Flamenco in Seville
Seville the capital of Spain’s Andalucía region is a city overflowing with creativity and passion. Famed and known all over the world for its Flamenco dancing Saville holds the roots of this passionate art form strongly in its history. Combined with the unique music that inspires the dances you will soon be drawn into this amazing form of art that is sure to impress and leave you wanting to discover more about Flamenco in Seville.
The Triana neighbourhood is the spiritual home of Flamenco and the marks of Flamenco history are clear to see all over this vibrant and eclectic neighbourhood. Flamenco dances may not line the streets today as they did in years gone by but the passion and performance that once did are very much still here to see, and really provides a flavour of the style and drama this art form portrays. Visiting Triana is a must to really soak up the vibrancy of the Flamenco culture.
Flamenco dancing can be seen in lots of areas of Seville and Tablao’s (name of performance venue and floor the dancers perform upon) provide authentic atmospheres to enjoy the music, dance and performance. The Tablao Flamenco El Arenal and The Tablao Flamenco Los Gallo are two of the top spots to see an extravaganza of authentic traditional Flamenco. So what is that make Flamenco dancing so unique?
Watching a performance you will immediately be drawn into the power and passion that this art is so unique for, each and every move of the dance is done with such a style that is both powerful and delicate at the same time. From the intense, staccato foot movements, the intricate fingertip formations and the dramatically arched arms, each and every move that the dancer performs tells a story that is immense in its feelings and emotions. Inspired by Gypsy history the dances cover a range of themes such as despair, death and anguish; and with this it clear to see where the passion for the performance is drawn from. The dress the dancers wear adds to the history and authenticity of the performance, known as ‘The Traje de Flamenco’ the powerful moves of the dancer linger on in the movements of the colourful, ruffled layers of the garment as it is whipped and swished alongside. Skirts and shawls may also be seen and are traditional in appearance taking influences from Gypsy heritage.
There are three types of Flamenco song, Cante Jondo (deep song) Cante Intermedio (intermediate song) and Cante Chico (light song). Cante Jondo is the oldest form and the most deeply emotional but the other two forms are just as complex to dance but a little lighter in emotion.
The atmosphere of Flamenco is all around you in Seville and if you hear music you are likely to find flamenco dancers. The music itself takes its roots from traditional Spanish folklore music and originates from Andalucía and Roma Gypsies. The Guitar is the main sound accompanied by singing and is often supported by dramatic hand claps and stamping of the feet from the dancer.
Whatever you may plan to see while visiting Seville there is no escaping Flamenco in the city. Embrace the vibrancy, energy and intense passion of Flamenco and enjoy escaping into the drama of the dancing alongside exploring the wonders of Seville.
