Lola Flores, the Flamenco legend
Good morning #flamencofans! Today we want to dedicate a post to the legend Lola Flores. As all of you may know, this woman was born in Cadiz on 1923. She was a Spanish flamenco and copla singer, “bailaora” (flamenco dancer) and actress, known worldwide with the artistic name “La Faraona”.
“I am not gypsy, though the truth is that I can’t say it, because in the marrow I feel medullary gypsy, totally gypsy, gypsy from head to toe”. These were the words of Lola , who grew up in a neighborhood of mostly gypsy ethnicity, where singing, dancing and lifestyle of gypsies would hook her to the core.
When she was still very small her parents moved to Seville, where they rented, on Sierpes Street, a Tablao Flamenco. And as our Jerezian wasn’t very devoted to the study, she was every time singing and dancing fandangos, while imitating contemporary singers: “Bulerías were coming into my life, such as the rhythm of the heart. Those who remember say that I collected my hair back, the little hair I had, black as the sloe, and with one hand I took a tip of my little dress, and with the other I started to get stars, to move the loose hand in the air , as if I was born dancing”. At birth his brother Manolo, Lola left school and dedicated 100% to his care, serving as sister and mother at the same time. Years passed and, with the outbreak of the Civil War, Flores family moved back to Jerez, where they tried luck with "El Pavo Real" bar. Even passing certain calamities, Lola kept running through her veins "art fever" and each time was devoted to singing and dancing.
Finally , her perseverance paid off when at the age of just 13 years, she was already known in artistic circles as a dancer from Jerez, and three years later got an act in the Villamarta theater (in Jerez) with the show “Luces de España”. From here, Lola started to tour around Spain singing in cafes and doing daily shows.
Thus, little by little, Lola became known around Spain and started to make up a promising artistic future. And it wasn’t until she signed a contract with the producer Cesáreo Gonzalez, that she and her family started to travel across America and in very little amount of time became famous worldwide, transmitting her art and her passion for flamenco.
“I will be eternal. There are videos where you can see me. Although I die I will stay alive”, she said. Nowadays Lola Flores is a great Spanish artistic reference and will always remain so due to her enormous contribution to flamenco.
We hope you enjoyed this little post about our beloved artist. Remember that flamenco is alive through her, and that you can also live an amazing experience in our dinner with flamenco show in Barcelona. Long live to FLAMENCO!
