OUR ARTISTS
Martín Santangelo - Founding Member, Artistic Director & Choreographer
Martín Santagelo founded Soledad Barrio & Noche Flamenca with Soledad Barrio. He studied flamenco dance after moving to Madrid from New York City where he had studied jazz with 'Luigi', tap dance and theatre. Martin's teachers included 'Ciro', Paco Romero, 'El Güito' and 'Manolete' among others. He has performed throughout Spain, Japan and North and South America with María Benitez’s Teatro Flamenco, Lincoln Center Festival of the Arts and Paco Romero’s Ballet Español. He also appeared in Julie Taymor’s "Juan Darien" at Lincoln Center. He choreographed and performed in Eduardo Machado’s "Deep Song", directed by Lynne Taylor-Corbett as well as a production of Romeo and Juliet at the Denver Theater Center. He has directed and choreographed "Bodas de Sangre", "The Lower Depths", "La Celestina", "A Streetcar Named Desire" and "Antígona" amongst other international productions. He has collaborated with many artists including Lee Breuer, Luis Valdez, and Jerzy Grotowski.
Soledad Barrio - Founding Member, Dancer & Choreographer
Soledad Barrio was born in Madrid. She is a founding member of Soledad Barrio & Noche Flamenca alongside her husband Martín Santangelo. Barrio has appeared as a soloist with Manuela Vargas, Blanca del Rey, 'Luisillo', 'El Gúito', 'Manolete', Cristobal Reyes, and 'El Toleo'. She has also worked with Ballet Español de Paco Romero, Festival Flamenco and many other companies. She has performed throughout Europe, Japan and North and South America with artists such as Alejandro Granados, 'El Torombo', Isabel Bayón, Jesus Torres, Miguel Perez, Belen Maya, Manolo Marín, Javier Barón, Merche Esmeralda, Rafael Campallo, Belen Maya, etc. She has also been a resident teaching artist at NYU Tisch School of the Arts and a guest teacher at The Julliard School of Dance. Barrio has won awards from over 15 countries for her excellence in dance, including a Bessie Award for Outstanding Creative Achievement, a 2015 Dance Magazine Exceptional Artist Award, the 2022 Vilcek Prize in Dance and a Bessie award for Outstanding Performer.
Juan Ogalla - Dancer
Juan Ogalla was born in Cádiz, Spain. He began dancing at an early age and started his professional dance career at only seventeen years old. He was a member of the company Manuel Morao, Ballet de Cristina Hoyos, Manuela Carrasco, María Pagés, and many others. He has performed in tablaos all over Spain such as Casa Patas, El Arenal, Los Gallos, El Corral de la Morería, Las Carboneras etc. Juan Ogalla has also worked in theaters worldwide including The Paris Opera, The Joyce Theatre, The National Tokyo Theatre and Teatro Central de Sevilla among others. He has participated in flamenco festivals worldwide including the Montreal Flamenco Festival and The Jerez Flamenco Festival. Juan Ogalla was presented with a Dora Mayor Moore award for his performance in “Espejo de Oro”.
Marina Elana - Dancer
Marina Elana began training in Spanish classical dance and flamenco at a young age in her hometown of San Francisco with Adela Clara, 'La Mónica' and Yaelisa. She has studied in Sevilla and Madrid with artists such as Yolanda Heredia, Belén Maya, Isabel Bayón and Soledad Barrio. Marina has been a company member of Soledad Barrio & Noche Flamenca since 2012 and has toured both nationally and internationally with the company as a soloist. She has also worked alongside Pastora Galván and Jose Anillo and has performed and presented her own choreography in the New York International Fringe Festival, the 2015 Queensboro Dance Festival, and the 2016 Inside/Out Festival at Jacob's Pillow Dance.
