Legend has it that Hermes, the messenger of the gods, possessed feathered sandals that symbolized speed and change. But the icon of winged ankles is the first thing that comes to mind when we think of Juan RamirezThe Gypsy flamenco dancer who has just passed away after a long life on stage, where he left behind powerful and beautiful images, and which he shared with some undisputed geniuses of art jondoAmong other things, he will go down in history for having been the first dancer of Paco de Lucía's sextet.
The son of a father from Badajoz and a mother from Córdoba, he was born in Mérida and grew up in Seville. At a very young age, he was already taking his first steps in the arts, looking up to great artists such as Manuela Carrasco, Angelita Vargas, El Mimbre, Manuela Vargas or FarrucoAmong others. Like so many other flamenco dancers, he also liked to copy tap dance moves he saw in Hollywood movies and incorporate them into his work. He moved with his family to Alicante When he was 12 years old, and there he showed that he was good at everything, the canteThe playing and the dancing. But his voice was beginning to change, and he was convinced that flamenco dancers were in higher demand. So he began to dedicate himself to this discipline, although without ever losing sight of his passion for singing.
In Madrid, where he was hired at the flamenco club Las BrujasHis decisive encounter with Paco de Lucía took place when Juan was barely of legal age. “Back then, Paco only traveled with Ramón, his brother; the bassist, the Catalan; and the flute player. It wasn't a sextet yet,” he told me. “He was recording I just want to walk, he saw me dancing and told me that he would like me to put my feet in a bulería from the album. I confessed to him that I didn't know if I was ready, I had a lot of respect for him. flamenco and Paco, who has been the Beethoven of flamenco Here in Spain. And he told me, 'Don't worry, I've never seen anyone dance like you.' He gave me some very nice compliments."
"The flamenco "It's lying forgotten in the alleyways of Spain," he confessed to me. "It's a very marginalized music, not appreciated as it should be. I've sown these fifty years and reaped almost nothing. I chose to be a flamenco dancer and I've given everything I could. But there's no reward for all that, except that Paco and Camarón tell you 'you're the best for me', like Enrique Morente told me too."
The giant from Algeciras wanted him to stay by his side, but Ramírez, the one with the winged feet, had an insurmountable handicap: he hated flying, so he covered very long journeys by road while his bandmates flew to their engagements. This would eventually prevent him from joining the guitarist on tours in the United States and Japan.
He was by no means the only one of the greats she worked with. She also danced on the album Pony of rage and honey, the discographic testament of Camarón de la Isla, and to Enrique MorenteAmong his nights of glory, his performance in the Seville Biennial of '82, his performance with Manolete y The Macanita at the Monumental bullring in Madrid, as well as his tours with young talents from the 90s, such as Sara Baras o Antonio CanalesBack in 2004, he finally scratched an old itch by recording an interesting album. More flamenco that the heel, in collaboration with Remedios Amaya, Guadiana o Grill.
Always upright and elegant, master of timing, perfect in the execution of his dances even as age advanced, we continued to enjoy him when he came out of that Alicante in which she had made her home to attend small-format spaces, whether it was the Madrid one Patas House, the Cardamom and Peña Torres Macarena in Seville. But up close, Juan was already showing signs of weariness after many decades of "hitting the ground," as he used to say, and he seemed skeptical and a little disillusioned with the art world.
"The flamenco “It’s lying forgotten in the alleyways of Spain,” he confided in me. “It’s a very marginalized music, not appreciated as it should be. I’ve sown these fifty years and reaped almost nothing. I chose to be a flamenco dancer and I’ve given everything I could. But there’s no reward for all that, except that Paco and Camarón They tell you 'you're the best for me,' like Enrique Morente told me too. Even though those kind words from important people won't put food on the table. In Spain, the flamenco It's tough, as I've already said, because there's more cronyism than justice. ♦
