Kachucha
Cachucha is an Andalusian solo dance in 3/4 or 3/8 measures, similar to the bolero. It comes from the southern Spanish province of Cadiz (according to other sources - from Cuba). Traditionally, kachucha can be danced by both men and women. Usually the dance is accompanied by the sound of castanets and the stamping of heels.
AT XIX century kachacha was one of the favorite dances performed on various stages in Europe. He first appears in the theater in the ballet "Lady of the Lake" (1812), then - in a magnificent performance by the ballerina Fanny Elsler, in Jean Coralli's production of "The Lame Demon" ( Le Diable boiteux, 1836), which became a real sensation.
Muneira
Muneira (galic. muiñeira, Spanish. muñeira from gallis. Muineira "mill") is a Galician folk dance common in the Spanish autonomy of Galicia, as well as among the Spaniards of the autonomous region of Asturias. Muneira is also called the fast melody to which the dance is performed.
They dance Muneira with their hands up in the air. traditional costumes to the accompaniment of musical instruments - bagpipes, tambourines, small drums and others, and is also often accompanied by singing. The main dance step is called paseo(galis. paseo). Muneira is predominantly an instrumental dance, which, like the sardana, has a constant time signature - 6/8.
Muneira may consist of two or more parts. Old versions usually consisted of two parts, newer ones - of two or more.
Muneira is considered to be a fairly old dance, inherited by the Galicians from the Celto-Iberians. This is evidenced by the traditional cry - aturusho(galis. aturuxo), strong, lingering and sharp, with which those around them accompany the dance, cheering the dancers, and which is of Celtic origin - this was the battle cry with which they went on the attack in ancient times. However, the first documented evidence dates back to the 16th century.
Name etymology muneira from the word "mill" made it possible for some researchers to argue that the dance was originally popular among millers. According to another version, the muneira got its name from the place, that is, from the mill and the surrounding area, where rural dance parties were usually held.
Muneira is a dance both festive and everyday (for example, performed at parties after a hard day's work).
Malaguena
Malaguena (Spanish) Malaguena) - one of the traditional flamenco styles, which came out of the early fandango of the Málaga region, the song has oriental roots. Derived from a local type of fandango (a dance with various regional variations and various names), Malaguena became very popular in Spain by the 18th century. Although currently malaguena is classified as a type of "free songs", performed in a free style, and is usually not used in dances. Fandangos were originally sung and played at high speed, and danced to the accompaniment of a 6/8 rhythmic pattern. Some of the original fandango melodies from Malaga were called verdiales. Verdiales continue to dance in our days at folk gatherings, as a rule, performed a large number non-professional dancers grouped under the name Pandas, and a significant number of guitarists called bandurrias (a kind of mandolin), fiddlers and tambourists.
By the second half of the 19th century, the first steps were taken in the transformation of fandango folk songs into real flamenco. The melody slowed down (although the oriental fandango rhythms remained) and included various musical techniques, in addition, the number of accompanying instruments was reduced to one guitar. Perhaps this process influenced other styles of flamenco, and modern research also indicate the influence of this transformation on opera, zarzuela and other styles of classical music.
The oldest melody of malaguena that has survived to this day is Habera, the first mention of which is found in Seraphin Estebanez Calderón, around the 1840s. According to this author, this type of malaguena was created by an artist known as La Jabera. The rhythmic pattern of this early type of malagueña survived in the performance of later artists such as Juan Breva. Most types of malaguenia were created in last decade XIX century.
Third stage of evolution this style flamenco consisted in the final loss of the rhythmic pattern of the melody. This transformation was done by the singers Anthony Chacon and Enrique El Mayiso, as well as guitarist Ramon Montoya. None of them were born in Malaga, which means that they did not grow up under the influence of the original fandango folk songs. These people were, in a sense, the creators of a completely new style, formed by professional and semi-professional artists. Initially, the guitar was used in conjunction with other musical instruments as part of the Malaga folk melodies of the fandango. At that time, the function of the guitar was only to create the rhythm of the melody and was limited to the use of one technique called "abandolao". As this musical style evolved, Malaguena's tempo slowed down and guitarists were able to incorporate short solos and other musical techniques into their playing. The revolution in Malaguena's guitar performance came along with the transformation of the latter into the "free song" type: flamenco virtuosos, like Ramon Montoya, began to use Malaguena's melody classical techniques guitar playing (eg arpeggio, scale, tremolo) and enriched it with more varied chord positions. They also began introducing short guitar solos called falsets between verses, following songs from other flamenco styles.
Malagueña is rarely performed only as a guitar composition and very rarely danced.
Sarabande
Sarabande (Spanish) zarabanda) is an old Spanish folk dance.
Initially, it originates from Spain (later from Latin America, where it was a seductive dance using castanets and very frank embraces of partners, and after several unsuccessful attempts by the Catholic Church to ban its performance, a conscious rethinking of the dance begins, designed to reduce its popularity). The Sarabande is performed at funerals, and the music for it is written to order in a minor scale. In the XVII-XVIII centuries. a refined version of this dance spread in Western Europe as a ballroom dance, and by the second half of the 18th century it was losing popularity. time signature 3/4, 3/2.
They danced it with the accompaniment of a guitar or singing with a flute and harp. Later, this dance passed to France in a revised form, having received a more noble and majestic character. The pace in the updated sarabande is slow, the score is 3/4, the form is two-knee, that is, a “square” structure (each knee is eight measures).
An old dance is performed with the piano and string instruments, and wind (less often). It was originally introduced to Spain as the "Dance of the Harvest".
Sardana
Sardana or sardans(cat. sardanes) - national dance Catalans.
The dance itself has a round dance character - its participants line up in big circle and, holding hands, perform certain movements to the music. The number of participants in the dance is unlimited.
Sardana (size 6/8) is often danced right in the squares to the music of the unique national kobla orchestras. Sardana expresses national spirit Catalans, symbolizes their unity. During the years of Franco's dictatorship, the sardana was officially banned. This dance was also called the “dance of protest”, because it is performed not by professional dancers, but by ordinary people, not on stage, but in the square.
There is no exact date and place of the appearance of the sardana, but it is known that the dance has been popular since the 16th century. There are about 130 cobla orchestras in Spanish and French Catalonia, mostly amateur. Outside of Catalonia, only one kobla orchestra is known, in Amsterdam, Holland - Cobla La Principal d'Amsterdam.
It is noteworthy that usually the participants put their things in the center of the circle before the dance, and then stare at them intently. This is done to prevent pickpocketing.
Now there are mainly two types of this dance: historical original style- short sardane ( sardana curta) and the more popular modern style, the long sardane ( sardana llarga).
Fandango
Fandango (Spanish) Fandango) - Spanish folk dance (sizes 3/4, 6/8), performed in pairs to the singing of Fandango, accompanied by a guitar and castanets.
Known since the 17th century, when the dance began to spread from Andalusia and Extremadura to Asturias, the Basque Country, as well as to the east of Spain, to Portugal and America. AT early XIX century, flamenco adopted some features of the Andalusian fandango, thus the “flamenco fandango” appeared ( fandangos aflamencaos), which is now one of the main flamenco rhythms.
One variation of the fandango is the malagueña dance.
Flamenco
Flamenco (Spanish) flamenco, Spanish cante flamenco) - the general designation of the southern Spanish (Andalusian) folk music- songs (cante) and dance (baile). There are two stylistically and musically distinct classes of flamenco: the oldest cante hondo / jondo (hondo lit. deep, i.e. serious, dramatic style), it is also cante grande (big, high style); and the more modern cante chico (chico lit. small, i.e. lightweight, simple style). Within both classes of flamenco, there are more than 50 subclasses (genres), the exact boundary between which is sometimes difficult to draw. The origins of flamenco should be sought in the Mauritanian musical culture. Gypsy music also significantly influenced this style - many consider the Spanish gypsies to be the main, true bearers of the style. according to their custom, they began to adopt and rethink local musical traditions, such as Moorish, Jewish and Spanish proper; and from this fusion of musical traditions, rethought first by the gypsies and then by the Spaniards, flamenco was born.
At the end of the 20th century, flamenco begins to absorb Cuban melodies and jazz motifs; and, in addition, the elements classical ballet bought there permanent place. The most famous flamenco dancer Joaquin Cortes, who updated the concept of flamenco dance, got rid of it from the "canonical standard" and introduced a new lively stream and expressiveness into it.
The improvisational nature of flamenco, the complex rhythm and the specific technique of performance often prevent accurate music notation flamenco melodies. Therefore, the art of both the guitarist and the dancer, and the singer is usually passed on from master to student.
Zambra
The name comes from the noise that is made by certain musical instruments and a large number of people gathered in one place. In old Castilian, the word zambra was used to refer to a Moorish party with music and loud celebrations. Later, the name was used to refer to a gypsy festival which, nowadays, has lost its impromptu character and is staged mostly as a dance for tourists in the Sacromonte in Granada. This dance is characterized by guitar accompaniment and singing that is not particularly graceful due to its unimaginative and monotonous rhythm, which is a sign of the style's obvious folk roots.
