e was born on Tucumán Street between Paraná and Uruguay (at Buenos Aires city). At age twelve he used to dance on the street accompanied by his father who was a barrel organ player. Hence his nickname.

In 1912, at the Café Koma located on Charcas and Talcahuano, he established his first Academia. Subsequently, he moved to the Quiroga’s café, on Tucumán, between Talcahuano and Uruguay, where the Academia La Lora was located between 1918 and 1919.

From 1926 to 1935 the academia was called Los Hermanos La Lora with domicile on 2314 Corrientes Street. By the end of that year it moved to 730 Boulogne Sur Mer. A printed paper of the period says: «Academy of Modern Dances Directed by the Professors La Lora Bros. Lessons: Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays. 730 Boulogne Sur Mer Street. Buenos Aires. Unique and with unrivalled figures».

These women were dancing partners of La Lora: La Lily; Gallega Carmen (the Spaniard); Apache Cocinera (the Apache cook); Petisa (Shorty) Margarita and Flaca (Slim) Esther. On some occasions he also danced with Carmencita Calderón.

In the movie Resaca (1926) La Lora and La Lily danced to the tango “El entrerriano” and El Cachafaz danced “Don Juan (El taita del barrio)”.

His brother was Vicente Scarpino —Lainé—; was cousin of Alejandro Scarpino, the composer of “Canaro en París”.

He was married to Delia Piñero, with whom he had two daughters: Delia Nélida and Elena Josefa.

There is a tango that honors him, “La Lora”, by Domingo Salerno, and was recorded by Osvaldo Fresedo in 1925.

When I interviewed him in the spring of 1968 he lived at a boarding house located on 4366 Bartolomé Mitre Street, room 41.