WHO'S WHO IN IRRATIONALITIES? MARTÍN SANTANGELO (Artistic Director/Choreographer) founded Soledad Barrio and Noche Flamenca in 1993 with his wife, Soledad Barrio. Born in New York City, Santangelo studied dance and theatre at NYU, and jazz with ‘Luigi’ before moving to Madrid to study flamenco. His teachers included 'Ciro', Paco Romero, 'El Güito', and 'Manolete'. He has performed throughout Spain, Japan, and North and South America with María Benitez’s Teatro Flamenco, at Lincoln Center Festival of the Arts, and with Paco Romero’s Ballet Español. He has appeared in Julie Taymor’s Juan Darien at Lincoln Center, choreographed and performed in Eduardo Machado’s Deep Song directed by Lynne Taylor-Corbett, and 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. Santangelo has collaborated with many artists, including Lee Breuer, Luis Valdez, and Jerzy Grotowski. SOLEDAD BARRIO (Choreographer/Principal Dancer), born in Madrid, founded Soledad Barrio & Noche Flamenca with her husband, Martín Santangelo. She has appeared as a soloist with Manuela Vargas, Blanca del Rey, 'Luisillo', 'El Gúito', 'Manolete', Cristobal Reyes, and 'El Toleo' and has 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, and Belen Maya, among others. Barrio was a resident teaching artist at NYU Tisch School of the Arts for many years and a guest teacher at The Juilliard School of Dance. Barrio has won awards from over 15 countries, including two Bessie Awards for Outstanding Creative Achievement and Outstanding Performer, a 2015 Dance Magazine Exceptional Artist Award, and the 2022 Vilcek Prize in Dance. JUAN OGALLA (Dancer) was born in Cádiz. He started as a professional at the very young age of 15. He was a member of the Company Manuel Morao, Ballet de Cristina Hoyos, Manuela Carrasco, Company of Maria Pages, and many others. Ogalla also participated in the following festivals: Festival Internacional de Mont de Marssans, Festival de Música y Danza de Granada, Festival Flamenco de Mahón, and Festival Querencias en Ceret. He has performed in all the tablaos in Spain as Casa Patas, El Arenal, Los Gallos; as well as in many theaters in Europe, Japan, U.S.A.; Festival de Jerez, Paris Opera, and the most important theaters in Spain as a soloist. He is currently working on a production with Manuela Ríos and Arcángel. JESÚS HELMO (Dancer) was born in Cádiz and started dancing at just five 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, was a finalist in Flamenco Puro Turín de la Frontera at the Jerez Festival in 2019, and 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 as part of the Artes de Costa Rica (FIA) festival and the Siete Soles Siete Lunas Festival in 2015. He has worked in the companies of Eduardo Guerrero, Manolo Carrasco, and Javier Marín, Naomi Piazza’s flamenco school, and in tablaos throughout Spain. In 2021, he created two flamenco shows titled Aquel Tablao and Artego. DAVID NIETO (Dancer) was born in San Fernando (Cádiz) in 1988, where he started training in Spanish Dance and Flamenco with Maria José Coca. He graduated from the "MARIBEL GALLARDO" Professional Dance Conservatory of Cádiz and participated in various choreographic competitions throughout Andalusia, obtaining several awards. In 2002, he began his professional career with the flamenco folklore group "Adolfo de Castro." Since 2004, he has been part of Javier Marín's Spanish dance and flamenco company, and in 2007, he joined the Sara Baras company. In 2010, his artistic work was rewarded with first prize in the 13th National Dance Competition for Alegrías, organized by the flamenco club "La Perla de Cadiz." That same year, he premiered his own large-scale show, Rubrica. In
2012, he premiered his second show, Al Son de Ida y Vuelta. On September 2, 2013, he opened his own Flamenco School in San Fernando, where he still teaches classes and courses both at the school and abroad, in addition to combining his career as a professional dancer around the world. In 2018, he received the award for Most Relevant Artist at the 5th Festival de la Isla Ciudad Flamenca. He is also a member of the Ballet Flamenco de Cádiz. GABRIEL MATIAS (Dancer), originally from Brazil, moved to Spain in 2015 and began his studies at the María de Ávila Conservatory of Dance, where he earned a Diploma in Dance specializing in Flamenco Dance Pedagogy. His training has included instruction from acclaimed dancers such as Rafaela Carrasco, Eva Yerbabuena, Isabel Bayón, Marco Flores, Alfonso Losa, Belén López, La Popi, and Belén Fernández. He has been featured in various flamenco tablaos in Madrid, such as Las Carboneras, Café de Chinitas, Café Ziryab, and Villa Rosa, among others. Gabriel has also worked with companies of dancers such as Antonio Canales, Javier Latorre, Rafaela Carrasco, Paco Peña, and Shoji Kojima, touring various countries. PAULA BOLAÑOS (Dancer) 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. MARÍA DE LA O (Dancer) was born on March 16, 2005 in Seville where she began her training at the Accredited Dance School of Matilde Coral, a key institution in her development as a flamenco dancer. Her formation continued at the Antonio Ruiz Soler Professional Dance Conservatory, where she was accredited with the Professional flamenco dance career title studying with teachers like Rafaela Carrasco, Rubén Olmo, and Isabel Bayón among others. Currently, her development continues at the María de Ávila Superior Conservatory of Dance in Madrid, where she has lived since September 2023. Maria has worked in numerous tablaos such as El Patio Sevillano, Teatro flamenco Madrid, Tablao Opera Flamenco, Las Tablas, etc. She has also toured with The Antonio Andrade Flemish Company in Omán. STELLA GOLDIN GARCÍA (Dancer) was born in Spain and now resides in NYC. She has been blessed to have studied dance in NYC since then. Stella has performed at Lincoln Center Out of Doors and in Montreal with Soledad