Carmencita Calderón facts for kids

Carmencita Calderón (born Carmen Micaela Risso de Cancellieri, February 10, 1905 – October 31, 2005) was a famous Argentine tango dancer. She helped make tango popular around the world. She was known for her unique dance style and for performing with the legendary dancer El Cachafaz.

Biography

Carmencita Calderón was born on February 10, 1905. Her birth name was Carmen Micaela Risso de Cancellieri. She grew up in Villa Urquiza, a neighborhood in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Her family was poor, and her parents were immigrants from Italy. When Carmencita was 13 years old, her mother passed away. This left her with an older brother and two younger sisters.

Starting to Dance

Carmencita began dancing when she was 13. Her older brother, Eduardo, taught her how to dance. In 1932, she went to a local dance with her sisters. This was at the Club Sin Rumbo in Villa Urquiza. There, she met and danced with José Giambuzzi, who was also known as Tarila.

The next day, Tarila introduced Carmencita to two very famous people. One was El Cachafaz (Ovidio José Bianquet), a legendary tango dancer. The other was Carlos Gardel, a famous singer. El Cachafaz was very impressed with Carmencita's dancing. He asked her to be his dance partner.

Dancing with El Cachafaz

Carmencita and El Cachafaz danced together for ten years. They performed in many different shows. They created a special tango style. It included moves like "sentadas" (sits), "corridas" (runs), and "cortes" (breaks).

Their first big performance was in 1933. They danced with the Pedro Maffia Orchestra at the Teatro de San Fernando. Carmencita also appeared in her first movie, "¡Tango!", in 1933. It was a sound film, which was new at the time. In 1940, she was in another film called Carnaval de antaño. She also went on tours, including "La historia del tango" with Francisco Canaro.

Their last performance together was on February 7, 1942. It was in Mar del Plata. Sadly, El Cachafaz had a heart attack during the show. He passed away in Carmencita's arms.

After El Cachafaz

Even after El Cachafaz's death, Carmencita kept dancing. She performed at the Palermo Palace with the Orchestra. She also danced with other partners, like Pibe Palermo and Juan Averna. She appeared in the musical film "Tango argentino" in 1969.

Later Life and Honors

Carmencita Calderón was honored many times for her dancing. In 2001, when she was 96 years old, the Buenos Aires Legislature honored her. They thanked her for helping to make milonga and tango popular. In 2002, she was honored again at the famous Teatro Colón. She even danced with Juan Carlos Copes at the IV Festival Buenos Aires Tango.

To celebrate her 100th birthday, Carmencita performed one last tango. Her partner for this special dance was Jorge Dispari. This event also showed her dance outfits and videos of her life. A few months later, on October 31, 2005, Carmencita passed away from pneumonia. She was in Villa Lugano, Buenos Aires. Her remains were cremated.

Filmography

• Tango (1933)
• Carnaval de antaño (1940)
• Tango argentino (unedited, 1969)

See also

In Spanish: Carmencita Calderón para niños