Flamenco is an artistic genre of popular origin born in Andalusia more than two centuries ago. It is a result of the interplay of Christian, Jewish, Arab, AfricanAmerican and Gypsy-Andalusian cultures. This cultural expression is in constant evolution and is manifested mainly in three modalities: singing, dancing and guitar playing. It has stylistic structures called ‘palos’ (literally ‘sticks’), which are differentiated by aspects such as character, rhythm or melody
We can define flamenco dance as the artistic expression of flamenco through this discipline. It has a technique and aesthetic of its own and is characterized by being an individual, introverted, explosive, spontaneous, sincere dance of ecstatic tendency and abstract manifestation. Despite having an uncertain origin due to the lack of sources, we can classify the flamenco evolution into three stages:
EARLY STAGE
About 1860 we have the first references. It begins to structure, define and spread the main flamenco ‘cantes’ (chants). The dance was then a distraction danced as pure entertainment. Nevertheless, at the beginning of the 19th century it begins to appear a semi-professional offer of Andalusian and Gypsy art.
GOLDEN AGE
It roughly encompasses between 1860 and 1920. Flamenco takes on an extraordinary boom and spreads its fondness across all social layers. It begins to be a professional art. In this period the styles and stylistic approaches are set more or less as we know them today. Then appear the “cafés cantantes” which are the predecessors of our present ‘tablaos’ (flamenco stages).
CENTRAL STAGE
From 1920 until our days. It is taken as a defining reference the emergence of flamenco in theatrical spaces. It is divided into three periods:
- Flamenco Opera, born as a business trickery in order to get tax benefits for flamenco shows. At this time the popular inspiration gives way to an intellectual elaboration for choreographic purposes. Flamenco is deformed for the sake of a less demanding public and replaced the guitar accompaniment by orchestras.
- Renaissance, developed from 1955 to 1985. It implies the definitive revaluation of flamenco. Everything relegated and abandoned in the previous stage is rescued. The ‘tablaos’ arise as well as numerous festivals, contests and so on.
- Contemporary time, from 1985 to present day. Flamenco continues its ascending progression and numerous experimental fusions are realized with the jazz or the contemporary dance. It receives a great international prestige and captures the attention of the audience, artists and scholars from all over the world. “It is a liberating manifestation that connects with the audience in a cathartic way. An alive art open to any expression or gesture of any of us”. Written by the flamenco dancer, choreographer and teacher Carmen Iniesta.