What is flamenco?
Quick answer
Flamenco is the passionate traditional art of Andalusia, in southern Spain, combining singing (cante), guitar playing (toque), dance (baile) and rhythmic hand-clapping (palmas). It developed over centuries among Andalusia’s Gitano (Roma) communities, mixing influences from Moorish, Jewish, Spanish and other cultures.
Key facts
- Origin
- Andalusia, southern Spain
- Developed by
- Gitano (Spanish Roma) communities and others
- Elements
- Song, guitar, dance, hand-clapping
- UNESCO
- Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, 2010
The elements of flamenco
| Element | Spanish name | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Song | Cante | The heart of flamenco; often raw and emotional |
| Guitar | Toque | Complex rhythms and melodies |
| Dance | Baile | Powerful footwork, arm movements and posture |
| Clapping | Palmas | Keeps the rhythm |
| Shouts of encouragement | Jaleo | “¡Olé!” from performers and audience |
Dancers’ rapid foot-stamping, called zapateado, turns their shoes into percussion instruments. Castanets are sometimes used, though less in traditional flamenco.
Styles (palos)
Flamenco has dozens of styles, called palos, each with its own rhythm and mood:
| Palo | Mood |
|---|---|
| Soleá | Deep and solemn, the “mother” of flamenco |
| Seguiriya | Tragic and intense |
| Bulerías | Fast, festive and playful |
| Alegrías | Joyful, from Cádiz |
| Fandango | Lively, with many regional versions |
Duende
Flamenco artists talk about duende, a mysterious, intense emotional power that sometimes takes over a performance. Poet Federico García Lorca wrote a famous lecture about it in 1933.
Where to see it
| City | Highlights |
|---|---|
| Seville | Many tablaos (flamenco venues); the Bienal de Flamenco festival |
| Granada | Performances in the cave homes of the Sacromonte district, near the Alhambra |
| Jerez de la Frontera | Often called the cradle of flamenco; annual festival |
| Madrid | Top professional tablaos |
Famous artists
Guitarist Paco de Lucía and singer Camarón de la Isla transformed flamenco in the 1970s, and Rosalía has blended it with pop in recent years.
Andalusia’s cooking is famous too; see what gazpacho is.
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