Jesús Helmo - Dancer
Jesús Helmo was born in Cádiz and started dancing at just 5 years old. He has studied with numerous flamenco dancers including; Pilar and Juan Ogalla, Belén Maya, Alfonso Losa and Pedro Córdoba. He was given the third “Premio Nacional de Baile por Alegrías de la Perla de Cádiz” in 2002, he was a finalist in “Flamenco Puro Turín de la Frontera” at the Jerez Festival in 2019, and has obtained a silver medal from “Aula de Flamencología de Cádiz”. He has also represented “Turismo Andaluz” in the San Sebastián Festival and the “VEO VEO 98” Awards in Morocco, Italy, France and Portugal. He formed part of the “Artes de Costa Rica (FIA)” festival and the “Siete soles Siete Lunas" festival in 2015. He has worked in Eduardo Guerrero’s company, Manolo Carrasco, Javier Marín’s company, Naomi Piazza’s flamenco school, and in tablaos all throughout Spain. In 2021 he created two flamenco shows titled “Aquel Tablao” and “Artego”. In 2022 he toured tablaos in the United States with “Rhythm of the Arts” with artists Amparo Heredia y Miguel Rosendo. He is currently part of the show “La Pepa” by Jesús Férnandez and forms part of the Ballet Flamenco in Cádiz.
Pablo Fraile - Dancer
Pablo Fraile was born in Guadalajara, Spain. He began his training as a child at the Conservatorio Profesional de Danza Comandante Fortea, under the tutelage of Juan Manuel 'Juanma' Carillo and Javier Palacios. He was chosen by Antonio Canales to perform in his production of "La Casa de Bernarda Alba" by García Lorca. Pablo has danced alongside Canales as soloist in "Soledades", "Piedra y Cielo" and has performed alongside the renowned ballet dancer ‘Faruk’ in "Carmen". He also appeared as a principal dancer in the company of Tito Losada. He was chosen by Cecilia Gomez to interpret the role of 'Chaman' in the "Homage to Chavela Vargas" and has worked with the company of 'El Mistel' in "Bailando La Vida" at the Suma Flamenca 2014. Pablo traveled to Japan with Javier 'La Torre' to dance with the Shoji Kojima company in "La Celestina" (this production was also presented in the Festival of Jerez and the Bienal of Sevilla).
PAULA BOLAÑOS- dancer
Paula Bolaños completed her professional studies in Spanish Dance at the EPDCYL in Valladolid, obtaining the extraordinary prize for Professional Dance Education. She continued her training in Madrid, specializing in flamenco dance pedagogy at the María de Ávila Conservatory of Dance. Some of her teachers include Rafaela Carrasco, Óscar Jiménez, Paula Comitre, Florencia Oz, Inmaculada Aranda, and Adrián Santana. She was a dancer for the show OléOlá under the artistic direction of José Carlos Plaza and Cristina Hoyos. She has also worked in the show Amores Flamencos under the artistic direction of Carlos Rodríguez. Paula has participated as a solo dancer in the International Museum Day organized by the Provincial Council of Valladolid in and was in the final of the X Certamen Jóvenes Valores del Flamenco de Nerja, Málaga. She currently works in multiple tablaos throughout Spain and continues her studies in dance.
Eugenio Iglesias - Guitarist
Eugenio Iglesias was born in Sevilla where he began playing professionally at a very young age. He soon started working as a guitarist in major tablaos in Sevilla such as Teatro Flamenco, El Palacio Andaluz, Teatro Flamenco Triana and Las Setas among others. Some of his first teachers were Mario Escudero and Julio Rodríguez . He began touring outside of Sevilla with various companies and has accompanied renown dancers such as Antonio Canales, 'Farruco', 'Farruquito', 'El Güito', 'La Tona', Javier Barón, Sara Baras, Manuela Carrasco, Israel Galván, Mario Maya, and ‘Angelita’ Vargas. He also accompanied some of the greatest flamenco singers in Spain including Lole Montoya, 'La Negra', 'Chiquetete', 'La Susi', Carmen Montoya, Juan Villar and 'El Potito'.
