The End of Summer in Seville

For many, the end of summer is a sad time, when the holidays end we all head back to work dreaming about the next summer. In Seville though, the end of summer does not mean the end of fun. When the searing summer heat fades away, the city becomes even more alive, many of its residents return after spending weeks away to escape the heat, and the bars and clubs remain open.

One good way to enjoy the end of summer in Seville is to visit a flamenco show. These quintessentially Spanish events display the best that Spain has to offer, passionate dance, singing and music all accompanied by excellent food and wine. Enjoying a weekend away in Seville whilst watching a flamenco show will make you forget about the end of summer, and make you realise that autumn can be just as fun, if not better.

Great Figures of Flamenco

That Seville is the birthplace of Flamenco is an undeniable fact. Because of this, the city has given birth to some of the greatest figures in the history of Flamenco. Even to this day Seville plays host to great Tablaos where you can enjoy an unforgetable night of great Flamenco.

In today´s article, we review some of the greatest singers, dancers and musicians in all of Flamenco, originating from Seville:

• Antonio Carrión: Son of the singer ´Carrión de Mairena´ this Seville born legend has flamenco in his blood. He began his career at 13 when he recorded his first song, and has since toured all over Europe combining traditional elements of Flamenco with his more modern, innovative style.
• Antonio ´sandpit´: Native to the Triana district of Sevill, ´sandpit´ got his name from his original profession, hauling sand by the Guadalquivir river. His signature moves are the ´soleá,´ the ´seguria´and the ´martinete.´
• Aurora Vargas: Hailing from the Macarena district of Seville, this artist is adept at both the singing and the dancing aspects of Flamenco. Specialising in the Tango and the Bulerías, she played a role in the movie ´Flamenco´by Carlos Saura.

Thanks to these great figures in Flamenco, even today, one of the greatest tourist attractions in Spain is to enjoy a flamenco show in Seville.

Santa Cruz Flamenco

The Barrio de Santa Cruz is one of the most beautiful squares in all of Seville. Formerly the old Jewish quarter this area is now home to some of the city´s best bars and restaurants. Notably though, Santa Cruz is also home to some of the city´s best Flamenco shows. The Flamenco is an art form as typically Spanish as tapas and a trip to Spain, especially Seville would not be complete without attending a Santa Cruz Flamenco show.

Having some of the oldest flamenco bars in the city, the Santa Cruz has all the experience required to put on a truly spectacular and unforgettable show. With singers, dancers and guitarists from the best schools all over Spain, a Santa Cruz Flamenco show is truly an unmissable experience.

Seville flamenco show

A quintessential aspect of Spanish culture, along with Tapas and Bullfighting is undoubtedly Flamenco. This art form of music, dancing, singing has been practiced in Spain for hundreds of years and has even been defined by Unesco as an Intangible Cultural Heritage. A major hotbed for the Flamenco is in Seville as in the 19^th Century it was very popular there in the working class district of Triana. Today the Flamenco is more alive than ever, which is why now is the best time to go and watch a Sevilleflamenco show.

Whilst a Seville flamenco show can be found in many areas of the city, the best places to find the most authentic, unadulterated shows are in the Triana or the Santa Cruz districts, where shows are a guaranteed way to improve any standard evening in Seville. For an unforgettable spectacle, head to Seville and follow the music, and you may just stumble upon a Seville flamenco show.

April, the best month of Flamenco in Seville

With the arrival of april, Sevilla wears dots and flounced dress. With the fair as the main host, native and strangers are set to enjoy one of the great festivals of the Andalusian capital. Seven days in which traditions are at their peak.

For example, let’s talk about flamenco fashion. These days women wear ruffled dresses commemorating the dress of women who frequented the old cattle fairs, origin of the April Fair in Seville.

On the other hand, we also speak of 'rebujito' and 'pescaito', drink and traditional food this week.

