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.