About Us
SonDeBaril takes audiences on unforgettable journeys through the essence and beauty of flamenco.
Journey with us.
Photo by Patrick G. Ryan
Drawn together by rhythm, sound, and movement, SonDeBaril’s live performances inspire audiences with breathtaking flamenco artistry and the raw, electrifying power of this age-old yet ever-evolving art form.
SonDeBaril’s commitment to nurturing flamenco and expanding its presence in the Washington DC–Maryland–Virginia region is rooted in deep collaboration, community, and a lifelong devotion to the form - creating work that is
alive, moving, and liberating.
Ela Razon
Co-Artistic Director, Flamenco Dancer & Choreographer
Born in Manila, Philippines, Ela Razon began training in modern dance at age 10. She became fascinated with rhythms when she encountered indigenous tribes in her early teens, and was later drawn to flamenco upon discovering the art form’s driving rhythms. She moved to the U.S. in 2003 and has since studied and performed with the companies of Natalia Monteleon and Edwin Aparicio. Ela has also been a regular performer in the weekly tablao circuit across the DC–Maryland–Virginia region for over 15 years, experimenting with new ideas and honing her improvisational instincts in the tablao’s unpredictable live environment.
She trains for extended periods in Seville, Spain, to stay close to flamenco’s living pulse. She has taught at Arte Flamenco Studio, American Dance Institute, and The Washington Ballet’s summer intensive, and collaborates with Ziva’s Spanish Dance Ensemble and Washington Performing Arts to bring flamenco to schools and youth audiences.
Ela produced her first work, Dos Almas, in 2019 in collaboration with Anna Menendez, Ricardo Marlow, and Yiyi Orozco at the Atlas Performing Arts Center. What began as an impulse to express revealed the possibility of building entire worlds, and led to her co-founding SonDeBaril in 2022 with musician Yiyi Orozco. As a dancer and choreographer, Ela has co-created three original works that give form and voice to lived realities through the powerful language of flamenco.
Francisco “Yiyi” Orozco
Co-Artistic & Musical Director, Singer, & Percussionist
Born into a flamenco family from Andalusia, Yiyi Orozco began performing professionally at age 12. He was taught by his father, flamenco singer Joselón de Jerez, and grew up surrounded by flamenco in his father’s peña. He toured internationally across Europe, Asia, and Africa throughout the 1990s. Since establishing himself in the U.S. in 1998, Yiyi has performed across the country for decades with major companies such as Santa Fe’s Maria Benitez and NYC’s Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana. He has been based in Maryland since 2015 and continues to work throughout North and South America with various flamenco companies, performing and creating music for commissioned works. He also leads workshops locally and on tour.
In 2022, Yiyi co-founded SonDeBaril with Ela Razon, co-creating original full-length works that carry forward traditional flamenco song forms rarely heard live outside of Spain.
Guest Artists
Ricardo Marlow
Guitarist
Ricardo Marlow is one of the most sought after solo Flamenco guitarists and Flamenco accompanists in the United States. His brilliant technique, lyrical compositions, and masterful interpretations of Flamenco are unsurpassed. As a young child, Ricardo was introduced to the guitar by his father, the eminent classical guitarist John E. Marlow. He went on to receive a degree from the James Madison University’s School of Music in 1997. Ricardo subsequently took up the flamenco guitar and studied with master, Gerardo Núñez, in Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Spain, and continues to do so yearly since 1999. He has played professionally since 1997 with the Arte Flamenco Dance Company, the Danza del Rio Dance Company, the Paco de Malaga and Anna Martinez Dance Company, and the Flamenco Aparicio Company. Ricardo has had the honor and pleasure of accompanying international flamenco artists, including world renowned cantaora, Esperanza Fernandez, all over the United States.
Edwin Aparicio
Dancer & Choreographer
Edwin Aparicio trained with renowned flamenco artists Tomás de Madrid and “La Tati. Mr. Aparicio performed with the Washington National Opera at the Kennedy Center, including its most recent production of Carmen (2015); the Washington Ballet in Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises (2013); has appeared as a soloist with ensembles such as the José Greco Spanish Dance Company, and shared the stage with such celebrated artists as Carmela Greco, Pastora Galván, “La Tati”, and José Luis Rodríguez.
Mr. Aparicio is the artistic director and choreographer of eleven acclaimed productions, including Íntimo with Carmela Greco, which premiered at GALA Theatre in Washington, DC, and then toured to Philadelphia, Chicago, Pittsburgh, and Portland, OR; and Entresueño, which marked his New York City debut as a company director. He is a co-founder and curator of GALA’s annual Fuego Flamenco Festival and is on the faculty of the Washington School of Ballet.
Mr. Aparicio was named one of “25 Dancers to Watch” by Dance Magazine in 2009; received a Protagonista Award from GALA for his artistic achievements in the Latino community; and received the Cross of the Order of Civil Merit bestowed by King Felipe VI of Spain.
Antonio Arrebola
Dancer & Choreographer
Antonio Arrebola was born in Málaga in 1981 and began dancing at the age of eight. He began his dance studies at the Conservatorio Superior de Danza in Málaga, where he was trained in flamenco, balle clásico and clásico español and studied with Susana Lupiañez, Ricardo Caña, and Valentina Letova. Antonio has been dancing professionally since the age of fifteen. He has danced in many prominent tablaos in Andalucia, such as the Christina Hoyos Flamenco Museum and many more. Antonio has also been recognized on the international scene, elating audiences in the Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, Poland, Italy, Morocco, Canada, the United States and Japan. He also worked with the Maria Serrano Company in the show Flamentango in Canada, and, in addition, has toured in Europe with his own company. He has headlined the Dallas Flamenco Festival since 2010 and was featured in the Dallas Flamenco Festival and Ochre House's productions of Perro y Sangre, El Conde Drácula, Buñuel Descending, and Picasso: Matador de Málaga, La Muerte de Don Quixote and Señor Barber. Antonio is the Founder and Teacher of Flamenco DNA, Choreographer for Fiesta Flamenca, Choregrapher and Chef for Cocina Flamenca - Dallas & Spain and Flamenca LIVE 2024, Choreographer for FlamenconBlack.org, Dallas’ Fiesta Flamenco and Yemaya Flamenco, and Resident Choreographer for the Flame Foundation.