And, of course, flamenco. Sevillanas, as heart of this art, will be hummed and danced by everyone in the Feria. But not only Sevillanas pays tribute this month of tradition in the capital, flamenco show in the city welcome tourists who want to enjoy the best of flamenco song and flamenco dance in Seville.

Inside Flamenco: Sevillan "tablaos"

Flamenco dancing in Seville is deeply rooted in this millenary city. A lot of the most authentic and oldest Flamenco tablaos of all Spain such as Triana or St Cruz, are located in theirs historic districts. Some of them exist from more than 50 years.

In the year 1955, Flamenco experienced a reborn principally leaded by the flamenco singer Antonio de Mairena. The dancing start to develop in the tablaos first, which are the heirs of the former singing coffee. Tablaos are the reference for Flamenco shows, but the performances also have spread in theatres, festivals and ferias.

Guitar players increased importance in the tablaos shows. Paco de Lucia is one of the most famous of this golden age, following by other artists as Manuel Cano, Manolo Sanlúcar or Victor Monge Serranito.

For the last 5 decades several of the most important Flamenco artists have performed in Sevillan tablaos, such as Farruco, Merche Esmeralda, Cristina Hoyos, Paco Taranto, La Paquera de Jerez, Manolo Marín, Matilde Coral, Enrique El Cojo, Trini España, Ana Mari Bueno.

The Origin of Flamenco Dance

 

Flamenco is an artistic style that consists of inseparable music and dance from the regions of Andalusia, Extremadura and Murcia in Spain. Although there is no absolute evidence about its origin, most historians believe that it was created by the Moorish and evolved later through an intense mixing of cultures: Muslims, Gypsies, Castilians and Jews.

By the end of the 19th century, the “Cafés Cantantes” (Singers’ Cafes) were very popular - the night bars where people could have drinks while enjoying the live music shows. These venues were the forges of flamenco art where firstly appeared professional flamenco singers. Until today, flamenco shows have been kept almost unaltered thanks to these old venues of flamenco dancing in Seville.

From 1920 to 1955, the flamenco shows performed at the Bullrings and Theatres were called “Flamenco Operas”. During those year, flamenco achieved a significant social and commercial success. Since the 50s a great number of anthropological and musicological researches on flamenco have been done while its influence has been extended globally. In 2010 UNESCO declared flamenco one of the Masterpieces of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. Today, everyone can enjoy the centuries-old history and culture of this art at a flamenco show.

Flamenco nowadays

Even there are big figures of flamenco that have left us on the last years,still there are also left some

representatives of this art that makes that the flamenco will be presented in the sceneries of the whole

world.Names like José Mercé,Estrella Morente or Miguel Poveda makes us to feel us like an elf thank you for their songs.

But they are not the only ones.Eva la Yerbabuena and Sara Baras in the dance or Vicente Amigo and Tomatito with their guitars are great figures that delight us with the purest flamenco. 

Also there are big artists of all the flamenco styles that delight the public with their flamenco shows in Seville,in a little flamenco tablaos,stages that concentrate to the essence of the origin of this pure and passionate music.

If you want to enjoy the spectacle of the dancers of flamenco in Seville you should visit in our establishment,where you can be a witness of the dance with more passion than any other in the world.

Where the flamenco art comes from?

To limit the origins of flamenco is little bit complicated. The historians think that all comes up because of one motley of civilisations on the low classes of the towns. There is this people who confirm that the “melisma”(melody) of the voice of singing jondo(type of flamenco) is related to the arabic singers, despite of that the rhythms and the melodies have got their origin in the gipsy town that originates from India.

In Spain the origin is on the 15th century, when generate the mixes between the towns that populated the Peninsula, mixing the Jewish, gipsy and arabic people on the area of Andalusia.

The artistic demonstrations derived an universe of dances, songs and artistic demonstrations  that have given a place to flamenco and its most pure situation. Currently it is possible to enjoy about this spectacle in the flamenco stage of Seville and to appreciate the nuances of one of the most antique musics of Andalusia.

