Amaya, Carmen (1913–1963)
Amaya, Carmen (1913–1963)
Spanish flamenco dancer of great renown. Born in Barcelona, Spain, in 1913; died in Bagur, Spain, on November 19, 1963; daughter and granddaughter of dancers; married Juan Antonio Aguero (a guitarist).
From her first public appearance at age seven, Carmen Amaya enjoyed a successful career and a reputation as one of Spain's greatest flamenco dancers. At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936, the Amaya family fled to Mexico and then to Buenos Aires, Argentina, where Carmen was such a sensation that a theater was named after her. In 1941, she made her U.S. debut, where she appeared in night clubs and toured with her group, comprised of her father and two sisters. She appeared in the movie Los Tarantos, which was released in the United States in 1964. In the summer of 1963, Amaya began to suffer from a kidney ailment and was hospitalized in Barcelona. Following her release in early November, she returned to her home in Bagur where she died on November 19. A week before her death, the Spanish government granted her the Medal of Isabela la Catolica.