| All texts: Estela Zatania
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 PEPITA
and GOYO REYES, dancers, choreographer (Madrid)
“She drank gallons of
strong coffee and ate like a bird...I don’t know where
she got the strength from”
My husband Goyo and I joined Carmen’s group in 1949 and
she was like our sister, a wonderful person. She was just another
one of the group, I never saw her get angry with anyone, she
was an infinitely patient being. The most important thing for
her was her family, when we went to London in 1951, her grandfather
came with us, her aunt Faraona did a little dance to justify
her salary, and her niece and nephew, Chuny and José
Antonio, 4 and 5 years old. They used to come out to dance because
the audience demanded it, and you wouldn’t believe how
good they were, especially Chuny..
Carmen Amaya, Goyo & Pepita
She had no extravagances, but she drank gallons of strong
coffee and ate like a bird...I don’t know where she
got the strength from.
She was tireless, but never rehearsed her dances. She would
go out on stage and dance what she felt. She never set the
choreographies, there was a genius in the group (forgive me
for saying it), who was my husband Goyo who choreographed
the shows.
 I
remember once when we were working in Barcelona, in 1952...when
the second show finished she called us all up on stage where
there was champagne and hors d’oeuvres. “Hey gang”
she said, “this is for our wedding”. She and Juan
Antonio Agüero had gotten married, and you can just imagine
how surprised we all were! She was so unassuming she didn’t
want there to be a big fuss as would have taken place had
the wedding been announced beforehand.
She was exactly like a sister for us. We loved her and I
could talk enough about her to fill a large book...
Pepita & Goyo Reyes
TEO MORCA, dancer and choreographer
(USA)
“That was 50 years ago,
and I can still taste Carmen’s champagne”
I first met Carmen Amaya in late 1955 while on a cross country
tour with Lola Montes. We arrived in New York and went to
see Carmen at the Chateau Madrid where she was performing.
Her dancing inspired awe.
Then in 1957 she came to perform in Los Angeles at the Huntington
Hartford Theatre, and again I went to see her. She invited
me to see her rehearsals at Rainbow Studios and this is when
I realized how much more Carmen was than just flamenco, as
she was directing all the classic and folk dances that she
presented in her company.
Goyo Reyes with Carmen Amaya
At this time, she was contracted for a three month engagement
at a tablao restaurant in Hollywood called the Casa Madrid,
the classiest place of this type in town. I’d put together
my first flamenco group called “Los Flamencos”
with the guitarists Benito Palacios, Rogelio Reguera and singer
Pepe Segundo, and we were to follow Carmen Amaya into the
Casa Madrid after her engagement, so I was able to go nightly
to see her dance and it was truly something as she gave her
all, night after night, in this tablao, with two shows 6 nights
a week.
 When
her engagement was over, I thought she would be out of town
by the time we opened at the Casa Madrid, but when I came
out the opening night to dance my alegrías, there was
Carmen in the front row giving jaleo. I almost had a heart
attack. She was front row center with a table full of great
flamenco artists of the area. After the show I went out to
say hello. I was at the far end of the table, Carmen got up
to bring me her glass of champagne and said, “muy bien
chico”. That was 50 years ago and I can still taste
Carmen’s champagne.
Teo Morca
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Read the sixth and final part of the
series “Carmen”
next week with the memories of Lucero Tena
 Carmen
Amaya Special.
La Reina Del Embrujo Gitano
(boxset: 2 Cds+ 1 Dvd + Book)
   
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