Flamenco

Flamenco is a special art form from southern Spain. It began with the gitano people, who are part of the Romani ethnicity, living in Andalusia. Flamenco includes singing, playing the guitar, and dancing. People often clap their hands and move their feet to the rhythm during flamenco performances.

Though flamenco started as a folk tradition, it has become a beautiful style of music and dance. It uses many different rhythms, melodies, and improvisational parts. Today, flamenco is studied in music schools and performed in concerts, loved by many people.

The oldest known writing about flamenco is from a book written in 1774. Flamenco continues to grow and change. In 2010, UNESCO recognized flamenco as an important part of the world's cultural heritage.

Etymology

The word flamenco was once used to describe the Romani people (gitanos) in Spain. A traveler named George Borrow who visited Spain in the 1830s said people called the gitanos Flemish, which later became “flamenco” in Spanish.

There are different ideas about where the word came from. Some think it came from old views of the Roma people. Others think it might be linked to singers from Flanders who came to Spain long ago. The first time “flamenco” was used to talk about music was in 1847. At that time, “flamenco” described a whole style of performing and living.

History

Cultural origins

Flamenco started from folk music in southern Spain, especially from the Romani people in Andalusia. They brought dances, songs, and instruments like bells and tambourines. In the 1400s, they mixed their traditions with local Arab-Andalusian music. This created the early roots of flamenco songs and dances.

Over time, flamenco grew into its own art form in towns of southern Spain. Local communities and Romani families helped make it special.

Casticismo

In the late 1700s and early 1800s, Spain felt proud after wars and culture changes. Flamenco became seen as a true part of Spanish identity. This helped it grow and spread.

The cantante cafés

In 1881, the first flamenco singer café opened in Seville. These cafes brought singers together, helping flamenco grow as a professional art. Audiences learned the songs and helped shape the style, making flamenco more popular.

Flamenco colors

The colors most linked with flamenco are red, white, and gold.

Flamenca opera

From the 1920s to the 1950s, flamenco shows were held in theaters and bullrings, called "flamenco opera." This helped flamenco spread around the world. Some older styles changed, but others stayed strong. Famous artists kept flamenco alive and growing.

Academic study

Starting in the 1950s, scholars began studying flamenco more seriously. Books and recordings helped people understand and appreciate this art form better. Contests and special programs were created to teach and protect flamenco for future generations.

Flamenco protest during the Franco regime

During a strict time in Spain’s history, some flamenco singers used their songs to speak out against unfair rules. This helped keep spirit alive.

Flamenco fusion

In the 1970s, flamenco mixed with other music styles from around the world. Famous singers and guitarists brought new sounds to flamenco, making it fresh and exciting. This helped flamenco reach new audiences and stay important.

New flamenco

In the 1980s and later, new artists kept changing flamenco, mixing it with pop, rock, and other styles. Today, flamenco continues to grow, with artists around the world adding their own touches while keeping its traditional heart alive.

Flamenco culture overseas

In places like New Mexico in the United States, flamenco has found a new home. Universities and communities there celebrate flamenco through performances and classes, keeping this art form thriving far from its Spanish roots.

Main Palos

Palos are different styles of flamenco music and dance. They are grouped by things like rhythm, tune, and where they come from. There are more than 50 types of palos. Some are just singing, some have dancing, and some have both. Some are usually done by men, some by women, and some by either.

Palos are usually split into three groups: the most serious ones are called cante jondo (or cante grande), the lighter ones are Cante Chico, and the ones that don’t fit into either are Cante Intermedio.

Alegrías

Alegrías are thought to come from a style called the Aragonese jota. The lyrics often mention places and people.

Famous singers of alegrías include Enrique el Mellizo and Chano Lobato. Alegrías have a strict dance form. They have a rhythm of 12 beats and started in Cadiz. They are usually sung quickly.

Bulerías

Bulerías are a fast flamenco style with a 12-beat rhythm. They began among the Calé Romani people in Jerez in the 1800s. Bulerías are very popular and exciting.

Fandangos

Granaínas

Guajiras

Malagueñas

Peteneras

Rondeñas

Rondeña comes from Ronda and the Province of Málaga in Andalusia. It is part of the group called Málaga fandangos.

Saeta

Seguiriyas

Soleares

Tangos

Tanguillos

Tarantos

Tientos

Verdiales

Music

Flamenco is a musical style from southern Spain, especially from the region of Andalusia. It has strong ties to the Romani people who live there. Flamenco music has three key parts: a special musical tone, a rhythm called compás, and the performer. These parts come together to create what is known as flamencura, making a piece of music truly flamenco.

