Considered by many to be the greatest flamenco dancer of all time, Carmen Amaya gave her own definition to the art of flamenco. Her career began at the age of four and throughout her childhood she performed alongside her father in the taverns and music halls of Barcelona. With the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s she travelled the world and achieved her greatest fame in the Americas. She made films in Hollywood, appeared on Broadway, danced for Roosevelt and Churchill, but always remained true to her gypsy heritage. Flamenco today is deeply indebted to Carmen Amaya – through her artistry and virtuosity she effectively altered the history of flamenco dance forever.
After completing her education at the Royal Naval School Tal Handaq, Malta, Angela worked for many years in the Personnel & Training department of a London publishing company, helping to plan and teach on the training programmes provided for clerical, secretarial and supervisory staff. Following a 2-year work break during which she travelled to many different parts of the world, Angela took on a new career as a State Registered Nurse. She then went on to university where she obtained a 1st class BA Hons. Degree in History & Education at the University of Kent and subsequently the Certificate in Education which qualified her to teach. Angela then spent many years lecturing on health education and applied social sciences to nursing undergraduates at Canterbury Christ Church University College, where she went on to obtain a PhD, her doctoral thesis being The Poor Law and Social Reform in 19th century Britain. Angela’s main interests are travel, art and history and following retirement in Jávea in 2002, she has given many lectures on both art and history to the various U3As and other local associations.
Parking is available in the car park, which is signposted, and in adjacent roads.
PLEASE NOTE: The Ayuntamiento has requested that nobody park on the main road.
FROM ONDARA (ITV ROUNDABOUT)
• Follow CV731 to Orba, through Benidoleig.
• Continue through Orba and turn left at the Masymas junction, zeroing your tripometer.
• At the next roundabout, take the second exit, sign posted Parcent and BENIDORM.
• Pass the Gasorba petrol station (1.5kms) and continue up over the hill.
• Pass the Nou Portet restaurant (3.5kms) and at the next junction turn right, signposted Murla and Benigembla.
• Follow this winding road for 1.6kms, and you will find the Polivalent, a large grey and white building on the left, approximately 100m past the Murla signpost.
FROM JALON
• At the bridge coming out of Jalon, zero your tripometer
• @ 2.0km, turn left, T-junction signposted Parcent
• Take the first right, with CastellVi Restaurant on the right.
• Follow the road over the hills, and at the T-junction @ 4.2km, turn right, signposted Orba.
• @ 4.7km, turn left, signposted Murla and Benigembla - the bus garage is opposite the junction.
• Follow that winding road to Murla.
• @ 6.3km, you have reached the Polivalent in Murla. It is a large grey and white building on the left, approximately 100m past the Murla signpost.