadth that extend far beyond flamenco. And though the night is a tribute to both women, Ruiz would rather Komaiko get the credit. “You don’t appreciate all the work until you’re in those shoes,” says Ruiz, who still dances and even sews costumes. “She was brilliant.”

Ensemble Español performs November 15 at the Auditorium Theatre.