Stage Name |
Birth Name |
| La Argentina |
Antonia Mercè |
| "Spain's Greatest Dancer" |
|
La Argentina was born
Antonia Mercè to her dancer parents Manuel Mercè (Andalucían)
and dancer Josefina Luque (Castilian.) She learned to dance
from her father at the age of four and by nine debuted with the
Royal Opera Theater in Madrid, Spain. At the age of fourteen she
retired from Ballet (after her father died) and started
training with her mother in her native Spanish dances.
She was to devise and awaken an art that belonged
to the gypsies. She was a master of the Castanets, and would be
referred to as 'The Queen of the Castanets', developing techniques
never before seen.. From 1928 to 1936 Antonia made six transcontinental
tours of North America. Carlos Montoya, A Spanish Flamenco guitarist
and composer was used often by Merce.
She passed away at her summer home in France
in 1936 of a heart attack.
There is another Spanish dancer by a similar
name called La
Argentinita. Antonia also has a street named after her in
Madrid Spain.
Other Spellings:
Antonia Mercèaka, Antonia Mercèas,
L'Argentina |
Ballrooms