Barrio and Noche Flamenca, The Jeanette Stoner, Dancers in NYC, and David Thomas’ company, WRT. Stella is thrilled and humbled to work with Soledad Barrio and Noche Flamenca. ALEXA RATINI (Dancer), originally from Plainfield, IL, trained since the age of two at Inspire School of Dance in Naperville, IL. She received her BFA in Dance along with a minor in Psychology from Marymount Manhattan College in 2023. She has performed across the United States at various theaters, including The Joyce Theater, The NYU Skirball, and The Auditorium Theatre in Chicago, where she was a part of the Dance For Life event. Additionally, Alexa has worked with and performed repertoire by David Parsons, Pascal Rioult, and Paul Taylor as well as original works by Darshan Singh Bhuller, Hanna Brictson, Jennifer Freeman, Anthony Morigerato, Katie Langan, and Alberto Del Saz. Alexa joined the Young Dancer Division faculty at Ballet Academy East in 2021, where she remains a faculty member to this day. EMILIO FLORIDO (Singer) was born in Cádiz, Spain. He began singing at a young age and performed professionally all over Spain as a solo singer. He has accompanied such dancers as Adrian Galia, Domingo Ortega, Luis Ortega, Belen Maya, Yolanda Heredia, Miguel Angel
Espino, among others. He has worked with the companies of Cristina Hoyos, El Ballet de Madrid, and La Raza. He has toured extensively in Japan, South America and Europe. He has been performing with Noche Flamenca for nearly 14 years. CARMINA CORTÉS (Singer) 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, touring worldwide and collaborating 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, where she worked with Carmen Cortés, Gerardo Nuñez, and Salva de María. In recent years, she has toured worldwide with flamenco companies such as Joaquín Ruiz, Rafael Amargo, and Soledad Barrio & Noche Flamenca. SALVA CORTĖS (Singer) 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. SALVA DE MARÍA (Guitarist) 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 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 nationally and internationally, and keeping his family's flamenco lineage alive. EUGENIO IGLESIAS (Guitarist) 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'. MARK LONDON (Lighting Designer) is proud of his decades-long collaboration with Soledad Barrio & Noche Flamenca. While working primarily in broadcast, Mark has always come back to theatrical lighting, including his longstanding collaboration with Noche as well as Zvi Gotheiner and Dancers and International companies such as Stars of the Bolshoi and Kirov Ballet and The Chinese Opera of Taipei. Back in the wilds of lower Manhattan, Mark has designed for Jeanette Stoner, Muna Tseng, Amos Pinhasi, and ISO Dance as well as lighting music and theatre at the Joseph Papp Public Theater, the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM). CAT J. CUSICK (Associate Lighting Designer) is a lighting designer and associate based in NYC. Favorite credits include My Name is Jennifer (Theatre Lab) and My Witch: The Margaret Hamilton Stories (Centenary Stage Company), Falling out of Time (Silk Road Ensemble), and Sumo (Public Theater), which she programmed. Broadway Assistant Credit: McNeal (Vivian Beaumont). She is a Resident Lighting Designer at Joe’s Pub in NYC, where she met and began working with Noche Flamenca. Cat is a graduate of Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University with a BFA in Lighting Design, and studied scenography at the Globe Theatre in London. JARMAH BUTLER JR (Stage Manager) is a native New Yorker born in Far Rockaway, Queens, and raised in Flatbush, Brooklyn. He has been working with production companies in New York
and Los Angeles for years and has recently joined Soledad Barrio & Noche Flamenca as a stage manager. He has a background in music, dance, production, and stage management. His most recent show as stage manager was Searching For Goya at the internationally recognized Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival. He is currently residing in New York while touring nationally. MITCHELL DUFANAL (Administration/Operations) was born and raised in New York City and earned his Master of Science degree in Policy, Analysis, and Management at the Milano School of International Affairs, at The New School University in New York City. Mitchell has since worked as a grant and program consultant for non-profit organizations, including the La Casita Comunal de Sunset Park, and New York Child & Family Support Services, where he currently sits on the board of directors. He has been with Noche Flamenca since 2013. SHARON LEVY (Production Consultant & Booking Agent) is the president of Dovetail Productions, formed in 1997 to develop and produce new work. Born and educated in Australia, for more than two decades she worked with MacArthur Genius Lee Breuer, producing work such as Breuer and Bob Telson’s The Gospel at Colonus and Mabou Mines DollHouse at multiple venues and festivals worldwide. With St Ann’s Warehouse, La MaMa, Mabou Mines, and piece by piece she produced Breuer’s epic La Divina Caricatura; Shalom Shanghai for the Shanghai Arts Festival; Baba Brinkman’s The Rap Guide to Evolution; the jazz opera Lulu Noire, and the Tribute to King Oliver concert for the 1996 Olympics. She was also manager to trumpeter Jon Faddis and worked with the British Theatre of the Deaf and the Theatrical Outfit in Atlanta, where, throughout the 1980s she produced more than 50 plays and musicals. GABRIELA GARCIA (Production Coordinator) was born and raised in Madrid, Spain. She graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in 2017 and resides in New York City. Garcia has worked with theater director Lee Breuer, Spanish writer Fernando Arrabal, and The Consulate General of Spain, among others. She is currently the marketing and production coordinator for Soledad Barrio & Noche Flamenca.