Hagiwara at the Instituto Andaluz de Flamenco in Seville. Photos: Cristina Quicler/AFP
Japan's Junko Hagiwara has caused a stir in Spain’s traditional flamenco world by unexpectedly winning the prize for best dancer at the country’s leading flamenco festival – the first foreigner to do so.
The announcement that the 48-year-old – who performs under the stage name “La Yunko” – was awarded the honour at the closing ceremony of August’s Cante de las Minas festival in the southeastern town of La Union was met with a mixture of applause and some jeering.
