Antonio (dancer)

Antonio Ruiz Soler (Seville, 4 November 1921 – Madrid, 6 February 1996), was a Spanish flamenco dancer, choreographer and dance director. He was professionally known as Antonio or Antonio el bailarin (Antonio the dancer). With his cousin Rosario (Florence Pérez Padilla) he had a partnership which was world-famous for 25 years (1928–1953). They were billed as Antonio and Rosario.A photograph of the pair dancing is in Clarke, Mary and Crisp, Clement 1980. The history of dance. Orbis, London. p58/9

In 1952 he formed his own Spanish ballet company, Antonio and the Ballets de Madrid, and Rosario also formed a company, partnered for a while by Julio Iglesias.Clarke, Mary and Vaughan, David 1977. The encyclopedia of dance and ballet. Pitman, London. p316, 321. Antonio and Rosario performed together again in his 1964 season in London and New York City. Antonio choreographed many works in Spanish and classical style; several were taken up by other companies.Craine, Debra and Mackrell, Judith. 2000. The Oxford dictionary of dance. Oxford University Press, Oxford. p19

In the United States he danced in Ravel's Boléro in New York City and appeared in several Hollywood movies, such as "Ziegfeld Girl" (1941), "Hollywood Canteen" (1944) and "Honeymoon" (1947).

 References 

Category:Spanish dancers
Category:Choreographers
Category:1921 births
Category:1996 deaths