Flamenco ? Passion and Expression in Dance

Flamenco dancing is an expressive form of dance, which has its roots in Andalucia, Spain and more specifically, according to some experts, in Jerez de la Frontera. It originated among Indian gypsies who had arrived and settled in Spain after travelling around Europe in the early part of the 15th century, to later be joined by others who came from North Africa.

The gypsies brought with them their own language, Romano, and an oriental style of music never before heard on the Spanish mainland. As the centuries passed, the cultures of the local population of Jews and later the Moors all had an influence on the gypsy music with elements from their musical styles being incorporated.

From their arrival in Spain, the gypsies were classified as outcasts of society and special laws were made specifically for them. Forced to live in camps as they were not allowed to own any property, many took up work in local mines or in the fields of the region leaving those with any sort of skill to make a slightly better living in work such as blacksmiths and jewellers.

The people were treated badly and the flamenco song (the cante) was initially performed at family gatherings as a way to express feelings of depression and misery. During the early years, flamenco is thought to have been entirely a vocal art form, which was accompanied by the rhythmic clapping of hands.

King Carlos III changed the fortunes of the gypsies in the 18th century when he removed their specific laws and gave them the same rights as other Spanish citizens; however, this did not remove the stigma of mistrust that the Spanish people had of them. Due to their newfound freedom, the gypsies were able to improve their financial status and some of the previously out of reach items such as musical instruments became within their means, hence the arrival of the guitar (el toque) and its addition to the cante.

As the flamenco style of music became more popular near the end of the last century, performers began to appear at parties of the richer members of society with professionals staging the music and dance, the most popular of which were the fandangos, at ?cafes cantantes?.

The ?opera flamenca? period followed as the flamenco gained in popularity and began to appear in theatre stage shows. These, however, tended to focus more on the melodic style of music ? cante bonito ? which did not express the passion as much as the early gypsy styles.

As the Second World War progressed through Europe there was little prospect of performances on stage, but during the 1950s festivals in Andalucian towns such as Malaga, Jerez and Cordoba rekindled public interest producing a new generation of performers.

The motions and facial expressions of the female flamenco dancers can be compared to those of Oriental dancers with the only exception being that they are more forceful. Each style of dance uses a handheld musical instrument - the flamenco dancer, castanets and the oriental dancer, finger cymbals ? however; the cymbals used in flamenco are not traditional and have only been in use for the last 100 years or so.

The centuries have seen flamenco progress from sombre home songs expressing feelings of hardship to popular stage shows throughout the world that continues to be developed.

Written by Mark Buckingham for http://www.rentaccomspain.com where you can rent or buy your perfect Spanish retreat direct from the owner.

Find other articles on Spain at http://www.articles2use.com Find properties to buy in Spain at http://www.pixelvillas.com Find properties to rent in Spain at http://www.rentaccomspain.com

Related Articles:

Ecommerce Web Design: Make Your Passion Your Occupation Online
If you are aiming to get started with reaping huge profits in online business then opt for ecommerce solution. Ecommerce in broader terms refers to the buying or selling of products or services using electronic communication between organizations. And to operate your business successfully online you require ecommerce solutions. Ecommerce solutions are software tools that will help your website shovel in more money and put forward your business without the trouble of 'how' to meet payment.

Commitment Ceremonies & Same Sex Weddings - Writing Your Vows
Whether you are committing to each other for the first time, or renewing your commitment on a special anniversary, you can plan your own custom ceremony to mark the occasion.There are often 3 stages to any ceremony.

Write With Passion: 4 Steps To Emotionally Charge A Nonfiction Article
You have just completed a draft of an article. It seems flat, even to you.

Reformation Presents Groundbreaking Upholstered Translucent Furniture Design at LA Mart -Sensual Fabric on Translucent Furniture-
Reformation launches a new innovation in furniture. The opulent designs of yesteryear reinvented in a translucent medium combined with a sensual fabric... The product is breathtaking and the options are limitless.

Bridal and Wedding Lingerie Should Be Your First Thought
A lot of attention and thought are put into the wedding dress, no doubt about it. But many brides don't put as much attention on the wedding lingerie beneath that elegant gown. Wedding lingerie can enhance the appearance of the dress and can add an extraordinary touch to that special moment at the end of the wedding day, so choosing that lingerie carefully is incredibly important.

Adult Add: Why Can't Somebody Else Do It?
When you're bored, and you have ADD, you procrastinate about doing boring things and become frustrated, and well... they just don't get done. There are many things that you can do. We?ve already really beaten into the ground the fact that, as soon as you can, you need to start outsourcing and delegating them one at a time to other people.

Frédérique Constant Announces Passion Awards, Accepting Submissions from Business Entrepreneurs
Frédérique Constant is pleased to announce the creation of the Frédérique Constant Passion Awards to celebrate the passion that is fundamental to entrepreneurial success.

Outskirts Press Announces 'Keys to a Successful Relationship', the Latest Highly-anticipated Social Situations - Dating & Sex Book from Ohio Author
Outskirts Press, Inc. has published Keys to a Successful Relationship: From Childhood to Adulthood by Donald J. See Jr., Ph.D., which is the author's most recent book to date. The 5.5 x 8.5 Paperback in the Social Situations - Dating & Sex category is available worldwide on book retailer websites such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble for a suggested retail price of $14.95. The webpage at www.outskirtspress.com/donsee was launched simultaneously with the book's publication.

Adult Dyslexia and the Lindamood Phoneme Sequencing Program
A popular program to treat adult dyslexia is the Lindamood Phoneme Sequencing Program (LIPS) This program uses phoneme awareness as its main method to learn how to read correctly

Make Your Sex Life Interesting
Before it becomes Ex-Life?.