The culture and the art of flamenco in Seville

The flamenco culture and its history has its roots in Seville and it is deeply combined to Seville. It is a great reason for the turists every year to visit in the city. But not only for the turists, it is also an important artistic expression for the local people in Seville.

The flamenco tablaos in Seville have got their wide history and their roots are in the cafés of the singers on the century XIX. There, the flamenco artists challenged each others to show for the public who is the best on the stage. The singing cafés additionally allowed for non-gipsy people to enjoy about the flamenco spectacle in Seville and to learn different technics of singing and dancing.

That much Seville affected to flamenco and vice versa, that now, one of the most popular and the best known type of dance in all over the world takes the name from the city: las sevillanas. The dance sevillanas is the thing that is most related to the spanish culture, even though it is not the only type of flamenco or either the most diffult one.

To enjoy about the authentic flamenco, You are very welcome to visit in our tablao in Seville where the best artists of the city offer an spectacle full of passion and feelings.

Camarón: reborn of flamenco

It is undeniable what did the name Camarón do for the flamenco. Only with his singing, and together with other big singers of flamenco, he constructed renovation and revolution, without ever abandoning the fundamental pillars or essence of flamenco.

He is one of the best singers of all of our times. He made the reborn of flamenco possible, when all doubted him, and just when this generation was passing through the deep crisis and giving up for lost.

Even though, the transformation was produced from the same midst and heart that makes beat the sing, its unique and passionate character never left back. In fact, for that reason it became that strong and characteristic.

His early passing away and quick presence as a big artist on the world of flamenco, made him as a unique legend giving a surname for the art, becoming impossible to identify to his huge power and being a model to follow by all the singers of flamenco in Seville.

The art of union of flamenco dance and music

It is difficult to understand, but easy to feel. The union of flamenco dance and music is an own art of our land that is based on hundreds of years of history. The folklore has always been combined of music with dance that makes it different and unique. And in Andalusia the sign of identity is flamenco by singing as well as dancing.

When the box, guitar and the taps sounds on the same rhythm with clacking, it creates one unique fusion of passion and dedication. And this requires years of practice and studying, as it is not easy to achieve a perfect harmonic rhythm.

In any of the flamenco spectacles shown in Seville, the artist presents a singular night of flamenco and art. The thing is that the rhythm of the music can only be perfect when quick feet clack on the tablao, on the stage. If you still haven´t seen flamenco in Seville, you should go to see that to understand the art that only a couple of us can really do well.

History of Flamenco: Carmen Amaya

The flamenco was born as a folkloric representation among gypsy families in Andalusia. In particular around Guadalquivir river - Seville – Triana, Lebrija, Utrera, Cádiz, Jerez, Los Puerto.  Because of those locations we can say that the flamenco music is a sum of cultures and music of southern Andalusia. 

In the beginning, flamenco was a thing that was shared among friends and neighbors - each family or group had their own special way to perform this dance and a special form of singing. This is how different types of flamenco were born, depending on the area and the family “singer” they derive from.

One of those families which we now know as the creators of “flamenco art” is Amaya family. And one of its most important representatives  is Carmen Amaya – famous dancer and singer. Like in most of the cases Carmen learnt flamenco art on the street, performing with her family. 

Even though she started her journey with flamenco on a street, dancing with her family and neighbors she revolutionized the flamenco dance with her technique and started dancing in the most important European theatres and is now recognized not only in Europe but in America as well.

If you want to learn more about history of flamenco, click here.

Flamenco – dance of emotions

Flamenco is not an ordinary dance but an art, inextricably linked with Spain and its age-old culture. Flamenco is not just an entertainment. From centuries, by the rhythms of the dance, singing and music Andalusian gypsies expressed their emotions. Flamenco contains not only the elements of Spanish culture, but also Hindu, Jewish, Persian, Arabic, Moorish, Egyptian and medieval Gregorian chant music.

Flamenco is characterized by a remarkable power of expression. During flamenco shows spectators  almost feel the need to join the dancers, emotions and feelings are floating in the air, and every movement and every sound emphasizes the sadness, anger or joy.

