Flamenco Essay, Research Paper

Country of Spain/Flamenco Culture

?Flamenco is more than just an art, it is the way of looking at life, an integral form of feeling the cosmos and the small world of one?s own personality? Rafael Lafuente.

The Flamenco culture of dance derives from a Flemish background and first came to Spain in the middle of the 15th century from the Danube Valley. It is believed to originate from an Eastern Asian family of culture. Flamenco dance is associated with the Spanish gypsies (Flamencos) in the tribes of Bohemios, Hungaricos, Albaneses, and Gitanos who are often named the ?fathers? of the culture.

Flamenco dance consists of four parts. The dance (baile), singing (cante), music (toque) and the rhythmic hand clapping (jaleo) that is the most recognizable among the four parts. It uses articulated arms, hands and body movements more than legs. Energy is drawn inward at a stand still except for the rapid action of heels. It is based on individual style and interpretation of rhythmic structure of each dance.

In the beginning, the Flamenco used to be purely vocal, accompanied only by rhythmical hand clapping and was used for individual purpose only. By the middle of the 16th century though, Flamenco schools were created and the dance started to have a strong presence in ballrooms and theaters.

In modern days with increasing popularity the dance has been changed some to fit the stage and nightclubs and used as a symbolic dance linked directly with country of Spain. Normally the dance would be done individually but in order to adapt to the theater, it can be done with many people.

The Flamenco dance can easily relate to class and the things we have talked about in many ways. It consists of the body movements that we talked about in Choreometrics as well as others talked about in the dance studio. It can relate to trances as the dancer falls into dance with the steady rhythm of the drummer and finally, is a communal experience.

All in all, the Flamenco is a tremendous part of the Spanish culture and contains many parts that are worth exploring.