Flamenco - what is it? How to learn to dance this dance? Flamenco show - the hallmark of Barcelona What is flamenco.

Flamenco is a must-see in Spain. But what should you choose? A whole show or performances by individual artists? The first option suits everyone because it is really impressive. The second is for those who understand dance techniques, because you will be able to better discern the subtleties of movements.

Flamenco is fun, bright, amazing! The dance has ancient traditions dating back to gypsy festivities. The performance organically combines music, the dance itself, the costume, the expression on the dancer's face and the sounds of his palms, fingers and feet (now flamenco in Spain is danced in special shoes, and before, it happened that it was barefoot).

Video: watch flamenco online

You can hardly describe this dance: better watch flamenco online.

In the performance of flamenco, as you noticed in the video, there are certain traditions.

First, the Bailaor girls are dressed in traditional dresses called bata de cola. It is most often made of polka dot fabric or solid color, but very bright. The dress can be floor-length or partly long, almost always decorated with ruffles and frills, very reminiscent of the gypsy.

Flamenco dance in Spain (see video online) is accompanied by the unique tap-dancing movement of the Zapateado, finger snapping and claps. The dancer creates his own special rhythm, emphasizing it with his whole body.

In addition, the dancer can use a chic fan, manton (shawl with long tassels) or castanets to emphasize the movement of the hands.

The inspiring “Olé” is heard from all over the world, and the audience, along with the artists, sing and clap their hands, creating a unique rhythm for the song for a beautiful woman who dances on a low stage. This is how a typical evening in the "singing" (peña) of flamenco goes. This is an opportunity to see with your own eyes how people, forgetting about everything in the world, surrender to the power of music, rhythm and passion. What is flamenco? How did it appear in Spain? And which dress is considered classic in flamenco culture? We will answer these and many other questions in our material dedicated to this beautiful art of southern Spain.

When and how the art of flamenco was born

Flamenco appeared with the arrival of gypsies from the Roman Empire to Spain in 1465. For several decades they lived peacefully next to the Spaniards, Arabs, Jews, slaves of African descent, and over time, new music began to sound in the caravans of the Roma, which absorbed elements of the cultures of their new neighbors. In 1495, after a long war, Muslims, long-term rulers of most of the peninsula's territories, were forced to leave Spain.

From that moment on, the persecution of the "unwanted" began, namely the non-Spaniards. Anyone who adhered to a different religion and culture had to abandon distinctive habits, proper names, costumes and language. It was then that the mysterious flamenco was born, an art form hidden from prying eyes. Only in the circle of family and friends "extra" people could dance to their favorite music. However, the artists did not forget about their new acquaintances, who were also excluded from society, and the melodic notes of Jews, Muslims and peoples from the Caribbean coast were heard in the music of the nomadic people.

It is believed that the influence of Andalusia in flamenco is expressed in sophistication, dignity and freshness of sound. Gypsy motives - in passion and sincerity. And Caribbean migrants brought an unusual dance rhythm to the new art.

Flamenco styles and musical instruments

There are two main styles of flamenco, within which substyles stand out. The first is hondo, or flamenco grande. It includes such substylees, or palos in Spanish, as toná, solea, saeta, and sigiriya. It is the oldest form of flamenco in which the listener can pick out sad, passionate notes.

The second style is cante, or flamenco chico. This includes alegria, farruca and boleria. These are very light, cheerful and funny motives in playing the Spanish guitar, dancing and singing.

In addition to the Spanish guitar, flamenco music is created by castanets and palmas, that is, clapping hands.

Castanets in their shape resemble shells, connected by a cord. The dancer or singer beats the main rhythm of the piece with his left hand, and creates intricate rhythmic patterns with his right hand. Now the art of playing castanetas can be learned at any flamenco school.

Another important instrument that accompanies music is palmas, claps. They differ in sonority, duration, rhythm. No flamenco performance can be imagined without clapping, as well as without the shouts of “Olé”, which only add a unique character to the dance and song.

Classic dress

The traditional dress for flamenco in Spanish is called bata de cola , the style and shape of which are reminiscent of ordinary gypsy dresses: a long wide skirt, flounces and frills along the hem of the dress and on the sleeves. Usually, outfits are sewn from white, black and red fabrics, most often with polka dots. On top of the dress, the dancers put on a shawl with long tassels. Sometimes it is tied around the waist to emphasize the gracefulness and harmony of the artist. The hair is slicked back and decorated with either a bright hairpin or flowers. Over time, the classic flamenco dress became the official outfit for the famous April Fair in Seville. In addition, every year the capital of Andalusia hosts an international fashion show of flamenco dresses.

