What’s The Flamenco Dance? All about this Spanish Dance

What’s Flamenco Dance?

Flamenco is a type of Spanish people dance that originated in Andalusia in southern Spain. Flamenco is understood for its passionate, elegant actions and its percussive footwork. The phrase flamenco comes from the Spanish phrase for “fireplace” (Fuego), and it’s mentioned to be one of many fiercest and most passionate dances on the planet.

Flamenco dance is normally accompanied by guitar music and singing. The dancers usually put on brightly coloured attire or skirts with frilly underskirts, they usually usually use castanets (hand-held percussion devices) so as to add to the rhythm of the music.

Flamenco has grow to be in style worldwide, and there are actually many alternative colleges and types of flamenco dancing. Nevertheless, the roots of this passionate dance type stay in Spain.

The Origin of Flamenco Dance

Flamenco has its roots within the Romani individuals who migrated to Spain from India within the fifteenth century. The Romani had been identified for his or her vigorous music and dancing, which doubtless influenced the event of flamenco. Over time, flamenco developed into a definite type that was in style among the many working-class individuals of Andalusia. Within the nineteenth century, flamenco started to achieve recognition past Spain, notably in France and america.

Flamenco is a mix of the perfect within the dance tradition of the peoples who inhabited the territory of Andalusia for hundreds of years. The origins of flamenco needs to be sought within the Moorish musical tradition. The Spanish Romany music additionally had a giant affect on this type – many consider that the principle actual bearers of the type are the Spanish Gypsies.

Within the XV century in Spain from Byzantium, which ceased to exist in 1453, got here the Gypsies, who settled on the southern coast of the nation within the province of Andalusia. They usually adopted and reinterpreted native musical traditions, reminiscent of Moorish, Jewish, and Spanish correct, and from this fusion of musical traditions, reinterpreted first by the Gypsies after which by the Spaniards, flamenco was born.

On the finish of the XVIII century, the persecution of the Roma got here to an finish and flamenco entered the taverns and cantinas and located freedom. On the finish of the 20th century, flamenco started to soak up Cuban melodies and jazz motifs, and as well as, parts of classical ballet obtained their everlasting place there.

There are lots of speculations about how the phrase flamenco itself got here to be. Probably the most romantic one associates it with the German phrase “flammen” – to burn. The primary point out of this phrase within the literature dates again to 1774. Nevertheless it refers to not dance however to a knife of Flanders’s work. German gypsies allegedly got here to Spain with such knives. In any case, by the nineteenth century, the phrase “flamenco” was under no circumstances related to both dance or track, although in a technique or one other it referred to the gypsies.

Right this moment, flamenco is loved by individuals all around the world. It stays an essential a part of Spanish tradition and continues to evolve as a dynamic and ever-changing artwork type.

The best way to dance flamenco – Approach?

The essential steps of flamenco are comparatively easy, nevertheless it takes apply and precision to bop with the grace and energy that characterize this lovely artwork type.

Listed here are some ideas that will help you get began:

1. 1. Arise straight together with your toes about shoulder-width aside. Calm down your shoulders and maintain your head degree.
   2. Posture. Steadiness, a way of your personal physique and weight are the principle circumstances for profitable mastering of the dance. That is mandatory for making sharp lunges, jumps, and turns. No much less essential is posture. Slouching and stiffness of the shoulders makes the dance ugly. A straight again offers extra alternatives for quite a lot of actions of the arms, legs, head and physique. As well as, lovely posture reduces the chance of harm and will increase self-confidence.
   3. Start by gently rocking facet to facet, shifting your weight from one foot to the opposite. As you grow to be extra snug, you possibly can improve the depth of the motion.
   4. The essential actions of flamenco. Golpe – a full foot strike provides a full sound. You make a loud sound together with your foot to the ground, as if you happen to had been stamping. Planta – strike or inserting the foot on the ground with solely the toe with the heel excessive up. In different phrases, you hit with the pads of your fingers, making an attempt to not contact the steel a part of the shoe to the floor. This may be with or with out sound. Ponta or Punta translated as the massive toe. Punta means to strike the toe behind the physique or in entrance of the supporting leg with a direct elevating it someplace to the extent of the ankle of the supporting limb. The “level” made provides a loud sound.

1. Hand motion. Your arms needs to be rounded, and all the time maintain your elbows raised and half-bent. Transfer on to the research of the actions of the higher a part of the physique you possibly can after you be taught to all the time maintain your posture and management your physique within the dance.
2. The subsequent step is to grasp the actions of the wrists. Attempt to make your wrists as spherical as potential. Strive to not transfer your fingers intensely while you make actions with them. By no means put your elbows down.
3. Subsequent, begin tapping your toes in fast succession, preserving a gradual rhythm. As you grow to be extra snug with the steps, you possibly can add arm actions and turns.
4. Flamenco is all about feeling the music, so don’t be afraid to let your self go and categorical your feelings by your dance.
5. Apply, apply, apply! The extra you dance, the higher you’ll grow to be at shifting with grace and energy.

What are the Castanets?

Castanets are handheld percussion devices which can be historically utilized in flamenco dance. They’re made from two hardwood or plastic shells which can be held within the hand and clicked collectively to create a pointy, percussive sound.