Flamenco in Sevilla
an introduction
The complex roots of flamenco blend influences from Gypsy, Arab, Jewish (Sephardic) and Spanish cultures. They are a bit like tapas in their origin story in the sense that, while the exact place and time are debated, no one doubts that flamenco was born in Andalucía.
Fundamentally, the three main pillars of flamenco are: cante (song), baile (dance) and toque (guitar) with percussion supplied by las palmas (hand clapping), pitos (finger snapping) or zapateo (foot stomping).
I sat down with Carlos Mateos, communications director at the Museo del Baile Flamenco, to get his help with structuring this “Flamenco 101” for you guys. I've been giving visitors what is often their first taste of live flamenco on my Flamenco & Tapas tours for over 15 years so I have my own introduction, but that is given while we're out walking to the venue and chatting, and everyone has different levels of interest, so here I wanted to go a bit deeper to help you have a better understanding about what you are about to experience when you go to see a flamenco show in Sevilla. But bear in mind this is an introduction, hopefully I will be able to do more of a “deep dive” into the fabulous and fascinating world of flamenco in future.
Carlos says that the first thing he tells people who are new to flamenco is it is an art form that is a fusion of cultures and that it was born from tragedy, coinciding with the end of the Al-Andalus “golden era”, which lasted roughly from the 8th to the 15th century. During this period Muslims, Christians and Jews lived in relative harmony leading to significant advancements in both science and the arts. The time just before the Reconquest and subsequent Spanish Inquisition also saw the arrival of the Gypsies, originating from the Indian subcontinent, and then migrating and settling throughout Europe.
These cultures, once at least tolerated if not respected, were now persecuted and the ones who stayed found some solace in the expression of what would become known as flamenco. If you think about it you can see the evolution of different elements of flamenco such as the hand movements (from traditional Indian dance) and the guitar (originally a medieval moorish string instrument). And there's an even longer prehistory with things like the castanets arriving over 3000 years ago with the Phoenicians, in the form of hand-held instruments made of wood or shells and used in religious ceremonies.
During the 17th and 18th centuries flamenco remained “in the shadows” as it were, the culture of people on the margins of society, a long way from its present globally recognised position as a part of UNESCO's World's Intangible Cultural Heritage and Spain's top tourist attraction. This was the time of the cante jondo (deep song), considered the purest and oldest form of flamenco, telling of the dark history and hardships experienced at the hands of the ruling Christians.
Which brings us to the cantes de ida y vuelta (there and back again), which began in the mid-19th century with flamenco first being introduced to the Americas by Spanish emigrants and, after a time, returning to Spain with new Latin American influences. This was when flamenco was finally allowed to also be joyful. Aside from introducing new styles (palos) and an often more optimistic take on life, we also get the cajón, a wooden box used for percussion to accompany the palmas, pitos and zapateo.
So now we have, putting it very simply, both “happy and sad” flamenco, with new palos and even a new instrument, the cajón, introduced and accepted here in Spain. All in time for international travel to start taking off. During the early-mid 20th century the cafés cantantes of the previous century evolved into the more theatrical tablaos. This period, up until about 1920, saw the art form popularised, with dance becoming the main attraction and with a significant expansion into venues like bullrings and theatres after World War II. Even Franco had to admit he had a money-maker on his hands, and eventually lifted restrictions to allow flamenco tablaos to flourish across the country (though they mostly stayed south of Madrid).
These days (almost) everyone wants to see “authentic” flamenco and what I want to say to you is... you probably don't? Just like most people don't really want “authentic” Chinese food. Okay maybe you do in either case, and that depends on whatever you take “authentic” to mean, but it may turn out that totally raw flamenco (if you could even find it) wouldn’t be what you're actually looking for.
Here in Sevilla we have more or less two flamenco performance options. One known as “flamenco social”... spontaneous, unscripted, often harkening back to the cante jondo... these take place in peñas (private clubs) and for the most part aren't open to the public, sorry. Unless you know somebody who knows somebody. But even then you may show up and... nothing happens. Because nothing is planned. Or you may see the best flamenco you could hope to see in your entire life. But sadly, no guarantees.
Then we have “flamenco escenario”... the theatres and tablaos where you see a planned and (mostly) choreographed show. Yes, the Flamenco Show. And there are a gazillion of them (more or less). For the most part I wouldn’t recommend going for a “dinner & show” simply because the food either distracts from the performance or vice versa, but there are several terrific professional shows around town. Most last about an hour, the perfect length of time for most “beginners”, and include a few different palos (styles) of flamenco with dancing, singing and guitar. Are they authentic? Of course they are. Those are real life flamenco artists performing! Are they touristy? This is the part that depends. While all escenario flamenco is created for you, the visitor, they are not all created equal.
Here are a few different options that I personally like here in Sevilla and that I think give people an excellent introduction to flamenco.