The male dancer costume consists of dark trousers with a wide belt and a white shirt. Sometimes the ends of the shirt are tied in front of the belt, and a red scarf is tied around the neck.

So what is flamenco?

One of those few questions to which there are hundreds of answers. And all because flamenco is not a science, it is a feeling, inspiration, creativity. As the Andalusians themselves like to say: "El flamenco es un arte".

Creativity that fully describes love, passion, loneliness, pain, joy and happiness ... When words are not enough to express these feelings, flamenco comes to the rescue.

In contact with

Flamenco is a traditional music and dance style originating from Andalusia (Spain); it is a fusion of musical accompaniment (toque), singing (cante) and dance (baile).

The style is represented by several dozen varieties (more than 50).

Flamenco dances and songs are usually accompanied by guitar and percussion: rhythmic clapping (palmas), playing on a percussion box (cajon); sometimes castanets.

Flamenco performers are called "baylaor" (dancer) and "cantaor" (singer), "tokor" (guitarist).

Origin

The origins of flamenco can be found in the Moorish musical culture. Gypsy music also significantly influenced this style - many consider the Spanish gypsies to be the main, true carriers of the style.

In the XV century. Gypsies arrived in Spain from the crumbling Byzantium, settled along the southern coast of the country in the provinces; according to their custom, they began to adopt and rethink local musical traditions, such as Moorish, Jewish and Spanish proper; and from this fusion of musical traditions, reinterpreted first by the Gypsies and then by the Spaniards, flamenco was born.

For a long time, flamenco was considered a "closed art", as the Roma lived in an isolated group; flamenco was formed in narrow circles. But at the end of the 18th century. the persecution of the gypsies stopped, and flamenco came to the stage of taverns and cafes cantante, gained freedom.

At the end of the XX century. flamenco begins to absorb Cuban melodies and jazz tunes; and, moreover, the elements of classical ballet have acquired their permanent place there.

The most famous flamenco dancer Joaquin Cortez, who renewed the concept of flamenco dance, relieved it of the "canonical standard" and introduced into it a new lively stream and expressiveness.

The improvisational nature of flamenco, the complex rhythm and specific technique of performance often impede the accurate notation of flamenco melodies. Therefore, the art of both guitarist and dancer and singer is usually passed from master to student.

Flamenco dance attributes

An important element of the dancer's image (baylaora) is the traditional dress called bata de cola - a typical flamenco dress, usually floor-length, often made of multicolored polka-dot material, decorated with frills and flounces.

The traditional dress of gypsies became the prototype of this dress. An integral part of the dance is a graceful play with the hem of the dress.

The traditional clothes of bailaor are dark trousers, a wide belt and a white shirt with wide sleeves. Sometimes the edges of the shirt are tied at the front at the waist. A short bolero vest called a chaleco is sometimes worn over a shirt.

The Spanish shawl with very long tassels is one of the classic attributes of the female flamenco dance: the shawl is twisted around the dancer's waist, emphasizing the slender female silhouette, then it falls from the shoulders, forming the silhouette of a large, beautiful, reeling bird.

Another classic feminine attribute of flamenco is the large fan. There is an opinion about castanets as an indispensable attribute of flamenco dance.

But most often the rhythm is beaten off with heels (zapateado), snapping fingers (pitos) or clapping hands (palmas). The purest forms of flamenco avoid the use of castanets, as they limit the ability to play the hands passionately and expressively.

Today flamenco is of particular interest to contemporary choreographers, because they see in this art great opportunities for creativity, for the introduction of innovations in choreography.

Classification of styles

Flamenco styles (palos) differ in rhythmic pattern. The most popular palos - tones, solea, fandango and seguiriya (Toña, Soleá, Fandango y Seguiriya) - belong to the cante jondo category (cante jondo, the most ancient core of flamenco, dating back to the oldest musical systems in India). The second category is cante flamenco, which includes singing, dancing, and playing the guitar.

Flamenco has influenced many dance and music styles around the world. In recent decades, mixed varieties of flamenco and other styles have appeared: flamenco pop, flamenco jazz, flamenco rock, jipsy rumba and others.

There are flamenco adherents who honor its traditions, which has both positive and negative sides.

Strict adherence to tradition makes a deep understanding of flamenco impossible.

Flamenco styles (singing, dancing, melody) are like a living organism, which requires their constant development, and without development there is no life.

But along with the developing flamenco there is also "flamencology" (a book under this title was written by Gonzalez Clement in 1955 and gave the name to this section of art history), scholars of this direction are studying the origin of flamenco and its "true" style, traditions, etc. ...

