Originating from the Andalusian region of Spain, Flamenco is a stage performance form that integrates dance, singing, guitar and other artistic elements, and has a long history. In 2010, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) officially recognized flamenco as the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The rich emotions and overall atmosphere displayed by the artists on stage make watching a live flamenco performance the greatest wish of every visitor to Spain.
The evolution of history
Today's dance and music are the result of the evolution, integration and unity of different cultures over the centuries. Along with the development of flamenco music, flamenco dance was derived and was first recognized as a dance form in the 18th century.
Initially, the focus of flamenco art was mainly on the singer's voice, but gradually, the dancer's performance passion on the stage "stole" the public attention from the singer to the dancer, and the dancer became the protagonist of flamenco art. In a flamenco performance, the dancer's role is to express the lyrics of the singer in body language, through gentle and graceful movements, or, conversely, through the sound of strong dancing shoes tapping the stage or spinning.
In double dance, usually a male dancer and a female dancer, the dance style is generally more tense, showing a lot of emotion. Dancers seem to maintain this competitive game of passion, pressure and emotion. During the performance, when the initial music and singing end and the dance begins, the artists devote their entire body to expression: arms, legs, and facial expressions. Dancers express extremely subtle emotions through dance movements, body language, and the sound of shoes and stage tapping, accompanied by beautiful guitar tones and singers' affectionate singing.
Script structure
The structure of the script, the movements, and the intensity of the performance depend on the type of flamenco dance. Flamenco's classification, with more than 50 in total, fully demonstrates the richness and variability of this art form rooted in Andalusian culture.
Each type of flamenco has its own definition, its origin, a specific text and music that distinguishes it from other kinds of flamenco. But the common quality of all flamenco songs, music and dances is the high degree of improvisational proportions, a "personal seal" that allows each flamenco artist to integrate his or her own stylistic characteristics into each unique performance.
Multiple derivatives
Among the many types of flamenco dances, the following are the most popular and famous:
Soleá: It's a form of flamenco that is most interpreted by artists, and its sport type is more suitable for women. Its style is more sad, expressed by the swinging movements of the arms, crotch and waist. The lyrics depict grief, loss, love, and other profound emotions. Dancers can improvise, ending with the beating of shoes and stage and a more cheerful part.
Bulerías: It's an art form in a festival that's used to be the climax of other forms. It is also presented as a return performance as a performance. Of all the dance forms, Bulerías is the most cheerful and fun, and its most notable feature is its fast rhythm.
Alegrías: Its origins are in Cadiz (a city in southern Spain) and is the oldest flamenco form and the basis of all other flamenco art forms. One of its main features is the tone of the guitar. Usually, the singer's singing begins, followed by typical dances and movements.
Seguiriyas: It's a relatively simple dance with a slower pace. Forms include rhythmic walks as well as collisions and sounds, accompanied by the dancers' movements in different rhythms.
Tango: There are thousands of tangoes in the world, and it is a very suitable art form for dance, and it is also a festival dance. Its cheerful rhythm makes it a highly expressive and glittering expression.
Farruca: Originating in galicia, farruca is a form of flamenco that is very difficult and requires a lot of practice. It's more of a male dance. Women dance in long trousers, accompanied by whistles and shoes hitting the floor.
Sevillanas: Maybe this form is not very flamenco, but it is the most characteristic, and the most popular one, with multiple people dancing in the same form.