La Argentina
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Antonia Mercé y Luque, La Argentina. (Born on September 4, 1890 in Buenos Aires, Argentina - died on July 18, 1936 in Bayonne, France) was a Flamenco dancer.
She originated, and helped to establish, the Neoclassical style of Spanish dance and helped to proclaim and demonstrate Spanish dance as a theatrical art.
A talented young dancer, her career was greatly influence by her parents Manuel Mercé (Andalusian), and Josefina Luque (Castilian), who were professional Spanish dancers.
As a result of her parents' lifestyle, La Argentina's entire life was mainly focused on dance. Her parents greatly wanted for her to excel dramatically in dance. She studied ballet with her parents in her youthful years. Her father mainly trained and taught her to dance at the age of four. When La Argentina was nine years old she debuted at the Teatro Real in Madrid, Spain. At the age of eleven, La Argentina was a star dancer at the Madrid Opera, where she would entertain and excite her audience.
Shortly after the death of her beloved father, she retired and resigned from ballet. After this life transforming event, at the age of fourteen, La Argentina started studying native Spanish dances with her mother. For several years to come her style of dancing was not highly admired in her society, therefore she could not perform in theatres or in concerts (as she was used to dancing). She danced where ever she could, which meant performing in café cantantés and music halls.
Prior to World War I, La Argentina was extremely admired in Paris, where she accepted invitations to dance at the Moulin Rouge and other Theatres on Champs-Elysees street, and other important locations. Years later, she took interest in a gypsy style dance and transformed it into her very own.
In her career she made six transcontinental tours in North America dancing her heart out, sometimes accompanied by Flamenco guitarist Carlos Montoya.
She received several awards, including the French Légion d'honneur, and the Spansih Orden de Honor Isabel La Católica
External sites
a Argentina's Biografy (http://www.tristeyazul.com/artflam/argent01.htm) Short Biografy (http://www.biografiasyvidas.com/biografia/m/merce.htm)