The flamenco dancer Antonio Canales has confirmed that this year he turns 65 and has decided to retire. “After 42 years of contributions, the time has come for retirement.” With an extensive professional career behind him, he warns that this will not be the end of his artistic career since he has other alternative plans once he retires.
“Evidently I am a restless ass and I will continue doing choreography, courses, classes at the conservatory and conferences but I will not be in charge of the company or in charge of the dancers,” he assured journalist Beatriz Cortázar. To retire in style, he has prepared the show ‘Fin de fiesta’, with which he will tour stages throughout Spain and in which he will show the best of his art.
“I couldn’t have chosen a better title because my life has been a party,” he said. Although he has had a very intense activity in which he has achieved different recognitions, now is the time to stop.
“I want to enjoy the tranquility, the life I have never had”
Antonio Canales has the support of his fans and of course, his family. Thus, he explained that his daughter has told him that he will not be able to sit still, since he is someone who is nervous. He agrees, in part, with her. “The time has come, I have my dog and my house 6 kilometers from Benavente, where also with what I have earned with the last reality show, I have just done a wonderful renovation.”
He emphasizes that his plans involve taking a calm walk through the countryside and enjoying “the tranquility that I have never had.”
A life marked by success
He was born in the neighborhood of Su Eminencia, in Seville, son of a family of artists. He started at the National Ballet where, shortly after, he was already a soloist. He then left to join Maguy Marin, a famous dance company in Paris. It was at that time where he became known internationally, premiering the show ‘Torero’ in 1993 with which he went on tour across Canada.
He has created the choreographies ‘Cinderella’ (2000), ‘Green Eyes (2003) and has written a bullfighting novel called ‘Sangre de Albero’. In 2003 he signed for Operación Triunfo and became a jury member in 2007 for ‘Mira qué baila’.
His professional career is admirable and he has not stopped working at any time, remaining active until the end. Proof of this is his recent participation in the successful program ‘GH Dúo’ or his time in 2021 on ‘Survivores’.