Carmen Amaya (1918-1963)

Speaker: Angela Chantry

Considered by many to be the greatest flamenco dancer of all time, Carmen Amaya gave her own definition to the art of flamenco. Her career began at the age of four and throughout her childhood she performed alongside her father in the taverns and music halls of Barcelona. With the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s she travelled the world and achieved her greatest fame in the Americas. She made films in Hollywood, appeared on Broadway, danced for Roosevelt and Churchill, but always remained true to her gypsy heritage. Flamenco today is deeply indebted to Carmen Amaya – through her artistry and virtuosity she effectively altered the history of flamenco dance forever.