Until now, along with the supporters of the purity of the flamenco style, there are also adherents of its new forms and sounds.

Flamenco dancer Joaquin Cortez is the Roma Ambassador to the European Union.

"Duende" - the soul of flamenco, also translated from Spanish as "fire", "magic" or "feeling". “Only one duende is incapable of repetition. Duende does not repeat itself, like the appearance of a stormy sea. "

Until the second half of the 19th century. gypsies performed barefoot flamenco.

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Flamenco festivals

Among the most significant cities where flamenco exists today are Cadiz, Jerez, Seville, Cordoba, Granada, Barcelona and Madrid. Each of these cities has its own musical specificity, its own traditions and characteristics.

In Spain

One of the most reputable, the largest flamenco festival in Spain takes place every two years in Seville under the name "Bienal de Flamenco". This festival was founded in 1980. True flamenco lovers come here from all over the world to see the best artists: bailors, cantaors and guitarists.

The International Guitar Festival "GUITARRA" is held annually in Cordoba, where the fame of talented young guitarists Vicente Amigo and Paco Serrano began.

Annual cante grande festivals, cante flamenco festivals and others are held throughout Spain. More information about festivals in Spain and beyond can be found on the special news site www.flamencofestival.info.

In Russia

1- Russian Flamenco Festival "Flamenco en Moscu" - held for the first time in 2011. The festival will bring together only the world's most prominent flamenco stars.

Flamenco Festival "¡VIVA ESPAÑA!" in Moscow - an annual event in the world of Spanish musical culture (since 2001).

St. Petersburg hosts an annual festival called Northern Flamenco.

In the world of modern guitar music in Kaluga, an annual festival "The World of Guitar" has been running since 1997, with various flamenco bands from Russia and Spain, and many prominent names of foreign guitarists from the world famous, such as Al di Meola (2004). , Ivan Smirnov ("mascot" of the festival), Vicente Amigo (2006), Paco de Lucia (2007), etc.

In other countries

Every year, since 2004, the Flamenco Festival in London has been held in February. One of the largest flamenco festivals outside of Spain has been held in the American city of Albuquerque, New Mexico for over 20 years.

Famous flamenco artists

• Niña de los Peines, Lola Flores, Fosforito, Niña de La Puebla
• Carmen Amaya
• Ramon Montoya Sr., Paco de Lucia, Vicente Amigo, Manolo Sanlúcar, R. Riqueni, Paco Serrano, Rafael Cortez (Rafael Cortes) (guitar)
• Antonio Gades and Mario Maya (dance)
• Camaron de la Isla and Enrique Morente (singing)
• Blanca Del Rey
• Antonio Canales
• Antonio El Pipa, Javier Martos (dance)
• Jose Reyes (guitar, singing)
• Gipsy Kings (guitar, singing)
• Santa Esmeralda (disco, plus guitar)
• Rocío Márquez
• Lena Hernandez
• Eva La Yerbabuena

At the beginning of the 15th century, the art of flamenco was born on the territory of Andalusia. It was this southern territory of Spain that became the place of coexistence of the then outcasts - gypsies, Jews and Moors. These nationalities have formed their own unique world, in which their cultures have mixed, as a result of which the "magic crystal of Andalusia" appeared - this is how the original genre of flamenco is called.

Music and dance for gypsies is air and water, so essential for life. Plasticity, flexibility, expressiveness of movements and temperament, which are passed down from generation to generation, have become the basis of today's flamenco.

Why this art is called "flamenco", historians are still debating. There are many versions of the origin of the name, for example, it is believed that the word "flamencos" denoted the gypsies who came to the lands of Spain through Germany, and over time this word began to be called the gypsy performers or "flamenco singers" who were considered the standard of musicality.

According to another version, the word "flamenco" comes from the Latin word "flamma" ("fire", "flame"), because Andalusian dances and songs were distinguished by their fiery character even in those days.

According to another hypothesis, the name "flamenco" (this is how the flamingo bird is called in Spanish) is associated with this particular bird, because many of the choreographic positions mimic those of the majestic flamingo.

But, despite the many conflicting versions, the indisputable fact is that this art was born as a result of the fusion of the musical cultures of several peoples, each of which lost its homeland and lost faith, but did not lose the passion and ardor of the soul, as well as dance, song and music. as a vital part of being.

Flamenco culture development

It is impossible to name the exact date of the formation of flamenco as an art form. According to historical information, it can be reliably said that until the beginning of the 18th century, dance was accompanied only by clapping. The 19th century became the Golden Age of Flamenco, when performers were invited to the homes of the nobility and popular taverns. And a dance or song began to be accompanied by a virtuoso guitarist.