Flamenco is spontaneous, pure and danced straight from the heart. There is no place for conventions and schemes. Dancers do not hide the anger, but express it with violent gestures and rhythmic hitting heels. Dancers express love by literally wrapping their partner - sometimes you can get an impression that during dance partners fight with each other and express this “war” with gestures, mimics and rhythm..

Dance in Flamenco is the most important and is still evolving under the influence of new artists. In the dance the most important elements are: body, hands and feet. These last are the most important and most characteristic for this dance. It consists of zapateado and punteado. The first is a solo tap show, the second are the steps influenced by the rhythm of a guitar. Hand movements are more expressive for women and each finger is equally important. And finally the body that performs the movements smoothly or dynamically, is sometimes  the culmination of the whole dance.

Flamenco can be danced individually – and this solo dance is the most popular among all. It’s a show that is coming from the interior of the dancer. It’s often improvised, enriched by individual interpretation by the dancer and spontaneous - not subjected to any schematic movements.

Andalusia – homeland of Flamenco

Culture of Spain is extremely rich and colorful and strongly affects the senses. One of its most famous elements is a flamenco dance. This passionate dance is a reason why so many people, especially women, decide to travel to Spain. But the centre of flamenco is Andalusia, which is why all the enthusiast of Flamenco should explore this region, and most importantly its capital city - Seville. Seville is full of flamenco shows therefore it’s a perfect place to experience the unique atmosphere of the Spanish South - night flamenco shows will warm up everyone especially in the evening when the weather cools down a bit during summer.

The origins of Flamenco developed in the south of Spain, inspired by music of countries such as Egypt, Morocco, India, Pakistan, Greece, and countries in the Middle East, and the Far East. Cultural experts claim that the roots of flamenco arrived to Spain in the fifteenth century, with the arrival of Spanish Gypsies. Then flamenco was already known in the mountainous regions of Andalusia, where, escaping from Catholic repressions, Jews, pagan Gypsies and Muslims found their shelter.

Flamenco in Seville is present everywhere. In many places and neighborhoods there are streets where practically every bar in the evening holds a ticketed live flamenco show. To go to Andalusia and not participate in the show of flamenco in Seville is like to go to Mediterranean beach, and not enter the sea.

The Art of the Flamenco Dance

When it comes to Spanish Culture, one of the main characteristics that stands out to everyone is ´The Art of the Flamenco Dance´. From sweeping arm movements to tapping feet, the Flamenco is a unique dance enjoyed by many people from different roots, especially throughout the southern region of Andalucía. Flamenco in Seville is extremely popular with many shows to visit and experiences to enjoy.

The Flamenco dance is a genuine Spanish art, an emotional and passionate dance that people are mesmerized and enjoy to watch as entertainment as well as part-take in the dancing experience. The flamenco is known to be one of the most visual and emotive forms of expression and to witness a passionate display of flamenco dance will leave most people feeling impassioned. The Tablao Flamenco Los Gallos in particular, has been in the elite part of flamenco due to the outstanding performances by the professional dancers and spectacular audience entertainment. 

The Tablao Los Gallos Flamenco includes a large cast of artists, many of which have won national and international awards. Many beginners have been given the opportunity to take to the stage and show their talent and original art to perform infront of hundreds of people at the most popular flamenco show in Seville. Such opportunities have lead to fantastic careers for young dancers; Well-known Flamenco dancers, who have become such ´celebrities ‘in Spain have taken their first dancing steps at this show.
Not only is the aforementioned show is the oldest show in the city, but one of the oldest in the world. With over 45 years of experience, there is no wonder that it has became one of the most popular and loved attractions when it comes to Flamenco shows in Seville.

So, to experience the most in-depth feeling of Spanish Culture why not discover the art of the flamenco dance, at one of the best flamenco nights in Seville by visiting the famous Santa Cruz Neighbourhood of Sevilla at The Tablao Flamenco Los Gallos.