A minute of silence was broken by the recording of that tap dance he recorded for the last album of Camarón, Pony of rage and honeyIn 1992, this was followed by the first big ovation of the night. This is how Wednesday began. the tribute that some of the main figures of flamenco Madrid surrendered Juan Ramirez at the Marcelino Camacho AuditoriumIn the center of the stage, the shoes with which the Extremaduran genius, raised in Seville –died in January at the age of 66– He created a school of thought, revolutionized dance, and marked an era.
The show began with Juañares breaking into soleás and bulerías, accompanied by Rubem Dantas to the cajón, as part of the lineup that opened the evening in a nearly full venue. The percussionist later recounted to ExpoFlamenco How Ramírez joined the sextet Paco de Lucía in the mid-1980s. “I remember helping him settle in. He was a special dancer, and special people need to be cared for. He opened up to me a lot and told me many things about his childhood. It was a very beautiful time. Also, Juan was Paco's first dancer, and when he arrived, the sextet improved dramatically. With him, we became three-time European champions,” he says, laughing.
The numerous guests who turned out for this tribute from the very first call, as he commented Ramirez Jr., organizer of the event along with the flamenco dancer Lorena QuirósThey stepped onto the stage, presided over by the image of the master of rhythm and gifted feet who left us far too soon and in his prime. The young flamenco singer Miriam CanteroHaving arrived from Extremadura for the occasion, she dedicated some tangos from her homeland, the land they both shared. The footwork of Carmela Greco It started with the first "oles" and the Yiyo brought the audience to its feet, shortly after Ingueta Rubio She would sing joyful verses as well chosen as "because you are already in heaven with your mother."
Then Duquende He reached the first summit of the night by launching himself into fandangos: They're going to fight to the death / with two knives in their hands / Let no one call him brave / because they are brothers / and the one who wins is the one who losesHe then unleashed the beast within this figure of cante to whom, in the early 70s, Camarón He invited her to make her debut and even accompanied her on guitar. By then, the audience was already won over.
"As the fans headed towards the exit, you could still hear the crates and the..." palmas In the dressing room, as if no one could get them out. At the door, with the auditorium already closed, the audience gave the artists a loud round of applause as a sign of gratitude. Juan Ramírez surely heard them from above.
Shortly before the start of the gala, one of the guitarists who had accompanied Ramírez the most since discovering him by chance during one of those endless parties in the Candle: José Jiménez 'El Viejín'“It was in 1984 or 1985. We were there and someone said that Juan was going to kick his leg. Although I was very young, I had already heard of him, but when I saw him dance I was paralyzed. He was an alien. My God! For me, they are up there.” CamarónPaco de Lucía and Juan Ramírez, that says it all. He deserved this tribute because he was a game-changer in footwork,” he asserts.
a ExpoFlamenco.
El Viejín also tells us that he was with the maestro for the last time two months before he died. He went to see him dance at the Madrid flamenco venue of The Carmela And, once again, he was amazed. “It was incredible, he was still at the same level. He was an athlete. I’ve never seen anyone dance like that at his age. He always gave me a boost of energy. He was a miracle of nature… A miracle from God,” the guitarist adds, as if he were watching him dance at that moment, on stage, accompanying CamarónPaco de Lucía or Enrique Morentewho was also captivated by how she kept time with her feet and required her services for his historic Mass flamenco (1991).
Montse Cortes She steered the evening towards its end in another great moment of the gala, with the rumba she recorded in homage to Tina Muñoz, The Greekswho performed last night accompanied by the daughter of the late singer. The performances gave the audience little respite, except for the praise that some figures dedicated to the maestro. The guitarists more than lived up to expectations. Mayan Jerome e Israel Cerreduela, the flamenco singer from Extremadura. Francisco Escudero Marqués 'El Perrete', the singer Esther Merino, the dancer Antonio Moreno 'Polito' or the percussionists lucky losada y Bandit, among the more than fifty names that participated in this tribute to one of the flamenco dancers jondoThey all agreed that these were the biggest events of recent decades.
The grand finale brought the entire cast together on stage, including their children and grandchildren, dancing along with the adults. The artists presented a plaque to Juan Ramírez's son, and as the fans headed for the exit, the sounds of the cajón drums and other instruments could still be heard. palmas In the dressing room, as if no one could get them out. At the door, with the auditorium already closed, the audience gave the artists a loud round of applause as a sign of gratitude. Juan Ramírez surely heard them from above.
Text: Israel Viana