Initially, flamenco did not go beyond the Spanish houses, or rather, outside the patio - courtyards, which were the traditional places of communication between neighbors and family members. But gradually, this art began to turn from a closed to an open culture.

In places of temporary gypsy settlements (they were usually located outside the city), flamenco fiesta, open to everyone, began to be arranged. Gradually, almost no tavern could do without flamenco. This art became a craft for performers that could make a living.

The first café cantante (artistic cafes) with flamenco numbers appeared in Seville in 1842. Since then, this art has become available to the general public. Competition began to grow among performers, fostering the development of a variety of performing forms, styles and genres of flamenco.

However, in the middle of the 19th century, artistic cafes began to lose profitability; only those establishments "survived" in which customers were allowed to choose their own repertoire. Thus, flamenco ceased to be a soulful art, but became a simple business, based on the tastes and preferences of those who pay.

Flamenco gained great popularity among wealthy youth, who, however, admired only the aesthetic side of this art, but not the drama and pain that move it. Flamenco has become a part of the entertainment industry, a consumer product.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, flamenco appeared on theatrical stages in the form of professional performances called ópera flamenco. The classical attributes of flamenco are dancing and singing accompanied by a guitar, but gradually the guitar has lost its traditional meaning, because it began to be replaced by orchestral accompaniment. Going out to a wider audience, flamenco was forced to adapt to any audience, trying to please her.

However, many places have survived in Spain where performers have preserved the purity of their style and where the true "cante hondo" continues to sound.

Flamenco - cry from the heart

Today, you can often find a combination of the concepts of "cante jondo" and "cante flamenco". But flamenco researchers have not come to a consensus about the similarities or differences between these concepts. The term "Hondo" (Andalusians pronounce "Jondo") is used to denote the depth (expressiveness, emotionality) of flamenco performance.

Most often, hondo singing is understood as the manner of singing flamenco by various performers. Cante flamenco is what is sung, and cante jondo is how it is sung and performed. It is the "cante hondo" that is considered the primary source of spirit, tragedy and all-encompassing sensation. Whereas "cante flamenco" is already a modernized art, which is inferior to hondo in terms of the depth of feelings.

The main attributes of flamenco

Flamenco dance conveys the entire emotional spectrum of the performer. In dance, it is not so much the skill of the dancer that is important as the story that the performer tells with the help of his body movements.

The most characteristic feature of flamenco is zapateado - rhythmic beating of time with the heels and soles of boots on the floor. Initially, zapateado was performed only by men, and the female performance involved smooth hand movements. Today, the differences between male and female flamenco are not so pronounced, although the beauty of hand movements has remained a female prerogative.

In addition to zapateado, clapping of hands (palmas) and snapping of fingers (pitos) are essential elements of flamenco. Castanets came to flamenco culture later, and are now used along with traditional techniques.

The flamenco dancer's costume consists of dark trousers, a wide belt, a white shirt and a short bolero vest. The dancer's dress, called bata de cola, is inspired by the traditional gypsy dress, usually long and decorated with many frills and frills. If a woman is performing a man's flamenco, she puts on a man's costume.

At its core, flamenco is the dance of one performer. The dancer is not constrained by the choreographic script, synchronization of movements and other "artificial" conventions. He always improvises, and this expresses duende - playing with fire, inconstancy, passion, danger, which are the basis of the art of flamenco.

- the country of the richest cultural traditions, bright and lively history - all that makes this country the pearl of European civilization. Speaking about the country of Don Quixote, one should not overlook flamenco - a phenomenon that has long become an indisputable symbol of Spain, its soul, a display of a colorful culture and sultry temperament. Flamenco is not a traditional dance in Catalonia. Andalusia is considered the birthplace of flamenco. However, back in the 18th century, this art form began its triumphal march across Barcelona and still continues to delight spectators on the stages of the city.

When you come to the capital of Catalonia, do not miss the opportunity to enjoy one of the most vivid, passionate and exciting performances in Spanish - the flamenco show in Barcelona. Incendiary dance, rhythmic guitar sound, girls in long beautiful dresses with frills and real Spanish macho - all this is more than just a dance, it is a virtuoso and unforgettable art that combines various musical and dance styles. The enchanting melody of the action will touch and warm the most secret strings of your soul. We guarantee that you will not only not remain indifferent, but also take with you a piece of Spain that will always be with you! You can watch flamenco in Barcelona in many places, and we offer you an overview of the best flamenco clubs in Barcelona.

Where to watch flamenco in Barcelona?