Flamenco legend Micaela Flores Amaya, known artistically as La Chunga, passed away at the age of 87 after battling lung cancer for over a decade. Her son, Luis Gonzalvo, confirmed her death on the Antena 3 television program Y ahora Sonsoles, as reported by El Periódico. "We feared she would pass away. She had been going in and out of the hospital for many days," said Gonzalvo.
Born in Marseille in 1938 during the Spanish Civil War exile, La Chunga grew up in Barcelona after her family returned there a year after her birth. She began dancing at the age of six in the bars and streets of her neighborhood, where she was discovered by the painter Paco Rebés, who became her mentor and protector.
La Chunga was renowned for dancing barefoot, a style that captivated many artists, including Rafael Alberti, Blas de Otero, and Pablo Picasso. Her career took her to tablaos and international stages, including Las Vegas, New York, and Paris, thrilling audiences worldwide. She became an international reference in flamenco for over 20 years, enchanting many with her performances.
Beyond her dance career, La Chunga was also a painter. She exhibited her works in cities such as Madrid and Paris, achieving success with her art exhibitions, as noted by El Periódico. Pablo Picasso defined her painting style as "naif-luminous," praising her works for their colors and depictions of gypsies, tablaos, and flowerpots, according to El Mundo. In 2009, she received the Premio Cultura Gitana in the category of Painting and Plastic Arts, as well as the 8th of April Gypsy Culture Award in the same category.
La Chunga's influence extended into broader cultural circles. She inspired many artists, including poets Blas de Otero, Rafael Alberti, José Manuel Caballero Bonald, and León Felipe. Memorable portraits of her were made by photographers Francesc Català-Roca, Oriol Maspons, and Colita, as mentioned in Ara.
In her personal life, La Chunga married film director José Luis Gonzalvo in 1966 and had three children with him. They separated in 1978. Despite her fame, those who worked with her attested that she never took advantage of her celebrity status and had an approachable and kind character.
La Chunga had been fighting lung cancer since her diagnosis in 2011. Despite her illness keeping her away from the stages, she spent her last years in a nursing home, where she was accompanied and well cared for, according to EL PAÍS. "It's sad and it's never pleasant news, but there has also been a long progression of an illness and then you take it a little better," explained Gonzalvo, as quoted in La Vanguardia.
Charo Reina, a folkloric singer and close friend of La Chunga, expressed her sorrow over the loss. "She danced barefoot and her hand movements were something spectacular. She was a woman of race," said Reina, as reported by Diario de Sevilla. "Starting the year with this news has been very complicated," she lamented during a live call on Y ahora Sonsoles, according to La Vanguardia. Reina fondly recalled their time together: "I will keep our conversations when she painted, sitting around the painting she was doing that day. Those moments will stay forever in my heart. We are going to miss her a lot," she said with a choked voice.
This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq