Flamenco in
Madrid, Spain
I.
Describe the music, clothes and steps of this dance
The traditional dance of Madrid, Flamenco, is one of the most fascinating dance forms
in the world. It presents a unique combination of extravagant and colorful costumes,
strong beats and lively music. Flamenco is a musical genre of Andalucia origin that
always has maintained a cl
ose relation with Madrid. Flamenco is the
traditional song and dance of the Gypsies (flamencos) of Andalusia in southern Spain.
Flamenco dance Flamenco Dancing - Flamenco Dance Style (baile) is a highly-expressive,
Spanish dance form. The flamenco is a solo dance characterized by hand clapping, percussive
footwork, and intricate hand, arm and body movements. Flamenco dancers, known as bailaores
and bailaoras, are serious and passionate. Typical of flamenco dance, a dancer will often stand
motionless and free of expression for the first few moments of a song. As he or she begins to
feel the music, the dancer might begin a steady beat of loud hand clapping. Then, as emotion
builds, the dancer will begin a passionate dance. The dancing often involves fierce stomping,
sometimes made louder with percussion attachments on the shoes, and graceful arm
movements. Castanets are sometimes held in the hands for clicking, and folding fans are
occasionally used for visual impact. Flamenco is a song, music and dance style which developed
in Andalucia round the end of the eighteenth century.
Flamenco is also an art because of the types of clothing it requires. The women usually
wear long flowing skirts with bright colors, white shirts and shawls on their shoulders.
The men usually wear black pants, white or spotted shirts and, on occasion, a small
back bolero jacket on top of a belt. The men as well as the women wear heeled shoes
to emphasize the dance steps. Song and dance may be accompanied by jaleo, rhythmic
finger snapping, hand clapping, and shouting.
Flamenco dancers rehearse in Spain’s Andalusia region. The flamenco is a passionate dance that
includes complex patterns of foot stamping and hand clapping. The dancers usually are accompanied by
guitar music, singing, and palmas (rhythmic clapping).
II. Traditional Dances are mainly performed during important holidays, Name those holidays
and explain one of them.
Beginning on June the 19th through the 24th Spain celebrates the Bonfires of Saint John or Les
Fogueres de Sant Joan which is a celebration with fireworks, large parties, street dances and
huge bonfires.
The International Folklore Parade, held on the night of the 23rd, is an extraordinary sight.
Dance groups and members of fiestas of different parts of Spain and the rest of the world
where typical dances are practiced come together wearing their colourful costumes and parade
in their colourful carriages.
Bonfires of Saint John
(Spanish: Hogueras de San Juan, Catalan: Fogueres
de Sant Joan, Galician: Noite
de San Xoán) is a popular festival celebrated around
24 June Saint John's day) in
several towns in Spain. The festival is celebrated
throughout many cities and
towns; however, the largest is in Alicante, where it
is considered the most
important festival in the city. The bonfires are
particularly popular in many Catalan-speaking areas like Catalonia and the Valencian
Community, and for this reason some Catalan nationalists regard 24 June as the Catalan nation
day.
For this festival, people gather together and create large bonfires from any kind of wood, such
as old furniture, and share hot chocolate while teens and children jump over the fires.
Nov 1 & 2
Día de los Muertos or Day of the Dead (Mexico, Central America). Traditionally, it is a day to
celebrate and honor one’s ancestors. It’s based on the belief that there is interaction between
the living world and the world of spirits. On the Día de los Muertos, the almas, or the spirits of
the dead, are said to come back for family reunions. Many celebrate setting up ofrendas (altars)
in their homes to honor the memory of deceased loved ones and to welcome their visiting
souls. Others visit their loved one’s cemetery plot and decorate it with flowers, candles and
food. The holiday is celebrated with family and community gatherings, music, and feasting, and
the festivity of its observance acknowledges death as an integral part or life.
Dec 24 & 25
La Nochebuena y la Navidad, Christmas Eve and Christmas. In many Catholic countries, people
attend midnight mass on Christmas Eve. Preparing traditional foods is also an integral part of
the holiday. Mexicans get together for a “tamalada” or a tamal-making session. A tamal is
usually made of shredded pork and corn meal called masa, and tucked into a corn shuck or leaf.
Puerto Ricans prepare pasteles puertorriqueños which are encased in plantain leaves and
stuffed with blac
Dec 31 New Year’s Eve. In Latin America, Catholic families celebrate New Years’ Eve by
attending mass and having a special meal together. Quite often, there are fireworks and
celebrations. In Spain and some other countries, twelve grapes are eaten in the seconds before
the stroke of midnight; the grapes symbolize the 12 months in the old year, and the year to
come. It is
Fiesta de Santiago (Feast of St James). The famous Camino de Santiago, the
pilgrimage of thousands of people from all over Spain and many other parts of Europe
to the holy city of Santiago de Compostela, takes place in the week leading up to St
James' Day, 25 July. The city also has its fiestas around this time. The streets are full of
musicians and performers for two weeks of celebrations culminating in the Festival
del Apóstol.
Joropo Dance and Songs
Joropo is one of the most important and popular form of folk music of Venezuela. Joropo has
become an important part of the lifestyle and culture of Venezuela. Joropo is also a popular
traditional dance and song form of the country. Joropo dance and songs are performed during
the important celebrations, when people gather to enjoy. Joropo dance and songs are also
performed during the night celebrations in Venezuela. Some of the popular Joropo songs are ‘El
Camino Pelao’, ‘Joropo Obstinado’, ‘Esmollejatus Joropus’, ‘El Diablo Suelto La Marusa’,
‘Pajarillo’.
Joropo has to some extent been influenced by the African musical tradition. The verses of
Joropo are shorter compared to other musical forms of Venezuela. Joropo verses are also
repetitive. It is played with maracas, harp and cuatro and is very rhythmic. Joropo appeals to
the ears of the listeners, who can easily identify it.
Thus, it can be concluded from the above discussion that Joropo is an integral and significant
part of all kinds of celebrations in Venezuela.
The Joropo is a musical style resembling the waltz, and an accompanying dance, having African
and European influences. It is a fundamental genre belonging to Venezuela, specifically to its
typical music or música criolla (creole music). It is also the most popular "folk rhythm": the wellknown song "Alma Llanera" is a joropo, considered the unofficial national anthem of Venezuela.
In 1882 it became Venezuela's national dance.
The joropo adopted and still uses the hand turn, the movement of the feet, and waltz turns.
First, the partners dance a type of waltz holding each other tightly. Then they stand facing each
other and make small steps forward and backward as if sweeping the floor. Lastly they hold
each others’ arms, and the woman does sweeping steps while the man stomps his feet along
with the music’s rhythm.
The Joropo is a traditional dance in Venezuela and Colombia, women wear a big skirt in layers
down to the ankles, white of with flowers, the blouse is a 3/4 sleeve, long neck, and flat shoes
or cotizas. A modern version is a shorter skirt and a strapless blouse.
The man wears white trousers above the ankle (to cross a river), white neckless shirt. They can
also wear black trousers and white shirt. In some ocassions they wear a beige suit, and a hat.
http://www.corneta.org/no_36/corneta_festival_de_joropo_2009.html
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Cazorla-Sánchez, Antonio. "Spain." World Book Student. World Book, 2010. Web. 1 Dec. 2010.