Flamenco is a dance style that is quintessentially Spanish.
Dating back several centuries, flamenco traces its origins to the Andalucía region in southern Spain, where the Gypsies who arrived in Spain from northern Africa and India first settled in the 15th C.
Flamenco is a very emotionally intense dance that is often accompanied by a solo singer, music from a guitar, hand-clapping and a tap dance style of footwork.
The popularity of flamenco dancing in Spain has risen and fallen over the years, but in the 1980s there was a resurgence in the interest in this traditional form of dance. A new generation of performers began emerging, and elements from different styles of music, including jazz, blues, and rock were incorporated, creating a new fusion sound called flamenco nuevo (new flamenco).
Due to the popularity of flamenco and its deep roots in the region, visitors can enjoy a flamenco show in many of the major cities in Andalucía, including Seville, Granada, and Córdoba. But you can also find flamenco shows in Madrid and Barcelona.
The following are a few options:
In Seville, El Museo del Baile Flamenco was founded by the well-known dancer and choreographer Cristina Hoyos. Cristina was born in Sevilla and was the lead dancer in Antonio Gades’ dance company for over 20 years, until she founded her own company in 1988. In 2006 she opened the Museo del Baile Flamenco with the goal of educating people about everything related to the art form of flamenco. The museum offers flamenco shows nightly at 7:00 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. The shows are performed on a stage in the central patio of the museum and run about 1 hour. For more information click here.
In Granada, El Templo del Flamenco offers shows in a restored cave that was once a temple. Located in the Albaicín, the old Moorish quarter of Granada, the performances at El Templo are under the artistic direction of Antonio Vallejo, a talented dancer and choreographer who has taught and performed around the world. He still performs at El Templo along with a talented group of gifted dancers and musicians. Shows are performed nightly at 10:00 p.m. and run about 1 hour and 10 minutes. You can purchase tickets for the show only, or for dinner and the show. For more information click here.
In Madrid, Corral de la Morería is a popular club and restaurant that features well-known dancers and offers two shows nightly, at 8:30 p.m. and 10:20 p.m. The show runs about 1 hour and 10 minutes. You can purchase tickets for the show only, or for dinner and the show. For more information click here.
Photo credit: Corral de la Morería
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