The “Leyenda del Flamenco” (Flamenco Legend) has become one of the most prestigious awards in the international flamenco scene. This year, for his outstanding merits, the organization formed by Venta de Vargas, Flamenco de La Isla, and Revista La Fragua has decided to honor dancer Antonio Canales as the 13th Flamenco Legend. This award, born in La Isla de San Fernando, the island of Camarón, recognizes essential figures in the history and promotion of this art. It is a designation that had long been in the minds of the award’s organizers.
The recognition was announced live during the broadcast of the show No dejes de soñar on Canal Sur Televisión, hosted by Manu Sánchez and Pastora Soler. The Saturday evening program, dedicated to Antonio Canales, served as the perfect stage for a moment of deep emotion. Seizing the opportunity, the producers and awarding institutions made the official announcement of Canales’s selection as the new Flamenco Legend.
The promoters of the award—Carlos Rey, Chico Javier, and Lolo Picardo, representatives of the institutions behind the honor—publicly confirmed the nomination. Canales received the news with pride, excitement, and gratitude toward the city of San Fernando, with which he maintains a close connection.
An Award Born in La Isla, Land of Camarón
The Flamenco Legend award emerged following UNESCO’s 2010 declaration of flamenco as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Since then, the initiative—involving Flamenco de la Isla, Revista La Fragua, and Venta de Vargas—has aimed to celebrate personalities and institutions whose careers and contributions to flamenco have made them true legends.
Previous recipients include artists like Rancapino, Fosforito, José Mercé, Carmen Linares, María Vargas, Curro Malena, Lebrijano, Paco Cepero, Juan Villar, and Carrete de Málaga; as well as producers like Ricardo Pachón and flamenco communicator José María Velázquez-Gaztelu.
Antonio Canales’s selection as the 13th Flamenco Legend is another step in La Isla’s commitment to the defense and promotion of flamenco—an art deeply embedded in San Fernando’s cultural identity. Thanks to figures like Camarón de la Isla, the city has projected its name around the world.
By joining this hall of fame, Canales stands alongside some of the most distinguished names in flamenco history, from legendary singers to guitarists and pivotal figures in flamenco’s global dissemination.
Flamenco Legends
- Alonso Núñez “Rancapino”
- Antonio Fernández “Fosforito”
- Paco Cepero
- Curro Malena
- Juan Peña “Lebrijano”
- Carmen Linares
- Juan Villar
- María Vargas
- Ricardo Pachón
- José Mercé
- José Losada “Carrete de Málaga”
- José M. Velázquez-Gaztelu
- Antonio Canales
The award ceremony for this 13th Flamenco Legend will take place around the International Flamenco Day, November 16, depending on the schedules of the honoree and the organizing institutions.
Antonio Canales: A Life Dedicated to Flamenco
Antonio Gómez de los Reyes (Seville, 1961), known worldwide as Antonio Canales, is one of the most prestigious and charismatic dancers, choreographers, and actors in Spanish culture. The son and grandson of artists, his career has been a whirlwind of virtuosity in dance and an exploration of diverse artistic disciplines.
His career began brilliantly in classical and neoclassical dance, forging the technical foundation that he would later blend with his flamenco genius. He trained at the National Ballet of Spain (BNE), where he quickly rose to the rank of soloist.
Canales later shared the stage with legendary dance figures such as Rudolf Nureyev and Maya Plisetskaya in major theaters worldwide. During this phase, he earned accolades such as Best Dancer at NAVISELA-88 (Italy) and Best International Dancer of Mexico City in 1990 (shared with Julio Bocca).
The turning point came with the creation of his own company and the premiere of his most iconic work. He founded the Antonio Canales Flamenco Ballet, debuting in Bilbao with A ti Carmen Amaya and Siempre Flamenco. However, Torero (1993) would become his masterpiece. Following a successful tour in Canada, it premiered in Spain in 1994 to great acclaim, with over 700 performances.
Torero‘s TVE broadcast was nominated for the 1995 Emmy Awards in the “Artistic Presentation” category. It was not only Canales’s greatest commercial success but also redefined contemporary flamenco dance. The work marked a turning point, making flamenco more accessible to broader audiences by blending theatre and dance into a grand-format narrative. This opened doors for many artists who would follow his creative path.
WATCH “TORERO” by ANTONIO CANALES on ALL FLAMENCO
WATCH “TORERO” by ANTONIO CANALES on PRIME VIDEO ALL FLAMENCO
That same year marked his full consolidation when he received Spain’s National Dance Award. He continued creating works such as Gitano, Cenicienta, Ojos Verdes, Bengues… revealing new facets of the “Artist”. He also starred in Toni Gatlif’s feature film Vengo and published the novel Sangre de Albero (2002).
His career has been recognized with the Gold Medal for Merit in the Fine Arts in 2020. He also received the Silver Slipper from the Indanza Association in 2017 and has been a Distinguished Member of the CID UNESCO since 2013.
Though Antonio Canales has announced his retirement in 2025, set to take effect in 2026, he remains a tireless creator, ambassador, and lover of flamenco. He is the godfather of Tablao Flamenco 1911 in Madrid, affectionately calling it “The Cathedral of Flamenco”. He also supports the La Isla Ciudad Flamenca Festival since its inception, and the Venta de Vargas, which he describes as “The Lighthouse that Illuminates Flamencos.”
He continues to dance, work, and share his flamenco knowledge through classes and lectures, both nationally and internationally.
For everything he has contributed to flamenco, to its history, and as a great international ambassador of this art form, Antonio Canales is truly worthy of being a FLAMENCO LEGEND.
