Pilar Montoya

Pilar Montoya Manzano (1960 – 6 March 2015), known by her artistic name La Faraona, was a Spanish Romani flamenco dancer born in Seville. The eldest daughter of celebrated dancer Antonio "Farruco" Montoya Flores and singer Enriqueta Reyes, Montoya was raised in a household where flamenco dancing and singing formed the foundation of daily life. She was the sister of Rosario "La Farruca" Montoya and the aunt of Juan Manuel "Farruquito" Fernández Montoya, Antonio El Farru, and El Carpeta.

Montoya began performing alongside her father at the age of 15, joining him in the productions he staged. Among these was Flamenco Puro, which brought her to Broadway in 1986, where she performed alongside Concha Vargas and other flamenco artists. She subsequently appeared as a soloist in Andalucía Flamenca and Persecución, and was featured in the family documentary film Bodas de gloria, directed by Ricardo Pachón and Manuel Palacios.

Beyond her immediate family circle, Montoya toured internationally with flamenco artists including El Güito and Manuela Carrasco. In 2006, she co-starred with her sister Rosario in Gitanas at the Mont-de-Marsan Festival in France. She also appeared in several productions with her nephew Farruquito, including Alma Vieja, presented at the Bienal de Flamenco de Seville in 2014.

Montoya was recognized for her bulerías, executed with notable precision, and particularly for her tangos, which were characterized by a canastero style she inherited from her family and developed with her own individual expression. In her later years she taught flamenco dancing courses and seminars at Seville's Flamencos por el Mundo academy.

Her final public appearance took place on 24 February 2015, when she joined her sister Rosario to present Mi Herencia as part of the flamenco cycle Viene del Sur at Seville's Teatro Central. Montoya died in Seville on 6 March 2015 following a prolonged illness. Her son Juan "El Barullo" Fernández has carried on the family tradition, receiving recognition at the 2015 Festival del Cante de las Minas.