The Passionate Flamenco
The Spanish art
Spain is renowned for being a country full of passion and adrenaline; it is the country where the dangerous bullfighting and the passionate flamenco were born. You have to visit it even if it is for the only reason that you want to see where the flamenco comes from, the atmosphere of the place, the people and its purest origins.
The Flamenco is par excellence a Spanish tradition, an art form that appeared in Andalusia; you should expect a Spaniard to refer to flamenco with the term Sevilliana, so when you hear the word, prepare to immediately connect it with the Spanish art.
About the flamenco
Those who know few things about flamenco will be surprised to find out that this Spanish tradition incorporates three different levels of expression; firstly you have the song, also known as el baile. Secondly there is the dance and thirdly, the expressive guitar playing.
The Spanish gypsies claim that they are the ones who initiated this outstanding tradition; even though this is not completely true, they did play an important part in the development of the tradition helping to spread it all over the country.
Do you wonder why the gypsies are not the pure founders of flamenco? Well, the tradition has a series of other influences, coming from the many civilizations that ruled over Spain at some time or another in the past, influences that helped it become such a wonderful art form.
The Muslim occupation came with a long list of popular songs and dances, so this is what brought the oldest influences in flamenco; from the modern jazz, the salsa and last but not the least, the bosa nova. Even though so many influences and so many cultures come together in what is called ‘’flamenco’’, the result is an outstanding one and it represents a very important attraction in Spain.
Some flamenco history
Flamenco had like all art forms a golden age. Firstly, the flamenco schools were founded in Jerez de la Frontera and Cadiz, then came the golden period between 1869 and 1910. The golden age is the period when flamenco was perfected, the period when it became very popular in the music cafes (known in Spain as the cafes cantantes).
1910-1955 is the period in which the ‘’opera flamenca’’ appeared, bringing what the Spaniards call an easier type of music. You have to visit Spain in order to come into contact with this amazing tradition; I am sure that you will be fascinated!