Rafael Estévez is an exceptional performer, prolific choreographer, and renowned director and creator of flamenco. Born in Huelva, he began to dance in a self-taught way at age three, later studying with Rafael el Negro, Carlos Robles, Manolo Marín, Javier Cruz, Antonio Canales, Eva la Yerbabuena and Guillermo Weickert. As a teenager, Estévez moved to Madrid to study at the Flamenco school Amor de Dios and train with artists such as Merche Esmeralda, Ciro, La China and Rosa Ochoa. Early in his career he danced in the companies of Merche Esmeralda, Cristóbal Reyes, Antonio Reyes, Manolete, and others. He has shared the stage with some of flamenco’s best artists such as Paco Toronjo, Milagros Menjíbar, La Tati, Manuel Soler, José Mercé, Juana Amaya, El Grilo, Niña de la Puebla, among others. He was the artistic director of the Ballet Flamenco de Andalucía from 2016-2018. In 2001, Rafael Estévez and Valeriano Paños formed an artistic tandem after discovering that they had much in common regarding artistic concepts and vision of dance. They began an arduous work together involving research and experimentation, combining tradition and innovation. Through this artistic and creative journey, they investigate movement, experimenting with contemporary dance forms, Spanish Dance, and flamenco, and create a language and concept of dance and choreography that is characteristically their own.
In 2019, Estévez and Paños were awarded the Premio Nacional de Danza in the modality of creation. Together they have choreographed, directed, and collaborated with artists such as Carlos Saura, Carmen Linares, Miguel Poveda, Israel Galván, Rocío Molina, El Terremoto, Arcángel, Patricia Guerrero, Olga Pericet, Marco Flores, Manuel Liñán, Amador Rojas, Fuensanta la Moneta, Pastora Galván, Ana Morales, Concha Jareño, and Alfonso Losa, among others.