Flamenco is the everlasting and powerful song and dance of the Spanish Gypsies of Andalusia in Southern Spain.
This traditional art form is a blend of song and dance with roots dating back to the 16th century and is a fusion of many cultures including Gypsy, Andalusian and Moorish, amongst others. The first document that describes a gypsy man and women dancing was written by Miguel de Cervantes in “La Gitanill" in 1613.
As you would expect from such a long standing traditional art form there are many different styles of Flamenco , some have been made popular by individual towns such as, Sevillanas from Sevilla, Rodenas from Ronda, Malaguenas from Malaga and Grenadinas from Granada, the most popular styles are Cante Jonda ( the deep song ) and the Duende ( demon or elf ) the later is considered to be the overall authentic Flamenco.
Every song and dance tells a special story of Love, history, politics , life and death, created formed by the gypsies over the past five centuries as a form of entertainment around the campfires of time.
Most Spaniards have danced in some form or other Flamenco either at one of the thousands of Ferias and Fiestas held up and don't the country each year, or at weddings or other private functions , I think there is a bit of Flamenco in every Spaniard, its part of their DNA and no fiesta would the same without the colorful spectacle, the clicking of the fingers and heels, the unmistakable beat and of course the often highly intricate costumes that are worn by the young and old at every opportunity. Frederico Garcia Lorca called flamenco one of the greatest inventions of the Spanish people.
The Flamenco that is mostly seen by visitors to Spain is generally the Tourist or watered down version , which although can be a fun and colorful spectacle it usually lacks the real “ Duende” and the inner passion that makes the real flamenco so emotional. For example think flamenco and you think Castanets, however they were not part of the authentic Flamenco dance at all but , and only added to enhance the clicking of the fingers
I have seen many live flamenco shows over the past 30 years of living in Spain, sometimes in the most famous “Tabloas “ in Spain, some of the shows were pure spectacles provided for the mass tourist market, although all of them inspired my emotions in different ways and always left me with a feeling of having penetrated the real Spain in some small and fulfilling way.
Article by Gary
