The 8 best flamenco dancers in history

Flamenco dancers have the wonderful quality of turning the beautiful art of flamenco into something magical, capable of enchanting audiences everywhere.

We are talking about an art that requires innate talent and passion, but also a lot of effort and commitment, as some of the best dancers in history have dedicated their lives to perfecting their art on the tablao, and it is of these great stars that we are going to talk about today:

The 8 greatest flamenco dancers of all time

1- Rafael Amargo

Rafael Amargo is considered one of the best dancers of all time because of his excellent combination of traditional and modern, The fact is that this unparalleled artist founded his own company in 1997, the Rafael Amargo Company, with which he began to win a place in the hearts of audiences and critics alike.

In 2016, he received the Gold Medal of Merit for Fine Arts and in 2018 he was awarded the Medal of Andalusia. His style is influenced by great playwrights such as Manuel de Falla or Federico García Lorca.

2- Sara Baras

Sara Baras is a great example of flamenco dancers who started their careers at a very young age and dedicated their lives to this beautiful passion.

The dancer, born in Cadiz, took her first steps as a flamenco dancer in the dance school of her aunt, Concha Baras; to, years later, finish her training in the Spanish capital, where she would come to share the stage with flamenco singers as great as Camaron de la Isla.

Baras is also a clear example of female empowerment through art, since in 1998 she founded her own dance school, which debuted with the work Sensaciones, formed entirely by a female corps de ballet.

Joaquín Cortés

Joaquín Cortes is such a great Spanish bailaor that his name resounds in tablaos all over the world. Part of his success is due to the fact that he has practically reinvented this art as we knew it, fusing it with Arab and Latin music to obtain a more sensual and energetic result on top of the stage.

As expected, this unique style has won him both fans and detractors, which has only increased his popularity and great charisma inside and outside Spain.

4- Farruquito

Farruquito is probably one of the best known names in the world of flamenco, having also been very present in the world of show business, thus gaining even more fame regardless of who he is.

What few know about the Sevillian bailaor is that his real name is actually Juan Manuel Fernández Montoya, who also carries talent in his genes, coming from a long line of flamenco artists. His unique style is characterized by intense emotionality and immeasurable strength.

5- Antonio Canales

Antonio Canales is what we could call a traditional bailaor, as he stands out from the rest by mastering like no one else the most conservative flamenco mood, combining it with a charismatic personality like few others.

Another of his strengths is that he has contributed to the development of modern flamenco thanks to his collaborations with other contemporary artists.

6- The Lupi

Susana Lupiañez Pinto, “La Lupi” is another one of those artists who has duende; however, her trickster style is actually a mixture of innate talent and passion for dance.

La Lupi began to stand out on stage at the young age of 12, while she belonged to a modest ballet that toured the stages of the Costa del Sol. Later on, she studied Spanish Classical Dance at the Conservatory of Dance, perfecting even more a unique style that enraptures those who are lucky enough to watch her dance.

7- La Niña de los Peines

La Niña de los Peines, whose real name is Pastora Pavón Cruz, is a reference of international flamenco, having excelled as a singer and dancer, and played various genres such as bulería, petenera or bambera, the latter being of her own creation.

She gave her first performance when she was only 8 years old, as a substitute for one of her brothers. From that moment on, her love for flamenco did not stop growing until her last performance in 1949, La Niña de los Peines passed away in 1969 at the age of 79.

8- Lola Flores

We could not finish our compilation of the best flamenco dancers in history without a tribute to the mythical Faraona, to say that Lola Flores was a flamenco dancer and nothing more would be a great understatement, because we are talking about a multifaceted artist who triumphed in singing, dancing and completely revolutionized the seventh art.

Although we are talking about one of the best posthumous flamenco dancers, it is clear that her style is immortal and that, to this day, it continues to inspire dancers of all ages, because when you are as great as La Faraona you achieve a totally timeless essence.

Remember that in Jardines de Zoraya you can enjoy some of the best flamenco shows in Andalusia, come and visit us if you want to meet live the best flamenco dancers of today.