Speak the Culture: Spain: Be Fluent in Spanish Life and Culture

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1. Identity: the
   building blocks of
   2. Literature
   and philosophy
   3. Art and
   architecture
   4. Performing
   arts
   5. Cinema
   and fashion
   6. Media and
   communications
   7. Food and drink 8. Living culture:
   the details of

Carmen Amaya

The most famousbailaoraof the 20thcentury, of genuine gypsy blood, learned the

art in a Barcelonan slum. She danced with unrivalled passion, challengingly adopting

the fast footwork and trousers traditional to male dancers. Feature films made in

Hollywood between the 1930s and 60s record her expertise. Her kidneys packed up,

aged just 50, in 1963.

Antonio Gades

Posturing and wildly dramatic (like a matador with an imaginary bull), Gades came to

flamencovia Classical dance. Unafraid of innovation, he choreographedflamenco

adaptations of Lorca’sBodas de Sangreand Lope de Vega’sFuenteovejuna.

Sara Baras

Probably the most famousbailaoraof recent years. Never too far away from the work

of El Camarón de la Isla, she’s danced in a number of tributes to the great singer.

Baras has also worked in film and on the catwalk.

Classical and Neoclassical Spanish dance

Spain has a third dance tradition. Classical Spanish

dance fusesflamencoand folk with the ballet styles

that were doing the rounds in Europe in the 18th

century.Throw in some enthusiastic castanets and

you’ve got the rough picture. Developing a more formal

structure than its antecedents, Classical dance proved

well suited for Spain’s legion of new theatres. It was

also easily taught.The most famous Spanish Classical

blend to appear in thecorraleswas thebolero. At one

time it rivalledflamencoin popularity up on stage,

danced solely or in couples.

Stomp collectors: three stars offlamencodance

Visit any Spanishfiesta,
in hamlet or metropolis,
and you’ll find someone
dancing, following a
ritual specific to
whatever part of Spain
you’re in. However,
you can also find
festivals given over
specifically to Classical
and contemporary dance.
Here are three:

Dansa Valencia
Dotted around Valencia’s
venues every February.

Festival Internacional
de Música y Danza de
Granada
Early summer in
Granada.

Madrid en Danza
A packed programme in
the capital every April.

“YOU CAN’T
UNDERSTAND
FLAMENCO, IT IS
SOMETHING YOU
FEEL. THE PERSON
WHO IS SITTING ON
THE CHAIR MUST
FEEL THAT WHAT
YOU ARE DOING IS
SOMETHING OUT OF
THE ORDINARY.”
Christina Hoyos,
flamencodance legend

Festivals

of dance