Flamenco... The Soul of Andalucía

Since this is my fourth month living here in Andalucía (the region in the south of Spain- "Andalusia" in English), I figured it was about time I wrote a blog post featuring perhaps the soul of Andalucía: Flamenco! I just got back from spending two days in Granada, where I saw a flamenco show for at least the sixth time, so I felt like I was ready to tell you guys all about this traditional Spanish dance.

Flamenco is a form of Spanish folk music and dancing that originated in Andalucía, specifically in Western Andalucía, where my home of Sevilla is located. It is known to date back to the late 18th century, but it has grown to be prevalent throughout the entire country, and is even taught in Asia, the United States, and around the world.

The flamenco experience is made up of dancing, singing, guitar playing, and claps (sometimes substituted by castanets--shell-like, hand-held clappers). It is historically associated with the gypsies of Spain, which still largely holds true today (although not exclusively). Flamenco shows can take place spontaneously in small bars, at more elaborate dinner shows, as meticulously choreographed shows in theaters, and even in caves, like this show I went to in Granada:

(Throwback to first semester- miss you guys!)

Enough of the history, though. I want to tell you what flamenco is actually like. If I had to describe flamenco in one word, it would be passionate. The singers sometimes sound like they are suffering--but in a beautiful way. I have heard both male and female singers. Usually there is at least one dancer accompanying their music, but sometimes there are periods of just singing/guitar playing.

As a dancer myself, I can feel the emotions the dancers move with, as they display a look of (for lack of a good synonym) passion on their faces. The dancing includes a lot of foot stomping/tapping paired with more graceful arm, wrist, and hand movements. I have seen group dancing (both women and men), partner dancing (man & woman or 2 women), and single person dancing (man or woman).

The female dancers wear typical flamenco dresses with ruffled skirts, and of course some dresses are much more extravagant than others- usually depending on how formal the show is. The skirts are often used to compliment the dance movements. The male dancers usually wear formal clothing, as well, usually suit pants, a vest, and a button down shirt.

I have been to a few different flamenco shows in Sevilla and two in Granada, so I've collected lots of pictures and videos from my experiences. Now it's time for you to see for yourself!

Is it different than what you expected? It's definitely different than what I expected!

Que tengas un buen día :)

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