Birth of fantastic folk tradition
Flamenco is a 200-year-old folk dance from Southern Spain. It is individualistic, yet structured.
Vocals, dancing and guitar work are blended into passionate musicality, which is often improvised and spontaneous.
This musical form takes any theme imaginable. It addresses current affairs, politics, love, history and humor. Often, however, flamenco's tragic tone and lyrics convey the sufferings of the gypsies who first developed the genre.
Flamenco comes in three forms: Cante, the song, Baile, the dance, and Guitarra, the guitar instrumental. The defining power of flamenco, however, lies in vocal traditions, and the singers' role is of premium importance.
Flamenco dance is marked by complex patterns of rhythm and sophisticated footwork with dancing that emphasizes the grace and posture of the upper body.
China Daily
(China Daily 07/03/2007 page19)