A typical flamenco performance includes singing and guitar playing. Songs are made up of verses, with the guitar player providing short musical breaks. The guitarist also starts each piece by setting the tone, rhythm, and speed. The music often uses special scales and chords, and performers use hand claps to keep the beat. Audiences join in by clapping and sometimes even singing along, making the performance feel very lively and shared.

Forms of flamenco expression

Toque (guitar)

Flamenco guitarists play in a special way. They often cross their legs and hold the guitar higher. They use a flamenco guitar, which is lighter and narrower than a classical guitar. It is made from cypress wood for a bright sound. They use techniques like alzapúa and picado to make exciting music.

Cante (song)

The main article: Cante flamenco

Flamenco singing, called "cante," is a strong and emotional style of singing from Andalusia in southern Spain. The singers are called "cantaores." One of the highest honors in flamenco singing is the Llave de Oro del Cante, given to only a few special singers.

Baile (dance)

Flamenco dance is known for its strong feelings, proud posture, and expressive arm movements with rhythmic foot stomping. It is different from tap dance or Irish dance.

There are different styles of flamenco dance. "Flamenco puro" is performed solo and is based on improvisation. "Classical flamenco" is often performed by dance companies and has a proud, upright style. Modern flamenco requires many years of practice and focuses on fast, precise footwork. Dancers may also use props like castanets, canes, shawls, and fans.

"Flamenco nuevo" is a newer style that mixes flamenco with other types of music. It is more about creating new compositions.

Traditional flamenco dance is often performed by dancers of different ages who can show the deep feelings of the style. Many flamenco dancers reach their best in their thirties and can perform well into their fifties. One young master of flamenco is Juan Manuel Fernandez Montoya, known as "Farruquito." At just 12 years old, he was already a talented performer.

Regulated teaching of flamenco in educational centers

In Spain, many music and dance schools teach flamenco. These schools help students learn the special guitar and dance styles of flamenco.

Flamenco guitar lessons began in official schools in Spain in 1988. Today, there are special flamenco schools all over Spain, especially in Andalusia. There are also flamenco classes in other countries, like the Netherlands, where students can learn from experienced teachers.

University

In 2018, the first university master’s degree in flamenco research began. Before this, there was a “Doctorate Program of Approach to Flamenco” taught by several universities including Huelva, Seville, Cádiz and Córdoba.

History

The fandango was a popular song and dance in Spain in the 1600s. Over time, it created many local versions, especially in the area of Huelva. In some places, the fandango was played with a bandola, an instrument that helped people dance. This led to many different styles like the fandangos of Lucena, the drones of Puente Genil, and early malagueñas.

As new styles like Sevillanas became popular, the fandango changed. It allowed singers to shine, leading to many new personal creations in the 1900s. Thousands of people from Andalusia moved to mining areas in Murcia, where songs like tarantos and taranta changed and evolved.

During the time of cafés cantantes, some of these songs separated from dance and got a free beat, letting performers show off their skills. Antonio Chacón was a big promoter of this change, creating wonderful versions of malagueñas, granainas, and mining songs.

The style of romance and cord sheets led to the creation of corrido. From these, came early tonás, caña, and the polo, which shared rhythms but were performed differently. The guitar gave them a beat that made them danceable. They likely started in Ronda, a city close to both high and low Andalusia, and later reached the area of Triana in Seville. There, they became known as soleá. From fun performances of corridos and soleares, groups called jaleos formed in Triana. They traveled to Extremadura and places like Jerez and Utrera, leading to the creation of bulería, which then spread across low Andalusia with many local variations.

Lexicon

The word "ole" is a special shout used to encourage flamenco singers and dancers. It may come from a Hebrew word meaning "to throw upwards". In Andalusia, another word used is "arza", which means "rise".

A special feeling in flamenco is called "duende". It is a mysterious charm that makes a performance very special. The famous writer Federico García Lorca described it as a power that everyone feels but no one can explain fully. When a flamenco artist has duende, their performance feels very deep and powerful.

Each type of flamenco song, called a "palo", has its own special words and expressions. For example, alegrías often talk about happy themes from Cádiz, while seguiriyas express deep feelings using words from the Romani language. Bulerías cover many topics and connect different types of flamenco songs.