Flamenco dancing is one of the top two or three things people think about when they think about Spain. Especially when they think about Andalusia. So we thought we’d give it a go (we can’t always be eating…)!
Flamenco has four basic elements: sung verses, guitar, dance, and rhythm: handclaps, finger snaps, and foot stomping. For us amateurs, though, the important elements are the fabulous dresses, the stylized arm and hand movements, and the guitar and clapping. (And the dresses influence fashion more broadly.)
The origins of its name are unclear. The dance itself developed in the late eighteenth century in the gitano (Roma) community, from previous Moorish and Jewish dances. And it’s sultry. All of which meant that for a long time many Spaniards considered it lower class and deplored its international popularity. Bullfighting has a similar place in the Spanish consciousness.
Funnily enough, though, Franco presided over the modern rebirth of flamenco: Spain needed money in the 1950s, and focused on tourism. So the dance was associated with his regime. But there were also ‘protest’ artists. More recently, there have been revivals and also developments of original forms. We can’t tell them apart, mostly.
Here’s what we can tell, though. The musical scale of Flamenco is unique – it’s in the Phrygian mode, which means there is a smaller interval between notes. This can make it sound as if it is in a minor key. Also, songs tend to be about love and – such is the way of the world – many of them are sad.
We’re pleased to discover (as we did in Cabo Verde) that contemporary flamenco is not just for tourists: locals love it too! We also love the fact that the life of a flamenco artist is a long one: the most famous guitarists, singers, and dancers are in their late middle age. But also, one of the cutest things in the world is to see kids dressed up heading to flamenco class. Indeed, flamenco runs in families: many of today’s most famous artists are descendants of flamenco musicians and dancers.
You can see a flamenco performance of at least some authenticity anywhere in Andalusia, mostly in small venues. We went to the place pictured above, where a friend called ahead to get us front row seats.
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