![]() ![]() ![]() His first dream was to become a professional opera singer.īut this dream was quickly replaced after he saw a flamenco performance by Pilar López Júlvez and Antonio Gades as they toured Japan. When he was young, Kojima studied classical arts like piano, vocal, classical and modern ballet at the Musashino Academia Musicae in Japan. He didn’t start immediately as a flamenco dancer, though. In Japan, the person credited as the one who popularized flamenco throughout the country was Shoji Kojima.īorn on the first of October, 1939, in Tokushima Prefecture, Japan, Kojima was an accomplished flamenco dancer, and his influence can still be felt today in the Japanese Latin dance community. Struck by dementia, she spent the last few years of her life stuck in a wheelchair and confined to a psychiatric ward, lifeless and a shadow of her former self. Her younger years were glorious, especially in the 1930s, but La Paula’s later years were tragic. She was said to be extremely good at singing in fiestero style. ![]() Other than being a talented dancer, she was also an accomplished singer. It was a simple dance but extremely effective and elegant. Born in 1902 to Matias Garcia, a guitarist, and Antonio Fernádez, a dancer, she was exposed to the art world from a very young age.Īs a young girl, La Paula first danced on the streets, and then she would perform in pubs across the city of Málaga, where she grew up.Īccording to her official biography, La Paula always attended the August fairs (or “feria”), where she performed her signature gypsy dances to attendees.ĭescribed as “refined and traditional”, La Paula’s dance consisted of smooth, graceful motions of the arms, wrists, and upper body. If you prefer fast-paced flamenco dancing, then the bulerías steps of La Paula will mesmerize you. Antonio was also featured in an adaptation of Manuel de Falla’s ballet El Amor brujo.Īntonio died from cancer in Madrid, Spain, on July 20th, 2004.Ĭheck more: Top 12 Most Famous Spanish Dancers 3. If you want to watch some of his performances, among his most significant works were the dance adaptations of Prosper Mérimée’s Carmen and Federico García Lorca’s Blood Wedding. His greatest contribution to flamenco, other than popularizing it, was transforming it into a dramatic art rather than a gratuitous, theatrical performance. Unlike many other flamenco dancers, Antonio strived to maintain the art’s integrity instead of pushing it to change with time. He was born on November 14th, 1936, and was best known for being one of the people who “exported” flamenco from Spain to the rest of the world.Īs a choreographer and flamenco dancer, he sought to restore the traditional roots of flamenco by studying Spanish tradition dances and customs. Antonio GadesĪntonio Gades, full name Antonio Esteve Ródenas, was a Spanish famous flamenco dancer. Notably, Carmen was known for being the first female flamenco dancer to master advanced, fast-tempo moves choreographed only for male dancers.Ĭarmen passed away in 1963 in Begur, Spain. Her career took off, and she gained the audience and critics’ love due to her perfect fusion of the two important flamenco styles at the time: the traditional dance and the more modern flamenco dance varieties. Soon enough, she appeared in various venues, including the prestigious Palace Theatre in Paris. Carmen was given a nickname by the audience: “La Capitana” or “The Captain”.Ĭarmen started to appear in small theaters across Spain until Josep Santpere, a businessman, took a liking to her and introduced her to more high-profile theaters across the country. He backed her up on the guitar as she danced, and at the end of the night, they begged and picked up loose change from the audience. However, only six out of the eleven children survived until adulthood.Ĭarmen discovered and entered the world of flamenco with the help of her father, who was a poor guitarist making ends meet by giving performances in local pubs.Ĭarmen begged to go with her father, and eventually, he relented. Together, they birthed eleven children, with Carmen being the second oldest. Her father, José Amaya Amaya (also known professionally as “El Chino” or “The Chinaman”), was a guitar player. Records of her birth dates are quite unclear, and people are still disputing the true year. She was born in Barcelona, Spain, on the 2nd of November, either in 1913 or 1915. Carmen Amaya – Best flamenco dancer of all timeĬarmen Amaya is the best flamenco dancer ever, bar none. Sara Baras – Famous contemporary flamenco artistġ0 Most Famous Flamenco Dancers In The World 1. Antonio Canales – Famous male flamenco dancer in 80s Carmen Amaya – Best flamenco dancer of all time 10 Most Famous Flamenco Dancers In The World.
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