Rafael Amargo
Who is Rafael Amargo?
Jesús Rafael García Hernández, known as Rafael Amargo, was born on 3 January 1975 in Pinos Puente, Granada, into a Roma family. He trained in the purest flamenco tradition and, during a period in New York, studied at the Martha Graham school, absorbing trends from contemporary dance that he would later incorporate into his flamenco language without abandoning its roots. He has openly acknowledged the influence of Antonio Gades on his understanding of dance.
Career
In 1997 he founded his own company, with which he premiered “La garra y el ángel,” featuring Eva Yerbabuena as guest artist, and established his name in 1999 with “Amargo,” at the Teatro Bellas Artes in Madrid. Among his most notable productions are “Poeta en Nueva York” (2002), inspired by García Lorca and featuring actress Marisa Paredes in the cast, “El amor brujo” (2003), based on the score by Manuel de Falla and restaged by Lola Greco, “Enramblao” (2004), “DQ… Pasajero en tránsito” (2005), in collaboration with Carlos Padrissa of La Fura dels Baus, and “La difícil sencillez” (2009), centered on the Lorquian concept of duende. Outside pure flamenco, he choreographed the musical “Zorro” in London’s West End and on Broadway, with music by Gipsy Kings and John Cameron and a cast of thirty artists.
Style
His work combines traditional flamenco with contemporary dance and the use of audiovisuals and theatrical staging, moving away from excessive technical complexity to place emphasis on musical emotion and the pursuit of the Lorquian duende, without abandoning the culture of the tablao.
Legacy
He has received four Premios Max de las Artes Escénicas, two for “Amargo” and one each for “Poeta en Nueva York” and “El amor brujo,” along with the Premio Positano Leonide Massine de la Danza and the Premio UNESCO for the international promotion of flamenco. His choreography for “Zorro” was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Awards, and his career has taken auteur flamenco to stages across Spain, Europe and North America.