Flamenco is a major dance form that was curated hundreds of years ago in Spanish culture.Traditionally, flamenco was a musical genre. It was much later, somewhere around the 18th century, that baile was incorporated into its discipline.Since then, the integration of singing, dancing, and music has been what complete flamenco. Being a very old form of art, the history and origin of this style are shrouded in mystery. There have been several distinct theories developed and opinions suggested by historians regarding its development. However, it is believed that it was the Spanish gypsies who gave birth to this extraordinary dance form. Flamenco performances are a reflection of experiences like sadness, sorrow, troubles, and bad or wrong loves. A flamenco performance comprises four fundamental elements: cante, baile, torque, and jaleo. What makes the performances extremely intense are the narratives and the expressions performed by the artists to the rhythm of the guitar. Apart from the key elements of the art, the outfits complement and enhance the entire show. Keep reading to learn everything about this extravagant form of art!Origin And History Of Flamenco DanceThe history and origin of flamenco are shrouded in mystery. Various historians have spent years trying to account for the etymology of ‘flamenco.’ Consequently, many theories have come along the course of time and study in establishing a conclusion of the same as well as its origin. However, this dance form still lacks a unanimously agreed upon source of origin. So, let us learn some of these theories and a little about the history of the development of flamenco.The Spanish word ‘flamenco’ literally translates to ‘flemish.’ Flemish is a dialect of Dutch that is spoken in Flanders, a region now in Belgium that was once under Spanish possession.In Spanish culture, this term was not associated with dance or music until the late 18th century, particularly in 1774, by José Cadalso in his book ‘Las Cartas Marruecas.‘A well-established theory, propagated by Blas Infante, an Andalusian historian, politician, and musicologist, that the term stemmed from the Hispano-Arabic words ‘fellah mengu,’ which means ’expelled peasant.‘Some other significant historians have the opinion that the term was derived from the Spanish word ‘fire’ or ‘flame.’ This theory has its root in the fiery and Gitano performers.Another group of historians believes that the term was inspired by Spain’s native bird ‘Greater Flamingo.‘Flamenco is a Spanish art form that has been influenced by various diverse cultures from all across the world.It is an extremely strong art form that fuses singing, dancing, and different types of musical instruments within its periphery.The period between 1780 and 1845 is considered the Golden Age of flamenco.Most of flamenco history remains undocumented except for the past 200 years.However, according to Manuel Rios Ruiz, the developmental phases of flamenco are documented in detail.The history of flamenco spiraled in southern Spain, especially in the autonomous communities of Andalusia and Murcia.Being influenced by the Romani people of Spain, flamenco artists comprise both Romani as well as non-Romani Spaniards.It is believed that the Spanish gypsies contributed this art form to Spanish culture.Historical records suggest that flamenco owes its birth to the cross-cultural interchange between the Gitanos of the Romani Spaniards and Moriscos of 16th century Andalusia.Flamenco music was first recorded in 1774 in the book named Las Cartas Marruecas by José Cadalso.Owing to its widespread popularity, countries such as Japan have more flamenco academies than Spain itself!Flamenco was declared as the ‘masterpiece of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity’ by UNESCO on November 16, 2010.Features Of Flamenco DanceBeing influenced by various cultures of the world, flamenco incorporates a varied range of dance and music styles. Flamenco performances are extraordinary and will leave you wanting more. Read on to discover some of the features that characterize this dance form.The oldest form of flamenco, or the dry style, was associated only with voice, usually a cry or a chant. It was accompanied by the beating of a wooden surface. The musical genre that this style incorporates is called Toñas.Flamenco binds four essential elements together, cante (includes singing), baile (includes the dance and its dancers), torque (includes the guitar or music), and jaleo (performance of the audience).The verses or copla, tercio, and letras are what comprises a flamenco song along with flamenco guitar interludes or falsetas.The tonality, compás, and the tempo of the cante or flamenco songs are set by the guitarist in the beginning.Flamenco styles or Palos incorporate the rhythmic pattern, mode, stanzaic form, progression, chord, and