Sonia Olla – Flamenco Dancer
Hailed by The New York Times as “a furnace of earthy sensuality”, Sonia Olla was born and raised in Barcelona when she earned a degree in Spanish Dance and Flamenco at the esteemed “Instituto de Teatro y Danza” in Barcelona.
She has toured as company member and soloist with flamenco greats such as Antonio Canales, Eva la Yerbabuena, Rafaela Carrasco, Merche Esmeralda, María Pagés, La Farruca, among others.
Bailaora of international prestige, director and choreographer of her own shows, Sonia currently resides in New York, where she combines the dance classes with performance in outstanding venues such as The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Le Poisson Rouge, the Rose Nagelburg Theatre, Baruch Performing Arts Center (NY) and Instituto Cervantes (Chicago), to name but a few.
Together with the Flamenco singer Ismael Fernández, her partner on and off the stage, Sonia has created a wide range of shows such as Tablao Sevilla, Entretiempo, Por Los Caminos and Tiempo al Aire. She has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post and The New Yorker, as well as Spanish newspapers such as ABC, El País, La Vanguardia.
Sonia has also made television and radio appearances on Tele 5, Cadena Cope, Radio Nacional de España, Punto Radio, Onda Cero, Cadena Ser, as well as the renowned Internet show “Flamenco TV.”
Most recently, Sonia has been tapped by the pop-icon Madonna to choreograph the worldwide “Rebel Heart Tour” 2015-2016. The music legend was so impressed by the artistry of both Sonia and Ismael that she personally invited them to perform at her 57th birthday party in the Hamptons, NY.
Ismael Fernández – Flamenco Singer
Described by The Washington Post as the “most charismatic performer” and a “connection to the Gypsy source”, Ismael Fernández was born in Seville, of Gypsy descent, grew up performing in flamenco festivals throughout the world with his internationally renowned family, “La Familia Fernández”. His career began in Spain’s premier flamenco tablaos such as El Cordobes in Barcelona, La Carboneria in Seville and other famous flamenco cuevas of Granada.
In 2004, Ismael won the National Contest of Cordoba, singing for the famed dancer Soraya Clavijo and was a finalist in the Festival De Cante De La Union. He joins his family regularly to perform in the celebrated Bienal de Flamenco de Sevilla. Throughout his career, Ismael has worked with flamenco legends such as Antonio Canales, Farruquito, Marina Heredia, El Torombo, the prestigious Orchestra director Gustavo Dudamel and Rafaela Carrasco to name a few.
For several years, Ismael has been a featured company member of internationally acclaimed dancer Maria Pages, performing at The Joyce Theater (New York), Sadler Wells Theatre (London), Esplanade Theatre (Singapore), Orchard Hall and Bunka Mura (Japan), Teatro La Zarzuela (Madrid), Teatro Real (Madrid), and the Gran Teatre del Liceu (Barcelona).
He currently resides in New York, where he moved in 2014 together with the flamenco dancer Sonia Olla, his partner on and off the stage. Since then, he combines the Cante classes with performance at internationally acclaimed venues such as The New York City Center, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (Washington DC), Carnegie Hall (NY), Walt Disney Concert Hall (LA). He created a large number of shows together with Sonia, such as Tablao Sevilla, Entretiempo, Tiempo Al Aire and Por los Caminos. Ismael also worked with pop-icon Madonna in preparation for her “Rebel Heart Tour” – 2015-2016: samples of his voice are featured during “La Isla Bonita”.
Ismael has made several radio and television appearances, most notably “NYC Arts” (PBS), Tele5, Radio Nacional de España, Cadena Ser, Punto Radio, and Onda Cero.