Museo del Baile Flamenco
Housed in a beautifully restored 18th century casa-palacio, the shows are held either in the main floor courtyard or, for a more intimate all-acoustic experience, in the historic Roman vault downstairs. This is my personal favourite tablao, not only because I've known them and have been working with them with my own tours for years but also because it is the only flamenco dance museum in the world. A visit upstairs to the museum before the show is a great way to gain a bit of knowledge to help you appreciate what you are about to see and, for an even more complete introduction, take a dance class with one of the house performers to really get you in the mood.
Casa de la Guitarra
After 45 years as a performer, renowned flamenco guitarist José Luis Postigo opened Casa de la Guitarra in a charming 18th century building in the heart of the Barrio Santa Cruz. The performances take place in an intimate space that brings the spectators close to the artists, and which also houses Postigo’s impressive personal collection of 19th century guitars. The shows feature guitar, singing and dancing by professional performers in a variety of styles, and are an excellent introduction to the world of flamenco.
Teatro Flamenco Sevilla
The historic Quintero theatre in Calle Cuna, now Teatro Pathé, is home to one of the most unique flamenco experiences in the city. For one, it’s an actual theatre with tiered seating and an elevated stage, so while you perhaps don’t get the “intimacy” of a tablao, everyone gets an unobstructed view of the performers. The format of the show is also a bit more theatrical and, a nice touch, upon arrival you can enjoy a drink in the lovely cocktail bar just beyond the foyer.
Eva Wants To Show U Flamenco
A great way of immersing yourself in flamenco before going to see a professional performance is to let Eva Izquierdo show you the ropes. Eva has distant flamenco family roots, with two great-uncles on her paternal side who were professional flamenco singers, though she didn’t discover this until later on in life. She started her flamenco journey as a young child in Triana with more energy than she (or her parents) knew what to do with. Her teacher recommended flamenco classes and so it was agreed that she would start attending a flamenco academy across from the school.
Eva describes this first contact with flamenco with one word: freedom, and all the associated sensations and emotions. As time went on and she learned more she realised it was becoming more complicated and she began to deconstruct complex movements into simpler ones, which became the basis for what would become her methodology for teaching beginners.
At 25 she found herself in Germany on an Erasmus scholarship in Business and felt out of her comfort zone. Then she found a German girl who wanted to learn flamenco, who was later joined by other friends, and that is when Eva’s life changed. This teaching experience sowed the seed for what would end up becoming her life’s passion
Music is mathematics; it has patterns that can help your body follow them with body movements. Everyone can learn an introduction to flamenco with my methodology and its openness. The first hour you are learning flamenco isn't the time for professionals, nor is it the time for perfection. It's the time to play, to dare with guidance, to realise that you are capable of much more than you think, to be in the present, without mobile phones (at the end of the class, you can record the dance you've learned as a souvenir), in short, to believe in yourself. Dancing flamenco for the first time is difficult, but with the right methodology and support from your teacher, it can be very liberating. ~ Eva Izquierdo
Just Enjoy
At its heart and soul flamenco is… simply flamenco. It’s there to be experienced and enjoyed in whatever way it happens to hit you, affect you, reach you. I’ve heard so many people tell me that happening upon the performers in the Plaza de España was such a delightful surprise that it really made their day. I mean, what else could you ask for? My feeling is to never worry about whether the flamenco you see is “authentic vs touristy”… just let yourself go and feel it. It’s all good.
Bienal de Flamenco
Established in 1980, the oldest and most prominent international festival of its kind in the world is held in Sevilla every two years . The month-long event transforms the city into a centre for flamenco, featuring a wide range of performances by renowned artists and rising talents at various venues, from grand theatres to intimate settings, showcasing both traditional and contemporary flamenco. Parallel events like exhibitions and conferences add to the cultural immersion.
To sum up… flamenco was created by a mosaic of cultures over many centuries and is an art form that continues to evolve today. In fact, it is probably the only folkloric dance and music tradition that isn’t locked in time. Aside from the introduction of new dance styles (palos) from the ida y vuelta mentioned earlier, we now have contemporary flamenco dance and flamenco ballet and opera, with trajes de flamenco being constantly updated with new designs each year. Plus there are now several different styles of music and their accompanying instruments, such as flamenco jazz and flamenco rock. Probably one of the most unique musical interpretations I’ve ever seen is by Trianero Gualberto García and his flamenco sitar.
But I’m sorry to say that, even after all of this, the thing I still can't tell you is why it's called flamenco. As usual there are several origin stories. The one defended by Blas Infante (and who am I to argue?) is that it is derived from the Arabic terms Felah-Mengus which together mean “wandering peasant”. Whatever the true origin, nope, nothing to do with flamingos. But flamenco really is something to be experienced in person, in any way you can. Ole!
Wish I had taken a recommended flamenco tour in Seville. We ended up in a tourist trap with disgusting food but OK flamenco (or so it seemed, but what do I know).
Great article, thank you - from a long time flamenco fan.