Carmen Amaya
Encyclopedia
Carmen Amaya was a flamenco
dancer and singer, of gypsy origin, born in the Somorrostro slum of Barcelona
, Spain
, Vila Olímpica nowadays.
She has been called "the greatest Spanish gypsy dancer of her generation". and "the most extrardinary personality of all time in flamenco dance".
She danced from the time she was 4 years old. Accompanied on the guitar by her father, she danced in waterfront bars in Barcelona. A young person who saw her dance as a girl was Sabicas
(Agustín Castellón Campos), who later said "I saw her dance and it seemed like something supernatural to me... I never saw anyone dance like her. I don’t know how she did it, I just don’t know!". Sabicas became a great flamenco guitarist and accompanied her for many years. He recorded Queen of the Gypsies (1959) and Flamenco! with Amaya.
In 1929, she made her debut in Paris, to warm acclaims and admiration of her dancing skill. She moved to America in 1936, where she went on to act in several films that broke box office records, including the Romeo and Juliet
adaptation Los Tarantos
, and the short film Danzas Gitanas (Gypsy Dances).
She was invited by Franklin Roosevelt to dance in the White House in 1944, and also by Harry S. Truman
in 1953.
Amaya is buried in the Cementiri del Sud-Oest on Barcelona's Montjuïc
.
Flamenco
Flamenco is a genre of music and dance which has its foundation in Andalusian music and dance and in whose evolution Andalusian Gypsies played an important part....
dancer and singer, of gypsy origin, born in the Somorrostro slum of Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Vila Olímpica nowadays.
She has been called "the greatest Spanish gypsy dancer of her generation". and "the most extrardinary personality of all time in flamenco dance".
She danced from the time she was 4 years old. Accompanied on the guitar by her father, she danced in waterfront bars in Barcelona. A young person who saw her dance as a girl was Sabicas
Sabicas
Sabicas was a Flamenco guitarist, of Romani origin, who was born in 1912 in Pamplona, Spain and died in 14 April 1990 in New York....
(Agustín Castellón Campos), who later said "I saw her dance and it seemed like something supernatural to me... I never saw anyone dance like her. I don’t know how she did it, I just don’t know!". Sabicas became a great flamenco guitarist and accompanied her for many years. He recorded Queen of the Gypsies (1959) and Flamenco! with Amaya.
In 1929, she made her debut in Paris, to warm acclaims and admiration of her dancing skill. She moved to America in 1936, where she went on to act in several films that broke box office records, including the Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright William Shakespeare about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular archetypal stories of young, teenage lovers.Romeo and Juliet belongs to a...
adaptation Los Tarantos
Los Tarantos
Los Tarantos is a 1963 Spanish musical drama film directed by Francisco Rovira Beleta. It was nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Foreign Film category....
, and the short film Danzas Gitanas (Gypsy Dances).
She was invited by Franklin Roosevelt to dance in the White House in 1944, and also by Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
in 1953.
Amaya is buried in the Cementiri del Sud-Oest on Barcelona's Montjuïc
Montjuïc
Montjuïc is a hill located in Barcelona, Catalonia.-Etymology:Montjuïc is translated as 'Jew Hill' in medieval Catalan, or is perhaps related to the Latin phrase Mons Jovicus . The name is found in several locations in the Catalan Countries: the Catalan cities of Girona and Barcelona both have a...
.