José Molina Quijada was born in Madrid on Nov. 19, 1936 Jan 11th 2018

José Molina, a Spanish-born dancer who brought flamenco to audiences throughout the United States with his troupe and in regular television appearances, died on Jan. 5 in Manhattan. He was 81.

The cause was lung cancer, said Judith Shapiro, a friend and former student.

Mr. Molina left Spain for the United States in 1956 for an appearance on “The Steve Allen Show” and stayed. He soon joined the company of the famed flamenco dancer José Greco.

In 1961 he formed his own company, José Molina Bailes Españoles, which toured the United States for the next three decades.

“An arresting dancer, Mr. Molina at times performs with some of the outrageous panache of Rudolf Nureyev,” Jennifer Dunning of The New York Times wrote in a review of a Bailes Españoles performance at Carnegie Hall in 1978.

“Onstage, he exuded simplicity, charisma and charm,” she said by email. “The audience adored him.”

Later in life, Mr. Molina also made an impact as a teacher, introducing countless students to Spanish dance.

“He taught by example, and he didn’t lower his standards even when teaching beginners,” recalled Ms. Shapiro, who now teaches flamenco at the Alvin Ailey School. “He would say, ‘Better to do one thing right than 10 things badly.’ And students endured the endless repetition not only because of his expertise, but because he taught with such generosity, warmth, humor and charm. Everyone had a crush on him.”  When, as a young boy, he took an interest in dance, his mother, Carmen, was supportive, but his father, Ramon, initially was not.

“He didn’t want his son to be a dancer,” Mr. Molina told The Palm Beach Post in 1972. “In those days they had prejudices about men in dance. Today — after I have become a success — he is proud of me and salutes my choice.”