BARE RROMA 2026/“La Capitana”: the story of legendary flamenco dancer Carmen Amaya, in a children's book

Children, and grown-ups too, can now discover the story of one of the greatest flamenco artists of all time: Carmen Amaya (1913–1963), the Roma dancer the world nicknamed “La Capitana”. The illustrated book “La Capitana”, published as part of the Bare Rroma project and available online for free in a bilingual Romanian–Romani edition, takes children from the beaches of early 20th-century Barcelona to the great stages of the world.

The story begins by the sea, where a little girl from a Calé Roma family imitates the dance of the waves. One morning, a fiery wave named Duende — the fire sprite of flamenco folklore — teaches her her first steps and leaves her a piece of advice Carmen will never forget: your family is your guide. At the fair where her family sings and dances among the stalls, the girl has a secret: when she wants to dance, she closes her eyes and imagines she is a captain at the helm of a ship, holding the sea's waves in check. Because of her strength, the locals call her “La Capitana”. When an alarm empties the fair and the family has to flee the war across the ocean, Carmen carries her dance further: in a new city, on a big stage, with steps so powerful she almost breaks the floor. And when she is given a flamenco jacket adorned with precious stones, she removes them one by one to share them with her sisters and brothers.

Beyond the story, readers will also find in the book an excerpt from the artist's real biography: at 23, Carmen Amaya crossed the ocean by boat with her family, fleeing the war in Spain. In America, her shows turned into tours that lasted for years. Famous all over the world, Carmen never forgot where she came from — for her, the most precious moments remained those spent with her family and her community, not riches or applause.

The book was written and translated into Romani by two young Roma, Arina Costea and Ion-Constantin Didei, students at the University of Bucharest, Romani Language and Literature Study Programme, following ten creative writing workshops coordinated by writer Iulia Iordan and journalist Ana Maria Ciobanu. The illustrations are by Cristiana Radu, the translation into Romani was coordinated by Prof. Alexandru Zamfir, and — a first for the series — the book is also available in English, translated by Brandi Bates.

A short pronunciation guide to the letters specific to the Romani alphabet.

Topics: #challenges #ambition #actresses #RomaWomen

DETAILS

  • Published: September 2026

  • Recommended for: kindergarten, primary and middle school children

  • Free digital version

  • Status: the book is not available in bookstores

  • Pages: 28

  • Size: 20 x 25 cm

  • Cover type: paperback

The book is distributed free of charge to schools and libraries in the network of our project partners, Roma Education Fund and the Comunitățile Viitorului Association.

AUTHORS & ILLUSTRATOR

EDITING & TRANSLATIONS

Iulia Iordan, editor
Oana Sandu - copy editor
Alexandru Zamfir, Romani translation coordinator
Brandi Bates, English translation

 

Bare Rroma — books as windows and mirrors for children

The book is part of the third edition of the Bare Rroma project (“great/important people” in the Romani language), the first and only series of illustrated stories for children in Europe featuring Roma heroines and heroes, developed by the Cu Alte Cuvinte association. The 2026 edition brings a first: while the first two editions brought contemporary personalities to the forefront, the four new books are dedicated to Roma figures from the past who are essential to history but too little known. Each book is a window into the Roma community and a mirror for Roma children, and each story comes with a teaching guide with diversity education activities, available free of charge online.

In 2026, 4,000 printed copies of the four books reach 15,000 children free of charge, through 1,000 teachers and librarians across the country, in the network of our project partners: Roma Education Fund Romania, the Comunitățile Viitorului Association and EduPedu. The books are not available in bookstores, but they can be read in full, free of charge, in digital format on the association's website, in bilingual editions (Romanian–Romani and English–Romani).

 

DISCOVER THE OTHER BOOKS IN THE COLLECTION

The books and the activity guide were created as part of the second edition of the Bare rroma project, co-financed by AFCN in 2026. Bare rroma means great/important people in the Romani language. The first edition of the Bare Rroma project received 2nd prize at the Civil Society Gala in the “Education and Schooling” section, the award in the “Social Inclusion and Intercultural Dialogue” category at the AFCN Awards Gala, and a nomination at the Itsy Bitsy Gala in the “Social Inclusion” section.

Bare Rroma Project 2026

The “BARE RROMA” project is co-financed by AFCN (the Administration of the National Cultural Fund) and runs from January to November 2026.

The project does not necessarily represent the position of the Administration of the National Cultural Fund. AFCN is not responsible for the content of the project or for the way in which the project's results may be used. These are entirely the responsibility of the grant beneficiary.