In March 2019, Ismael presented his new album, Trato, produced with Chano Dominguez. Presented in collaboration with the Flamenco Festival New York
Pol Vaquero – Flamenco Dancer
In 1998 he participated in the Spanish National Ballet dancing in works such as “Medea”, “Galaica” or “Ritmos” as a soloist. In 1999 he took part in the Vicente Amigo Company touring countries such as Japan, Portugal, Israel and Spain, among others. The following year he took part in Joaquín Grilo’s company and from 2001 to 2003 he returned to Antonio Canales’ company and from 2004 to 2006 to the Spanish National Ballet as soloist and first dancer.
In 2007 he premiered his own show in Barcelona: “Antojo”. He was also part of the project “Jóvenes del Siglo XXI” in Tablao Flamenco Cordobes together with Amador Rojas, Rocío Molina and Mónica Fernández among others. The following year he gave courses and master classes in Brazil and in 2009 he became part of Daniel Navarro’s company in a show with music by guitarist Vicente Amigo.
In 2010 he premiered with the Cecilia Gómez company the show “Cayetana su Pasión” as choreographer and first dancer and between 2011 and 2014 he continued to work with various companies as well as his own through shows such as “Titanium” by the company Rojas y Rodríguez and “El Arte por Delante”.
Between 2015 and 2019 he is part of “Titanium”, a company owned by Carlos Rodríguez and with which he tours several European countries while giving courses in China and Brazil.
Pol is currently a featured guest dancer at the Tablao Flamenco Cordobes in Barcelona until coming to the Edmonton Flamenco Festival in April.
Jonathan Reyes Jiménez – Flamenco Singer
Jonathan was born in Seville into a family with a long flamenco tradition. His father and grandfather musically accompanied several famous flamenco artists of the twentieth century such as Ramón Barrull and Juana Amaya, and he is a relative of the great singer José Cortés Jiménez “Pansequito”.
He has cultivated a voice with a very fresh sound, while achieving the depth of mature flamenco singers. A singer for dance from the very beginning, he has outstanding rhythm in the interpretation of flamenco palos.
Jonathan performed on stage for the first time at the age of 16 at the Berlin Philharmonic with the show “The Quintet”, and also participated in the show “The Duet” with Leonor Moro and Antonio Arrebola, and in the show “Flamencura” with Raphaela Stern and Carmen López.
When not touring, he performs at Sevilla’s most popular flamenco tablaos such as Los Gallos and La Carbonería.He has performed at all the flamenco associations of Andalusia such as the Seville Peñas, Torres Macarena, Cantes al Aire and Pies Plomo with various dancers such as Soraya Clavijo and Sergio González.
In July of 2011 at the Gazpacho flamenco festival in Morón de la Frontera, he worked with Juana Amaya and her daughter Nazaret Reyes, and took part in the show “Ritmos con Alma” of Miguel Vargas and Esperanza Fernández.In July of 2012, he performed in Paris with guitarist David Marín and dancer Samantha Alcon in the show “Ensemble Flamenco”.
Jonathan has shared billing with great artists such as Dieguito de Morón and dancers Pepe Torres and Carmen Ledesma as well as María José Santiago.
Víctor Márquez “El Tomate” – Flamenco Guitarist
Víctor Márquez “El Tomate” is a guitarist from a Cordovan family, descendant of flamenco guitarists known as “Los Tomates de Córdoba”. He began his apprenticeship at 9 years old under the tutelage of his cousin Juan Manuel Muñoz “El Tomate”. His training continued at the hands of his uncle Juan “El Tomate” who instructed him in vocal accompaniment.
Professionally, he has worked with numerous flamenco shows and companies, such as Rafael Amargo, José Porcel, Manuel Liñan, Rafael Martos, Antonio Canales, Guadalupe Torres, Cecilia Gómez, Adrián Santana, Olga Pericet, among others.
He regularly works in tablaos such as El Flamenco (Tokyo), and in Madrid: Las Carboneras, Villa Rosa, El Corral de la Pacheca, Casa Patas, Cardamomo, Las Tablas, among others.
Edmonton Flamenco Festival 