Flamenco, the soul of Andalusia

When we hear the word “flamenco” a definition comes to mind that goes beyond a simple musical style. It is a term that connects us with the Andalusian soul.

Besides being a type of music, song and dance, it is an art that has conquered people from all over the world. Flamenco is passion, it is history, it is tradition, it is feeling, it is for many a way of life.

In 2010, flamenco was declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.

Flamenco is defined as one of the richest and most diverse artistic manifestations recognized internationally.

It is said that this art was born in the southwest of Spain, being Granada one of the Andalusian cities with high prominence in its origin and development.

The origin of flamenco, a multicultural mix

If we talk about flamenco, we have to talk about miscegenation, since it was born from the cultural mix between Muslims, Jews, Gypsies and Christians who lived together in certain areas of Andalusia in the 16th century.

Although there is talk of the famous “Golden Triangle” formed by Cadiz, Jerez de la Frontera and the Triana district of Seville, we cannot ignore the importance of Granada in the transcendence of flamenco.

Around the year 1425, gypsy groups began to arrive in Andalusia, and after the Christian conquest of Granada in 1492, they were a very persecuted people, as were the Jews and Moors.

A large part of these gypsies gathered in the mountainous areas of Granada’s Sacromonte to take refuge, and there they began to merge diverse musical traditions, giving rise to a base full of modal melodies, rhythms and expressions that would give rise to the cante jondo (deep song).

History of flamenco, from being a clandestine art to international acclaim

For hundreds of years, flamenco lived clandestinely, transmitted orally within gypsy families. From the 18th century, it began to have a certain presence in some towns and cities, especially in private gatherings of the Andalusian aristocracy, where some “juergas flamencas” were held.

In the 19th century and at the beginning of the 20th century, cafés cantantes emerged, which were establishments where flamenco shows were organized, with a casual style, the artists sang and danced and the public participated by cheering the artists.

In this context, the city of Granada was crowned as the cradle of the “jondo” art, since it is a city with a great influx of cultural tourism during the Romanticism.

Sacromonte: Flamenco cradle par excellence History

The Gypsies who began arriving in Andalusia in the 15th century served in the army of the Catholic Monarchs as they contributed their knowledge of weapons and cavalry. Gradually, they settled in the Sacromonte neighborhood (where Jews and Arabs were already established).

The Sacromonte, is one of the most emblematic points of Granada and means “Sacred Mount” due to the belief that in this place were found sacred Christian relics found in the sixteenth century. The most remarkable thing about Sacromonte is that it has caves in the rock that served as shelter and housing for these gypsies and Moors expelled from the center of the city. In their cave houses they had a space where they could freely live their culture, celebrate their dances and songs full of feeling and vivacity, to the rhythm of clapping and guitars.

La Zambra: the purity of Granadino Flamenco

The zambra, is a type of “juerga” that was already celebrated in the Moorish weddings of the XVI century. Its name comes from the Andalusian Arabic zamra, which in turn comes from the classical Arabic “zamr”, which means music or concert. The zambra was organized clandestinely because it was persecuted by the Inquisition, but managed to survive and endure being the origin of the Granada flamenco style.

The characteristic of the zambra is that in this style a long skirt is worn, the dancers’ feet are barefoot and they dance to the rhythm of castanets, very similar to belly dancing.

The gypsies of Sacromonte were also incorporating this style of dance in their weddings, but they were giving it their personal touch, they added “their art” with various details since in addition to bare feet, they wore a blouse that was knotted below the chest and a long skirt with wide pleats, which sat at hip level. Little by little the zambra was transformed into what we know today as a pure flamenco show from Granada.

The rise of Flamenco arrives with the arrival of Romanticism

Granada began to experience a wave of European romantic writers and travelers during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries totally seduced by the charm of Granada. In the caves of Sacromonte, flamenco shows took place and this folklore began to gain great popularity. The Gypsies, aware of the great interest their performances were generating, began staging spontaneous acts at the entrances of their caves, and thus the famous flamenco shows of the Sacromonte caves were born.

Discovering flamenco palos and their emotional representation

Flamenco encompasses a wide variety of styles known as palos, which are linked to different emotions. Through each palo, the artist transmits his feelings, which can be of joy, passion, sorrow, or desire, among others.

Los palos del flamenco más conocidos son: 

• Soleá: Very emotional, a melancholic and deep style.
• Alegrías: As its name indicates, it has a more euphoric, fast and festive connotation.
• Fandangos: A lighter, melodic and rhythmic style with great interpretative freedom.
• Bulerías: It has a festive touch, fast and with an improvised structure.
• Malagueñas: Slow, melodic and deep from the eastern part.
• Granaínas: original “palo” from Granada, it has no fixed meter, it is freer but deeply emotional.

Legendary figures of Granada’s flamenco

Granada has its popular flamenco figures, such as:

María la Canastera

Pioneer in popularizing the gypsy zambras to the public. She was a very famous dancer in Sacromonte between the 50s and 60s. She received international celebrities in her cave.

Rafael Fajardo “El Piki”

El Piki is a well-known flamenco dancer and choreographer. He directed shows and with his mastery he trained several generations of dancers.

La Gazpacha

She comes from the Amaya family (currently managers of the Tablao Flamenco Albayzín), a very well known flamenco singer in Sacromonte in the mid-twentieth century. She had a peculiar nickname, something very typical in the flamenco culture.

Curro Albaicín

Singer, poet and standard bearer of the zambra and flamenco traditions of the Albaicín and Sacromonte.

José Ferrer “El Niño de las Almendras”

Granadian flamenco singer who was born in the early 20th century. He was well-known locally, but not so much outside of Andalusia. He had an expressive voice, with a lot of feeling.

Flamenco will always be linked to an art of the people, and for this reason, artists of the generation of 1927, such as Federico García Lorca and the composer Manuel de Falla, organized the first flamenco singing contest, which was held in 1922 in Granada.

Flamenco and Granada, an eternal bond

Granada is, and probably always will be, a city linked to flamenco. Today, tourists from all over the world visit the city in search of experiencing flamenco in its purest form in the Sacromonte caves and in the tablaos flamencos scattered throughout the city.

Las zonas clave dónde encontrar espectáculos flamencos en Granada son:

• Sacromonte.
• Albaicín.
• Historical center.

Seeing a flamenco show is an obligatory activity for anyone who visits the city of Granada. In fact it is said that “If you come to Granada and don’t see a flamenco show, you haven’t seen anything”.

Flamenco workshops and training in Granada

Granada also has a multitude of schools specializing in singing, dancing and flamenco guitar. It is also a reference at the artisan level, since many flamenco guitars of unparalleled quality are manufactured. The city is a key point for anyone interested in this folkloric art, both locals and international students.

We can say that Granada is undoubtedly a city with great protagonism in the origin and transcendence of flamenco.

Granada cradles this culture since its emergence in the zambras of Sacromonte until today, with contemporary flamenco shows. It is an art that has managed to maintain its essence for centuries, despite its clandestinity and persecution throughout history.

Today it continues to thrill those who have the privilege of living it.

Flamenco is part of the history of Granada, there will always be a very strong link. And if you have read this, and you have not yet seen a pure flamenco show, what are you waiting for? Like all great artistic manifestations, it is best understood when it is experienced.