Cultural Practices: Flamenco

During my time living in Madrid I had the opportunity to attend a professional flamenco

performance at one of the most highly regarded flamenco venues in Spain called El

Cardamomo. There, I was treated to the whole authentic flamenco experience and

enjoyed every second of it. To the side of the entry to the venue, there was a chef

shaving slices of jamon iberico from an entire jamon leg preparing tapas for the guests.

Once seated and waiting for the performance, waiters came by and offered us a

selection of wines and sangria, orange juice, or water. Once we were seated, they

brought us little stone plates with our own personal tapas with bread, jamon, manchego,

other assorted cheeses, dried fruits, olives and a bruschetta-like tomato dish. The tapas

were exceptional, and I chatted with other audience members learning about Flamenco

history and traditions. Flamenco is the result of a blend of many different cultures

including Sephardic Jewish, Romani, Moorish, African and European influences.

The performance was fascinating. I honestly didn’t know what to expect but It's an old

art form and the music is very different from what I was used to. Vocals, clapping,

stomping, castanets, and Spanish guitar merge and make a musical style full of

improvisation and intense energy. The music had a heavy emphasis on percussion that

thrummed through the room got the audience moving in rhythm.

The performers were incredibly passionate, skilled and even fierce with each being

profoundly emotionally invested in their performance. The dancers held themselves in a

proud and dignified manner while stamping rhythmically, clapping, and using castanets

in a manner that was very engaging and emotional. The focus of Flamenco performers

is on precise, rapid foot work that takes years of practice to perfect.

Throughout the dance, you could see the different emotions on the performer’s faces

and reflected in their dancing. I felt the fierce pride and love of the art that each of them

had and was led through the emotions that the dancers felt by the way they conveyed

their art. Flamenco is a profound manifestation of Spanish national pride and a delight

to experience. It is an art form that merges difficult technical precision with

improvisation. Flamenco is inseparable from the Spanish identity and a uniquely

Spanish form of expression.