Buoyancy » Dance

Flamenco - Spanish Passion

Flamenco music and dance contain a great many improvisational elements, which is why every performance is unique and flamenco is difficult to transcribe in musical or choreographic notation. The art of performing flamenco is usually passed from teacher to student through training and observation.

One warm summer evening, after visiting the Eastern dance festival, the three of us sat together, drank wine, and discussed dances and the expression of national mentality within them. Here are a few purely subjective observations. Eastern belly dancing - femininity throughout, eroticism, and also a certain feminine cunning that does not abandon one either in joy or in sorrow; alone like a star, like a value, like an object of admiration. Gypsy dances - revelry, pride in belonging to the troupe, but not self-pride, no individualism, dancing for the public, for the crowd. Latvian folk dances - submission to some order, steps learned across generations, no improvisation, subordination to the prevailing ethical and aesthetic criteria of society, usually only partner dances, ritual, symbolism, ornament. Russian dances - showing off, can be danced alone or in a crowd, no mystery, no wit, no eroticism, but frank emotions, sexuality, bravado. Spanish dances - self-pride above all else, both in joy and in deep sorrow, moving forward with a straight back and a proudly set chin.

Flamenco - a traditional fusion of Spanish dance and music, with more than 50 different stylistic derivations. Flamenco is usually performed to the accompaniment of guitar and percussion, and the rhythm is further reinforced by clapping - palmas - and castanets.

The flamenco dancer is called a bailaor, the singer - cantaor, and the guitarist - tocaor.

The seeds of flamenco can already be found in Moorish musical culture, and the Romani culture of Spain has also left a great mark upon it. In the 15th century, Romani settlements established themselves in Andalusia, having fled the collapsing Byzantine Empire. In their dances and music, they drew influence from Moorish, Jewish, and Spanish national traditions. Thus a new musical style arose and spread in Spain - flamenco - which the Spanish have cultivated and maintained for many years as a national treasure.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPhCIKFkfg4

Although initially Spain tried to distance itself from flamenco as a Romani import, by the 18th century it was being widely performed on the small stages of taverns and café cantantes.

At the end of the 20th century, flamenco began to incorporate Cuban melodies and jazz motifs, while classical ballet elements appeared in the dance.

Flamenco Performer's Accessories.

An important attribute of the flamenco dancer is the traditional dress - the bata de cola. Usually floor-length, with a polka-dot pattern, decorated with many ruffles and pleats. Looking at a dancer dressed this way, one involuntarily thinks of the traditional Romani woman's costume. An integral part of the dance is the interplay with the skirt of the dress.

The Spanish shawl with long fringes is an indispensable adornment of the flamenco performer. And of course the large Spanish fan, which lends the dance its air of mystery and emotionality.

The traditional male dancer's costume consists of black trousers, a wide belt, and a white shirt with wide sleeves. Sometimes the shirt tails are tied at the front at the waist, and there is also a short bolero - chaleco.

There is a belief that castanets are an indispensable part of flamenco. However, the rhythm of the dance is most often maintained by clapping - palmas - finger snapping - pitos - or heel tapping - zapateado.

The flamenco styles - palos - differ from one another in rhythm. The most popular styles are Toña, Soleá, Fandango, and Seguiriya. These belong to the oldest - cante jondo - and somewhere also echo the ancient dance traditions of India. The other category - cante flamenco - combines dance, singing, and guitar playing.

To become better acquainted with the soul of Spanish dance, I recommend watching Antonio Gades's film "Carmen" (1983) - about the film: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085297/ - scenes from the film: