What is Flamenco Dancing?

What is flamenco? Some might say, why do you need to ask? Well, when I performed flamenco, I got to the stage where if I was asked what I did, I'd say "I'm a flamenco dancer - you know, with the big dress and the castanets" (adding a curving arm movement for emphasis). I know it's a horribly trite description, but it was the only way people knew what I meant! Otherwise, more often than not, people got it confused with tango, salsa or some other Latin American dance.

I've lost count of the number of "Latin Nights" I was asked to perform in at local clubs. I couldn't afford to turn them down, but I wasn't comfortable in a line-up that included a Mariachi band, bachata dancers and a Latino-American crooner! I tried to be relevant by choosing the dances of "ida y vuelta" for my performance (dances brought back from Latin America by returning migrants and absorbed into flamenco) but of course, the audience couldn't have cared less!

Flamenco isn't Flaminco or Flamingo

Especially not flamingo, please! The two words aren't related in any way.

Flamenco Isn't Latin American

Flamenco is Spanish, from mainland Spain - in fact, one small part of Spain, Andalucia. You will see flamenco danced in South America, in the same way you'll see it danced in the US, Europe and Australia - as a modern import.

Flamenco isn't the Gypsy Kings

Don't get me wrong, I love Gypsy Kings music, but it's a pop version of flamenco/rumba, not traditional flamenco. Most flamenco dances have a 12-beat rhythm, and the steps don't adapt well to the simple 4/4 of the Kings. So next time you urge me to 'get up and show us some flamenco' to a Kings song, you'll know why I say no!

Flamenco isn't the Sevillanas

I've added this one for the flamenco purists - because I do dance the Sevillanas, and so does practically every flamenco student. But it's true, it's not flamenco - it's a folk dance.

Sevillanas is responsible for the image of the flamenco dancer with the spotted, frilly skirt and the castanets. Personally, I have no problem including the dance in my performances. After all, it's danced in Andalucia and native to that region.

Flamenco is a distinctive form of music from Andalucia. Today it's regarded as the music of the Andalusian gypsies, although it's more than likely there were several other influences involved in its development. Like most folk dances, its history is uncertain - although you'll read plenty of articles by people who like to think they know!

When they think of flamenco, most people picture the dancer, but actually it's the song that's the most important. In fact, in the flamenco pecking order the singer comes first, followed by the guitarist, followed by the palmera (hand clapper) and then the dancer.

Flamenco dance has probably become the popular image because it's the most accessible to non-flamencos. To the uninitiated, flamenco cante can sound more like caterwauling than singing. The cante jondo expresses painful emotions, reflecting the poverty and tribulations of the people who created it. Even apparently cheerful songs, like the alegrias, can have quite depressing words when you translate them!

Tourist flamenco shows, which are the ones most non-Spaniards see, avoid the serious stuff and choose the most tuneful melodies, putting the dancers in pretty dresses and wowing the audience with virtuoso zapateado.

I don't like modern flamenco. There, I've said it! My training was with teachers trained by Antonio Vargas, so the style I learned is less balletic and much less pared-down than current trends.

Go to Andalusia and you'll see the kind of flamenco I love - but these days, most foreigners head to the prestigious flamenco schools in Madrid, like Amor de Dios. Watch Carlos Saura's films and you'll see how balletic some of the dancing has become. To me, the long elegant lines are diametrically opposed to the traditional, earthy gitana style of Jerez or Sevilla. Which is odd, since my original background was ballet, too. But it doesn't feel like flamenco to me!

The other thing I don't like is the emphasis on footwork. Yes, I know rapid-fire stamping is one of the defining characteristics of flamenco - but once upon a time, the virtuoso work was done mainly by the men. Women had far more variety in their dance, using their body, arms and hands expressively - even the use of the skirt was an art! Add castanets, fans and shawls and the woman's contribution to a flamenco show was equal, but different.

These days, you can go to a flamenco show and watch dance after dance, by both men and women, which is just footwork, footwork and more footwork. To an aficionado, there's enjoyment in admiring the skill of performers like the dancer in this video clip - but to the general public, it becomes repetitive.

My husband dances himself and loves to watch dancing, but he doesn't like coming to flamenco shows with me because he gets so bored. I find it boring to perform the modern style, too. In fact, it's part of the reason I retired from flamenco performing.

Like any dancer, I was still studying during my flamenco career, seeking out new teachers to take my performance to the next level (even though I was already in my fifties). But the higher I progressed, the less I enjoyed the classes. I started to think there was something wrong with me - because my classmates got great satisfaction from spending hours playing with complex foot rhythms and nothing else. Worse, most of it was done with no music whatsoever! To me, if there's no music, it barely qualifies as dancing.

By chance, a friend invited me along to a belly dance class - and it was such a pleasure to move my whole body to music again, there was no going back!

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Text copyright Marisa Wright. Photos: flamingo by tibchris. Flamenco singer by Malojavio. Paco de Lucia by Montuno. Fan by Aline Salazar. Gypsy Kings by Rob Lee.

For a good rant on what flamenco isn't, be sure to visit Sal's Flamenco Soapbox.

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