José Greco
| José Greco | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Costanzo Greco Bucci December 23, 1918 Montorio nei Frentani, Italy |
| Died | December 31, 2000 (aged 82) Lancaster, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Heart failure |
| Occupation | dancer, actor, director of his own dance company, composer |
| Years active | 1948-1990 |
| Known for | Flamenco dancer |
| Spouse(s) | Margaret Ana Borger-Greco, Ph.D. (?-2000) (his death) |
| Website | José Greco Foundation for Hispanic Dance |
José Greco (December 23, 1918 – December 31, 2000) was a flamenco dancer and choreographer known for popularizing Spanish dance on the stage and screen in America mostly in the 1950s and 1960s.
José Greco was born in Montorio nei Frentani of Italian parents, Paolo Emilio Greco and Maria Carmela Bucci. His real name was Costanzo Greco but he later changed it to José Greco. When he was 10 years old, Greco and his family moved to New York City. He began dancing in Brooklyn with his sister Norina at a young age.
Greco made his professional dancing debut in 1937 at the Hippodrome Theatre in Manhattan. His most famous partners were La Argentinita (Encarnación López Júlvez) and, after her death, her sister Pilar López. In 1949, he started the José Greco Dance Company, with which he toured extensively.
He also appeared in a number of films, including Sombrero (1953), Around the World in 80 Days (1956), Holiday for Lovers (1959), Ship of Fools (1965), and The Proud and the Damned (1972).
In 1951 Greco made his first appearance in the UK at the Sadler's Wells Theatre.
Greco received many honors and awards including being knighted by the Spanish government (Cruz Laureada del Caballero del Mérito Civil) and receiving 4 honorary doctorates.
José Greco started the José Greco Foundation for Hispanic Dance in 1972 and retired from the stage for the first time in 1974. He published an autobiography, Gypsy in My Soul: The Autobiography of José Greco, in 1977. He had six children, three boys and three girls. His sons José Luis and Paolo are composers; his son José Greco II is a dancer as are his three daughters, Alessandra, Carmela and Lola.
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