International Flamenco Day
This week saw “El día internacional del flamenco” (International Flamenco day), a celebration of one of the most well-known and popular Spanish dances now performed and enjoyed worldwide.
Flamenco is a beautiful art, with so much passion and energy that it continues to stand out as one of the most exciting art forms to witness today with its unique mixture of singing, guitar playing, dancing, hand clapping and finger snapping.
But if you’re planning to travel around Spain, you will rarely see or hear flamenco around you outside of Andalucia… In fact, most people won’t have a clue how to dance it!
People always ask me in the UK whether I dance flamenco and are surprised when I say... not at all! I probably know as much as they do! 😂
Because Flamenco is like paella, in that even though outside of Spain they’re seen as symbols of Spain and Spanish culture, within Spain they’re much more recognised as regional “specialities”.
Flamenco from Andalucía and Paella from the Valencia region.
But, what other traditional dances do we have in Spain that you’re likely to witness if you’re visiting during fiesta times?
Well… every region has their own, but here are some of the most popular ones:
Paso doble
Paso doble is an energetic and accelerated paced Spanish dance based on the drama, sound, rhythm, and movement of a Spanish or Portuguese bullfight. With modern times, the dance form evolved as a ballroom dance and is performed in pairs.
Sardana
This is the traditional dance from Cataluña and it is danced in a circle of alternating men and women who hold hands and dance following a set of steps.
Muñeira
The bagpipe music of Galicia and Asturias reflects the ancient Celtic heritage in the northern regions.
Not many people think about bagpipes or “gaitas” in Spain, but you’ll definitely hear them if you head to the north-west! The dance is energetic, expressive and lively.
Have you seen any of these dances while in Spain? Do you know of any others?
¡Qué tengas un día fantástico!
Cristina
