Italy, France, Barcelona and Madrid 1961-1968
In the sixties I began an artistic journey that was going to result in the forging of my own choreographic style.” ITALY After leaving Pilar López’s company in 1961, Gades goes to Rome to collaborate on a choreography of the Bolero composed by Ravel, working with Anton Dolin, the British dancer of Irish origin who […]
From flamenco to Bodas de Sangre 1968-1975
1969 he creates the choreography for El Amor Brujo with the Chicago Opera. He performs the ballet in France, Italy, Spain, Japan, the United States, Morocco and Argentina, among other countries, with his own company, the Antonio Gades Ballet. Cristina Hoyos had already been dancing for a while at festivals and tablaos in Seville and […]
Between Altea and Cuba 1975-1978
His first masterpiece, Bodas de Sangre, debuted the year after starting his relationship with Marisol. His intention with this work was to pay homage to the poet, despite having to go to Rome to premiere it. According to composer Emilio de Diego, rehearsals for the show were held at the Estudios Amor de Dios in […]
Pilar López 1952-1961
After taking lessons from Manolo Vargas, the principal dancer in Pilar López’s company, Pilar calls me to Madrid and immediately hired me, making me the principal dancer of her company the following year, where I performed a good part of her extensive repertoire. It was she who gave me the stage name Gades. It was […]
The Sea, 1990-1993
Cuba is not an adventure, it is my life’s harbor. The avalanche of successes during his partnership with Carlos Saura and without the two women who had had impact on his life, Cristina Hoyos and Pepa Flores, are no longer with him, an exhausted Antonio retires from dance and dissolves the company. Although they will […]
From Elda to Madrid 1936-1952
“My father, who is the person I’ve admired the most and who has influenced me the most, taught me to respect others”. Antonio Esteve Ródenas, known by his stage name Antonio Gades, was born on November 14, 1936 in Elda, a province of Alicante, and moved to Madrid immediately after the Spanish Civil War. His […]
Spanish National Ballet 1978-1980
I think we have the most wonderful dance in the world that could do so many things if there were a cultural policy… In 1978 the General Director of Music and Theater, Jesús Aguirre, who later became the Duke of Alba, named Antonio Gades director of the new great project for Spanish dance, the democracy’s […]
The Carlos Saura trilogy 1981-1990
In the theater, the audience members has a 180º view, while a move makes a 360º view possible. Fired from the National Ballet, Gades partners with former members of his company and other members of the Spanish National Ballet to form the GIAD (Grupo Independiente de Artistas de la Danza), the Independent Group of Dance […]
Back to the stage 1994-1999
“I have always liked to draw on a literary work. Why would I invent one if there are already many wonderful stories in literature?” Gades the sailor comes out of retirement and gets back to the arena to create his last work, one that he had been thinking about for the past 15 years, ever […]
I’ll go like the wind 2000-2004
Antonio Gades retires from the stage, his final performance of Fuenteovejuna at the Lope de Vega in Madrid. He danced the leading role, a young boy who had to go to the river to get a girl who was doing the washing. “I would kneel, play with her, get up. One day I heart an […]