Anna Menendez
Dancer & Choreographer
Anna Menendez is a Flamenco dancer and choreographer based in Washington, DC. Anna received the Artistic Fellowship Award from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities for excellence in Flamenco dance in 2003. Anna Menendez has performed in many operas and with the “La Truco Flamenco” dance company in Spain, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and with renowned flamenco artist Carmela Greco. Anna has appeared as a regular featured dancer and soloist in many of Flamenco Aparicio’s productions at the Gala Hispanic Theater. In October 2011, Anna and her company “Pastora” performed as a part of Velocity at the Sydney Harman Hall in Washington, DC. A review by the Washington Post described her performance as “virtuosic.” Most recently Anna has performed as a soloist in the production “Amores Quebrados” in New York City and Bucharest, Romania as well as in Flamenco Aparicio’s production “Intimo” in Managua, Nicaragua.
Anna currently is a faculty member, teaching dance at Lincoln Middle School and Flamenco at Seber Method Academy.
Jose Moreno
Dancer, Percussionist, Guitarist, Singer
Born into a family of famous flamenco artists Estrella Morena (dancer) and Pepe de Málaga (singer), Jose began his flamenco career during his childhood years. His debut was at the famous Tablao flamenco “Costa Vasca”. Jose continued his studies with the Great Manolete, Farruquito, and Andres Marin and Cajon Percussion with Manuel Soler. Jose has been invited to perform in various companies around the world, and with distinguished artists such as: The Great Manolete, Joaquin Ruiz, Pastora Galvan, Antonio Rey, Jose Cortes “Pansequito”, Jose Luis Rodriquez, Roberto Castellon, Pedro Cortes, Jose Valle “Chuscales”, Juanito Pascual, Basilio Garcia, Paco Heredia, Carmen Ledesma, Jesus Montoya, Zorongo Flamenco Dance, Flamenco Vivo Dance Company, La Tania, Miguel Vargas, Nelida Tirado, Antonio Hidalgo, Curro Cueto, Gonzalo Grau, Edwin Aparicio, Amparo Heredia, Raquel Heredia, Adrian Galia, Antonio Granjero, Angel Muñoz, Charo Espino, Belen Maya, Omayra Amaya, La Lupi, Curro de Maria, Jorge Pardo, Chano Dominguez and many other outstanding performers.
In 2001, Jose choreographed and performed a collaborative work with his mother Estrella Morena, and with renowned flamenco singer Carmen Linares with the New World Symphony Orquestra at Lincoln Theater. In 2004, he choreographed works and performed with the Boston Flamenco Ballet. In 2007, Jose performed with the internationally known Isabel Pantoja, and with David Bisbal in “Premios lo Nuestro”. In 2010, he performed in the 7th annual Panama Jazz Festival, and that same year at the prestigious “Carnegie Hall” in New York City. In 2013 in “Zorro” The Musical at the Alliance Theatre, at BAM theatre in New York City with Flamenco Vivo Dance Company, in 2015 the TV series called “Los Descendientes de Andalucia” produced by Canal Sur in Seville, Spain, at the Ravinia Festival in Chicago with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the 2015-2016 season of “Carmen” at The Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. for the Washington National Opera, The NYC Winter Jazzfest in 2017 and at “The Jazz Standard” in NYC with Chano Dominguez, the 2014-2019 season of “Carmen” at The Metropolitan Opera in New York City, 2021-2022, and Ensemble Español “Passion Flamenca” North Shore Performing Arts Center in Chicago.
Yolit Yospe-Kachlon
Dancer & Choreographer
Yolit Yospe-Kachlon was born and raised in Israel and fell in love with dancing as a child. She studied Ballet, Contemporary, Jazz, and other genres and discovered flamenco as a teenager while attending art school.
After many years of study with master flamenco teachers in Israel including Carmel Nathan-Shelly, Timo Lozano and others, she began her performance career in her home country.
Upon arriving in the US in 2004, Yolit began working as a lead preschool teacher. She also continued dancing, studying with Edwin Aparico and Anna Menendez and dancing in their companies, performing at The Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage, Shakespeare Theater Company, Public Playhouse Theater, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Dance Place, Gala Hispanic Theater, Tablaos and various festivals.
In addition, Yolit had the privilege to attend workshops in both the US and Spain with some of the most world renown Flamenco Maestros, such as Manolo Marin, "La Truco", Marco Flores, Manuel Liñán, Maria Juncal, Alfonso Losa, Mercedes Ruiz and Olga Pericet among others.
Yolit led the youth and adult flamenco program at American Dance Institute, and CityDance School of Dance.
In 2015, she established her own performance company, Alma Flamenca. The company has weekly classes and rehearsals with original repertoire.
In January of 2022, she fulfilled a lifelong dream and opened Alma Dance Studio where she leads classes, workshops, rehearsals, and showcases and other events. The studio offers a variety of dance and movement classes for children and adults.
Yolit lives in Rockville, MD with her husband and 3 daughters who share the love for the performing arts, just like their mother.