Spanish Nights

FLAMENCO ORIGINS

Originally from Southern Spain, specifically the Andalusia region, Flamenco as a traditional Spanish dancing style has only been documented for the past two hundred years. The Spanish art form is made up of three parts: Guitarra (guitar playing), cante (song), and baile (dance). Although flamenco originated in Andalucia, historians agree that it is influenced by many other cultures, including Latin American, Cuban, and Jewish traditions. Gypsies, or the Roma people, brought flamenco from its roots in Andalusia to the rest of Spain. Romani culture places importance as they are recognized for influencing many different types of music, including compositions of famous classical composers Franz Liszt and Johannes Brahms.

While most flamenco dancers receive professional training, it was common in the past for dancers to be completely self-taught. The art was passed down from generation to generation and was considered a part of the community’s tradition as a dramatic art form that tells a story, through the body language of the dancers, their physical movements, the music, and the elaborate costumes. In its original form, the only sounds that accompanied the dance were singing and the clapping of hands called toque de palmas. A sole (cry or chant) would be accompanied with a type of percussion that kept the rhythm. However, as the reach of flamenco grew larger and larger, musical instruments were added to the performance. Contemporary flamenco dancers use small handheld percussion instruments called castanets, which they snap to the rhythm of the music. Movement of the arms is called braceo and movement of the hands and fingers is called floreo. The posture and the coordination of the arms with the rotation of the wrists during braceo is very important and differentiates flamenco from other styles of dance.The mesmerizing movement of the arms, hands, and fingers provides a magic that is essential to flamenco.

Today flamenco is practiced throughout Spain and around the world. After reaching popularity in the United States, Flamenco has expanded to now having more flamenco academies in Japan than in Spain. Since the roots of flamenco are so multicultural, being immersed in various traditions around the world before becoming the finished product that we know today, every person can find something to relate to in a flamenco performance. Flamenco has absorbed a little bit of every culture it’s touched.

BALLET ESPAÑOL

The UTRGV Ballet Español Company provides students the opportunity to study the art of Spanish dance which encompasses a great range of styles such as bailes folkloricos representing different regions of Spain; Flamenco, the art of the Roma (“Gypsies”) of Spain and its "palos" such as Alegrias, Tangos, Solea, Bulerias, Siguiriyas and Escuela Bolera; a style of classical dance and music from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries that combines classical ballet principles with typical Spanish arm movements, castanets, flamenco footwork, and folkloric steps, to create classical Spanish dance works like "La Boda de Luis Alonso". The Ballet Español Company presents formal public concerts and school concerts every spring and smaller events on campus and for the community throughout the year.

I. SEVILLANAS

Daniel Alejandro, Keren Alvizo, Tirzah Claus, Viviana Franco, Angela Garza, Matthew Guerra, Jennifer Jimenez, Alejandra Lara-Torres, Gabriela Meza, Rebecca Segovia, Odalys Villagran

CHOREOGRAPHY RESTAGED BY: SONIA CHAPA GÓMEZ

MUSIC: CHAYITO CHAMPION- GUEST SINGER

RANDY CORDERO-GUEST GUITAR