Flamenco Guitar Music & Dancing in Sevilla

The genuine southern Spanish art of flamenco is externalised in three different ways: as the guitar or ´guitarra´, the flamenco music or ´cante´, and the dance or ´baile´. Its origins are thought to be gypsy, though Andalusian popular dances and songs have played an import role in the creation and development of this art. Also flamenco has had a great influence of other cultures that have populated the region at different times like the 700 year Muslim occupation of Andalusia or the legendary ´Tartessos´ civilization.

The earliest instance of a flamenco literary mention was in 1774 on the ´Cartas Marruecas´ of Cadalso. This art is thought to be born somewhere between 1765 and 1860 whether in Triana (Seville), Jerez de la Frontera or Cadiz, where the original flamenco schools were formed. At this time Flamenco began to be constituted as a firm contender in the ballrooms while the early form of this art seemed solely oral going along with just the ´toque de palmas´ or rythmical hand clapping. The art of flamenco guitar playing was left to devoted classic guitarrists like Julián Arcas.

The development of this art into what it is today happened between 1869 and 1910 (considered to be the Golden Age of Flamenco) in the ´cafés cantantes´ or many music bars where flamenco dance powerfully appealed to the audience and the accompanying guitar players progressively attained greater prestige.

The ´Opera Flamenca´ marks the flamenco singing years between 1910 to 1955 where music such as ´cantes de ida y vuelta´ (with influences from Latin America) and ´fandangos´ were prominent.
Years later, from 1915 onwards, flamenco shows were performed worldwide. However, not all people were happy with how this art grew into so contests to promote genuine ´cante jondo´ were run like the one that Manuel de Falla organized in Granada in 1922.

A flamenco renaissance began in 1955 with a key performer, Antonio de Mairena. Flamenco dancers and solo singers stood out and progressed from dancing and singing in small ´tablaos´ (the ´cafés cantantes´ replacements) to bigger concert and theatre venues. This was the time when flamenco guitar players were held in high esteem and played to their expertise.

Nowadays flamenco has other music influences such as rumba, salsa, jazz, etc. Likewise flamenco dance has evolved with female performers trying to portray their nature and personality instead of their artistic flair. Additionally, the flamenco guitar performance that previously was just accompanying the dancers became a soloist art form, with the guitarist Paco de Lucía being the key protagonist of this evolution.

Flamenco has been brought to the world stage by mass media. Nevertheless it has always been a close and visceral art, which is best experienced somewhere down south in Spain at night when there is nothing else but the guitar music and the dancing being performed in a magical stage like the one under the moonlight.