Flamenco Dance

When the East meets the West in gypsy music

I am very lucky while traveling to Spain and Portugal, got a chance to watch two Flamenco dance shows, one time in the local inn while at Granada, and one time at Seville, in the show performance center.

Personally I like more of what I saw in the local Inn at night, maybe due to I see much closer, and the dancer is more age and mature or turn to elder, so their passion in the dance I can feel it, while they dance. I saw the passion in life while the dancer followed the rhythm and made the dance. If you ask me, travel to Spain, what unique experience should not be missed? for sure flamenco dance will be on my list.

Flamenco History

Flamenco dance originated in Andalusia and that from the VIII to the XV centuries, when Spain was under Arab domination, their music and musical instruments were modified and adapted by Christians and Jews, and later by gipsies becoming a hybrid music separate from the musical forms which created it.Between 1765 and 1860, the first Flamenco-schools were created in Cadiz, Jerez de la Frontera and Triana (Seville). In this epoch Flamenco dance started to have its firm position in the ballrooms. Early Flamenco seems to have been purely vocal, accompanied only by rhythmical clapping of hands, toque de palmas. It was left to dedicated composers, as Julián Arcas, to introduce guitar playing.During its Golden Age (1869-1910) Flamenco was developed in the epoch's numerous music cafés (cafés cantantes) to its definitive form. Also the more serious forms expressing deep feelings (cante jondo) date from then. Flamenco dance arrived to its climax, being the major attraction for the public of those cafés cantantes.

Flamenco Festivals in Spain

Typical Flamenco dance

In the typical night inn with drink and see from the stage. This youtube video is very close to what I saw during the trip, except different real life characters, but I think they share one thing in common, while you see how they dance, I think you need some age before you can dance like them. Younger and pretty woman, maybe look sexy, but without those impressive moves that come with age I think.

Naked Flamenco

Following youtube provides a chance to see in it pure form, without dress how the dance body movement.

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