The City Council names dancer Rafael Ramirez as Favorite Son of Estepona

The institutional event, held in the Felipe VI Auditorium, also paid tribute to the business network with special mentions to traditional businesses for their professional trajectory.

The City Council of Estepona has delivered today the title of Favorite Son of the city to the dancer Rafael Ramirez Vilchez during the institutional ceremony of the Day of Andalusia, which was held in the Auditorium Felipe VI.

The mayor of Estepona, José María García Urbano, has highlighted the artistic career of Rafael Ramírez Vílchez, who is today one of the most interesting, elegant, precise, versatile and with greater projection of the current flamenco scene. Both the specialized critics and the fans highlight his ability to move with firmness and virtuosity in the most classical current of flamenco, while exploring other more subtle dance paths, which makes him a suggestive and personal dancer.

Born in Estepona (1993), the dancer first took the stage at the age of three in the neighborhood of Mar y Sierra, an area where he grew up and where he took his first dance steps. When he came of age, Rafael Ramirez made a firm commitment to his training by taking the entrance exams for higher studies in dance at the Conservatory of Malaga, where he entered with brilliant qualifications, dedicating himself body and soul to dance ever since.

Throughout all these years, the dancer has traveled around the world with his art (from China to Mexico, Brazil and Colombia, through Russia, Germany, Estonia, Romania, Poland, Italy, Switzerland and France), taking his land by flag and being an example of effort, perseverance and talent in this universal discipline.

Rafael Ramírez has received numerous awards. He has been awarded the First Prize Málaga Crea 2011, the First Prize Certamen Andaluz de Jóvenes Flamencos (2013), First Prize Concurso Nacional de Arte Flamenco Ubrique (2016), Outstanding Dancer Certamen Coreográfico de Madrid (2018), First Prize male desplante in the Festival Internacional de Cante de las Minas, La Unión (2021) and Premio Artista Revelación XXVII Festival de Jerez in 2023.

On the other hand, the City Council has recognized during the institutional act of the Day of Andalusia the professional career of traditional companies in the city by delivering special mentions to Carpentry Floguisol, Construcciones Cedeño, Maderas Ravira, Materiales de Construcción Estepona, Restaurante Varadero, Tintorería Méndez, Viveros Hermanos Antequera, Motos Bracho and Estanco Torres.

The awards ceremony included performances by the Municipal Band of Music and the copla singer José Ortiz.