so on.Flamenco dancing can be seen occurring in four different settings: Juerga (an informal gathering), tablaos (small cabarets), public concerts, and theatres.The flamenco dance style is performed on Andalusian folklore, folk songs, and Mozarabic instruments. Some other instruments include finger cymbals, tambourines, and so on.Various African dance forms, as well as the Moroccan ‘Shikhat’ have influenced this dance form to a great extent.The baile or the dance style involves varied sensual and heart-felt movements. These movements involve arms, upper torso, hands, fingers, footwork, and heelwork.The males usually focus on the footwork while the females elaborate on their hands and fingers.The footwork seen in flamenco dancing is known as which is accompanied by tablaos clapping.Singing is a major attraction of flamenco dancing, where one is nothing without the other.Jaleo or ‘hell raising’ or Palmas involves the performance of the audience that includes hand-clapping, foot-stomping, and loud bouts of encouragement and joy.After a 15-to-20-minute dance sequence, the performer enters the Duende. Duende, described by Federico Garcia Lorca as ’the dark sounds,’ is a trance-like state where the performer is intensely focused, and the performance turns into a personal expression.Duende involves the direct communication of the flamenco dancers with the audience as well as God.The audience is a major part of the Duende, wherein they produce loud bouts of encouragement and rhythmic hand-clapping.Penas or flamenco clubs are set up all across Spain, where the artists practice this dance form on a regular basis.It is extremely important to note that flamenco fusion is identical to classical Hindu dance that is performed in India.Famous Flamenco ArtistsFlamenco is absolutely nothing without its outstanding performers. They are what makes this one of the most popular arts of all time. They have made major contributions in developing and spreading the dance style across the world. Let us learn some more about the artists and their contributions to this art. Flamenco performances are extraordinary. They are filled with emotions and personal feelings as expressed by the performers. Flamenco dance is a journey filled with deep emotions such as pain, loneliness, anguish, despair, love, hatred, passion, and joy. Needless to say, the correct expression of these emotions is what makes you a great flamenco artist. A male flamenco dancer is known as bailaor, while the female dancers are known as bailaora. The dancer is the protagonist of the songs that weave alluring stories reflecting the experiences of an outcast amidst the whites.Some of the contemporary artists of flamenco are Eva la Yerbabuena, Joaquín Cortés, Antonio Canales, Belén Maya, and Juana Amaya who have played a huge role in keeping this traditional art alive even today.Some of the extraordinary artists of the early 20th century include La Argentina (Antonia Mercé), Carmen Amaya, Vicente Escudero, José Greco, La Argentinita (Encarnación López), and Pilar López, as well as the troupes of Ximénez-Vargas (Roberto Ximénez and Manolo Vargas), Antonio, and Rosario (Antonio Ruiz Soler and Rosario Florencia Pérez Podilla).Antonio Gades, Christina Hoyos, José Greco II, and Lola Greco are a few of the classically acclaimed flamenco artists of all times.Facts About Flamenco OutfitsThe outfits worn by the artists are one of the major attractions of a flamenco performance. The outfits are extraordinary and help to convey strong emotions and feelings. Colors such as red, white, and black are seen draped around the artists alongside a few ornaments and accessories. Red dresses are used to convey those strong emotions. Let us go into more detail about flamenco outfits.The flamenco outfit is known as traje de flamenco or Sevillana dress.It was traditionally worn as a suit by Spanish ferias and romerias.These outfits are close-fitting, highlighting the curves and figures of the women. The dresses are accompanied by flounces that are made up of different fabrics.The outfits are either patterned or plain, accompanied by laces, flowers, or polka dots.Seville is the main manufacturing region of these dresses in the world.The dresses are designed by some of the greatest design houses, such as SIMOF (Salon Internacional de Moda Flamenca).The dresses make the female performers look extremely elegant and feminine.Some of the key hairstyles worn by the women are the flamenco bun or half-up bun accompanied by ornaments such as a beautiful comb or a flamenco flower.Both men and women also carry several accessories such as shawls or neck fringes, the former being more traditional than the latter. A few bracelets and earrings are what complete the flamenco look.
Flamenco is a major dance form that was curated hundreds of years ago in Spanish culture.