Salva de María - Guitarist
Salva de María was born into flamenco, he is the grandson of the legendary singer Antonio “La Chaqueta” and comes from a long line of flamenco artists in Madrid. He began working with Ballet Español de María Rosa at a young age where he accompanied singers such as as Carmen Linares, José Mercé, Vicente Soto 'Sordera' and 'Chaquetón'. He has worked with Mayte Martín, La Chana, Ginesa Ortega, and Carmina Cortés. Since 2001, he has worked with artists such as 'Chicuelo', Miguel Poveda, 'La Susi', Israel Galván, Javier 'Latorre' and 'Duquende' performing at a national and international level and keeping his family's flamenco lineage alive.
David 'Chupete' Rodriguez - Percussionist
David 'Chupete' Rodriguez was born in the town of Osuna in Sevilla and began to study music early in life. During this time, he accompanied his brother, the dancer Antonio 'El Chupete'. David studied in Sevilla at the conservatory in Triana and received his degree at the University of Seville in Music Education, with specialties in Musical Aesthetics and Theory. He also received degrees in Contemporary Music from Central Theatre at the University of Seville. He has toured North America extensively, including New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, and Philadelphia with Soledad Barrio & Noche Flamenca and various world renown flamenco companies such as Ballet Flamenco de Andalucía and Ballet Nacional de España.
Manuel Gago - Singer
Manuel Gago was born in Cádiz to a family of flamenco singers. He began singing at the young age of five and by fourteen years old he was singing in flamenco festivals with such well-known singers as Juan Villar, 'Chano' Lobato and 'Rancapino'. At only 15 years old he was presented with the award Primer Premio Nacional de Alegrías de Cádiz. Later on, he began singing for dancers, including Joaquín Cortés, Sara Baras, Rafaela Carrasco, Belén Maya, 'El Güito', 'Manolete', Javier Barón and Cristóbal Reyes. Manuel has traveled the world, singing throughout Europe, Asia, North and South America and the Middle East. He has also released two CD's titled "Diversidad" and "Vallejondo".
Emilio Florido- Singer
Emilio Florido was born in Cadiz where he began singing, dancing and playing guitar at just 4 years old and performing professionally all over Spain as a solo singer. He has accompanied such dancers as Adrián Galia, Domingo Ortega, Luís Ortega, Belén Maya, Yolanda Heredia, Miguel Ángel Espino, and Rocío Molina among others. He has worked with the companies of Cristina Hoyos, El ballet de Madrid, La Raza and Sara Baras. He has also toured extensively in Japan, Europe, North and South America performing in “Almario”, “Turquesa como el limón” y “Preludios varios” by Rocío Molina. Emilio has participated in festivals such as The Nîmes Festival in France, Alburquerque Flamenco Festival and New México Flamenco Festival. He has also taken part in “La Pepa” by Sara Baras. and“Gala Flamenca” London, Hong Kong, Shangai and Jordania.
Carmina Cortés- Singer
Carmina Cortés was born in Barcelona and began singing at an early age in the most internationally recognized tablaos of Barcelona; El Cordobés and El Tablao del Carmen. She was hired as a soloist in 'El Sali'''s dance company and began touring worldwide. During this time, she collaborated with such great flamenco artists as 'La Chana' Mayte Martín, Israel Galván, Belén Maya, Montse Cortés and Miguel Poveda, among others. She later moved to Madrid and started to work with Carmen Cortés, Gerardo Nuñez and Salva de María. In recent years, she has been touring around the world with flamenco companies such as Joaquín Ruiz, Rafael Amargo and Soledad Barrio & Noche Flamenca.
Salva Cortés- Singer
Salva Cortés began singing professionally when he was 17 years old. He is the great-grandson of the legendary singer Antonio "El Chaqueta" and the son of singer Carmina Cortés and guitarist Salva de María. He has worked with Rafael Amargo, Carmen Cortés, and flamenco companies in Andalucía, He has also performed in tablaos all over Madrid and Málaga.