KULTURA / CULTURE
THE SECRET OF SEVILLE’S FLAMENCO Dance of fire born in darkness Flamenco didn’t emerge under the spotlights of
prestigious halls, but in forges, narrow yards and on the very margins of a society where song represented the only freedom N o art form in the world carries within it such na- ked truth, sadness and explosion of passion as flamenco. Though it is to- day perceived by many as a spectacular Spanish dance, the essence of flamenco didn’t originate under the spotlight on a stage. It emerged in darkness, in pov- erty, in exile and in the closed family circles of Andalusia. In order for us to understand when and where flamenco was born, we have to travel back to the 15 th and 16 th cen- turies. When the Catholic Kings took the last Moorish stronghold of Gra- nada in 1492, three groups of peo- ple found themselves left on the mar- gins of society: the Romani (Gitanos), who had arrived in Andalusia early in the 15 th century, the Moors who had to convert to Christianity or hide, and the Sephardic Jews. These marginalised communities found refuge on the opposite side of the Guadalquivir River in Seville, in the working-class neighbourhood of Tria- na. A unique musical hybrid emerged in those narrow, shared courtyards, re- ferred to as corrales de vesinos (court- yard of neighbours). Indian rhythms and Romani dance steps fused with Ar- abic Byzantine chants, Sephardic mel- odies and local Andalusian folklor- ic forms. The first form of flamenco was a song without any instruments. It was performed with a stick hitting the ground, palms clapping, or the sound
of a hammer hitting an anvil in Romani forges. That oldest and deepest form is called cante jondo, meaning deep song. The guitar and dance only emerged lat- er, when this art form began slowly opening up to the world. Flamenco was never a learned cho- reography, but rather a dialogue in re- al time between three participants. The singer (cantaor) is the leader and rep- resents the soul of the scene, as he dic- tates the rhythm and emotion. The dancer (bailaor) is the body that trans- forms the tone into movement through quick work of the legs and heels on the wooden floor, as well as through com- plex and graceful hand and wrist move- ments called floreo (to flower). The guitarist (tocaor) provides the instru- mental accompaniment that main- tains the harmony and rhythmic struc- ture. Many consider castanets as being a key element of flamenco, but they are rarely used in authentic, traditional fla- menco. Real artists use a large fringed silk shawl called a manton de Manila (Manila shawl) or a dress with a long, heavy train that the dancer controls us- ing precise kicks. It is impossible to discuss flamen- co without explaining the term duende. As the poet Federico García Lorca wrote, duende isn’t a conscious style or a learned technique, but a mythical state of inspiration when the artist en- ters a trance and establishes a direct connection with the emotion of suf- fering and ecstasy. Duende cannot be faked, it simply happens or doesn’t.
Throughout the history of flamen- co, a famous anecdote has recounted the way American critics described leg- endary Seville-born artist Lola Flores’s performance in New York. They wrote in Spanish: “No canta, no baila, pero no se la pierdan!”, which basically trans- lates as “she can’t sing, she can’t dance, but don’t miss her.” It was the best defi- nition of pure duende, charisma and emotion that go beyond formal tech- nique. The very name flamenco is al- so shrouded in mystery, but one of the most commonly accepted theories is that it is derived from the Arabic term fellah mengu, which translates as ex- pelled peasant. Today’s Seville still has places where this spirit is preserved in its pur- est form. One of the city’s most pres- tigious venues is Tablao El Arenal, where top professionals perform in an intimate auditorium while spectators enjoy dinner or drinks. For those seek- ing pure flamenco art without micro- phones and speakers, the Casa de la Memoria offers a fantastic experience in an old courtyard dating back to the 15 th century, where the focus is entirely on acoustics. In contrast, La Carbone- ria, a legendary bohemian bar, offers a relaxed atmosphere where patrons drink sangria at long wooden tables. Rounding off this story of tradition is the Tablao Flamenco Los Gallos, which opened in 1966 on the beautiful San- ta Cruz Square and has hosted perfor- mances of the greatest legends of this iconic dance.
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