Niña Amparo, Pioneer of flamenco dance in Morón de la Frontera

What color is flamenco? “Many colors” would say the poet. It’s the color of bay in Cádiz, or the sky of Huelva, the sherry of Jerez, or the color of old gold when the Alhambra is illuminated in Granada at night. Many kinds of beauty are expressed in music, or the sound of a guitar, or the texture of rich voices capable of expressing the most intense emotions telling us about the pain of unlove and death.

And if all the regions have their own distinct personalities, it’s likely that the town/city of Morón de la Frontera is the flamenco spot in Andalusia with the greatest personality and identity. Neither better nor worse as they say, just noticeably different. Starting with guitarist Diego del Gastor and his original touch that made less seem like more. Or the warm resonant voice of Luis Torres “Joselero de Morón”.

But wait a sec… you don’t often hear folks talk about flamenco dancing in Morón. Few people think of Morón de la Frontera as a key place for dance, even though the town has produced a surprising number of noteworthy dancers of both classic flamenco and the fiesta line. With a current population of under 28,000, Morón has produced more professional dancers per capita than other much larger cities. The racial Juana Amaya, Farruco-style Juan de Juan, the accomplished star Pepe Torres, elegant, profound, authentic, and many others.

"La Niña Amparo was an artist at the legendary Guajiro in Seville alongside Farruco, Rafael el Negro, and Matilde Coral. Coral recalls having performed with La Niña Amparo in the 50s and 60s. That entire style of dancing profoundly influenced the young artist."

Let's talk about the flamenco dancerCarmen Torres Amaya, known artistically asThe Girl Amparo, who passed away in December at the age of 91. Daughter of Joselero, aunt of Pepe Torres, sister of Andorrano and Diego de Morón, a pioneer of flamenco From Morón, when flamenco was gaining international recognition. No longer the courtyard dance of old neighborhoods—not to disparage it—but the dance suitable for theaters and more or less formal stages. Profiles of other artists from Morón, especially guitarists from the family, mention that they were raised listening to and watching La Niña Amparo, indicating her role as a transmitter of art within the Torres Amaya flamenco family. 

Niña Amparo performed at the renowned Guajiro in Seville along with Farruco, Rafael el Negro and Matilde Coral who remembers having coincided with Niña Amparo in performances in the fifties and sixties. That way of dancing strongly influenced the young performer, it was the source where she developed her aesthetic. Her importance is the result of having been one of the first women to participate in flamenco dance in Morón de la Frontera, a town that had a stable flamenco tradition, from the flamenco family of Morón, and source of great artists. A flamenco feeling that was part of the identity of this inland area and its three main products: olives, white lime and flamenco as received from Niña Amparo and others of her generation.