La Polaca

Biography

Josefa Cotillo Martínez, La Polaca, (Madrid, June 16, 1944 - Seville, June 2, 2010) was a Spanish dancer and actress.

She was born in the Lavapiés neighborhood of Madrid. After leaving her studies at the age of ten, she began to dedicate herself to flamenco dancing and created her own style in an absolutely self-taught way. At the age of twelve, she made her debut as a professional in the play “La Parrilla”, at the Alcázar theater in Madrid. At the age of sixteen, she went to America as part of the company of the dancer José Greco, in which she quickly became one of the main figures. Her nickname is attributed to her dancing a Polish dance.

At the end of the fifties she toured the Soviet U...