This is a very old dance form, which in turn is composed of three others: alborea, cachacha and mosca, which are displayed in symbolic form various stages gypsy wedding. Mimicry, which is reflected in the dance, is typical of the so-called. primitive peoples, and thanks to its presence we can judge that the dance already exists for a long time. It became popular again in the forties and fifties of the last century, thanks to the work of Manolo Caracol and Lola Flores, and is very well suited for theatrical performances, as the dancer takes his position next to the dancer, acting out the content of the koplas (poetic compositions, in verse, used as a song) with gestures and postures. Nowadays, this dance has become more of a commercial and tourist dance as it is very popular with the tourists who come to Granada. His beat is slow 2/4. 1 2 3 4 / 1 2 3 4 / 1 2 3 4
jota
Jota (Spanish and Cat. jota, in Catalan it reads “jota”) is a paired Spanish national dance, in tripartite size. It appeared at the end of the 18th century in Aragon and at the beginning of the 19th century spread throughout Spain.
The performance of the jota varies by region.
Aragonese jota- the oldest and most known species hots. Considered a classic.
Catalan jota is a dance officially recognized by the government of Catalonia.
Castilian jota- differs from the Aragonese jota in a faster pace.
Philippine jota- Jota, adapted by the Filipinos during the period of the Spanish colonization of the Philippine Islands.
And many others.
The jota is usually performed in national costumes with castanets and singing. The themes of such songs can be different, for example: family and marriage, politics, religion, etc. In some regions, jota is also part of the ritual of honoring the dead and is performed in a funeral procession.
Jota performance is also possible accompanied by an orchestra, which includes guitars, lutes, drums. Galicians also use bagpipes.
Bolero
Bolero(Spanish) Bolero) is a dance that originated in Spain at the end of the 18th century, and at the same time musical genre originated in Cuba in the 19th century. There are many varieties of bolero dance, characteristic of different regions of Spain; it is ¾ in size. As a musical genre, the bolero is very popular in Spanish American countries.
One of the oldest and most traditional dances in the history of Spanish dance, it is a fast spanish dance having sudden pauses and sharp turns.
According to some reports, the bolero dance was created by a Spanish dancer. Sebastian Cerezo around 1780. Although it has always been in three parts, these parts in different time divided in different ways: three equal shares in the first measure (three quarters, if expressed in a professional musical language), then to strong beat next bar stop (dotted quarter) and three short notes (eighths). One of the rhythmic variants of the bolero: the first measure is divided into short notes; in this case there are six of them (eighth notes), and instead of the first note there is a pause. The second cycle is the same as in the first version. Subsequently, crushing becomes even finer. The pace of the classic bolero is moderate, one might even say restrained. The movement is complete inner strength and passion. Such a bolero is danced to the accompaniment of a guitar and a drum, and the dancers themselves beat additionally complex rhythmic figures on castanets, interwoven into an unusually whimsical pattern.
The Cuban bolero as a musical genre originated around 1840. It is believed that one of the first pronounced works is Tristezas, written by José Sánchez (José Pepe Sánchez) in 1883 in Santiago de Cuba. This work is considered a classic of the genre.
Sevillana
Sevillana is a special genre in flamenco, which gained particular popularity in the second half of the 20th century.A lively and joyful dance typical of Seville and reminiscent of flamenco. Any sevillana consists of four couplet parts, which is why it is often called during plural"sevillanas" - Sevilleans. Often it is not even classified as flamenco as such, since sevillana belongs to the group of song and dance forms called "estilos aflamencados". This term literally translates as "flamenquis styles" or, as you can say, "forms that have taken the form of flamenco." And in fact, in the dance of Sevillana, features are clearly seen that are not characteristic of the basic principles of flamenco. Almost any flamenco dance is built quite freely. There are, of course, some generally accepted trends in the structure of the dance, but in general, the order of movements and the movements themselves can vary freely at the request of the dancer. This gives great freedom for imagination and the opportunity to improvise.
Cha-cha-cha
Cha-cha-cha(Spanish) cha cha cha) - musical style and the dance of Cuba, which has also become widespread in the Latin American countries of the Caribbean, as well as in those of the Hispanic communities in the United States, where immigrants from these countries predominate.
Cha-cha-cha arose in the process of evolution and experiments of the Cuban composer Enrique Horrin (Enrique Jorrin, 1926-1987) with Danson, in the 50s of the XX century.
It is performed at competitions, starting from the H class. time signature 4/4, tempo - 30 beats per minute.
Cha-cha-cha It is also one of the five dances in the Latin American ballroom dance program. He came from the captives of Cuba, they had so much fun and the sound was chh.
And my favorite:
Paso Doble
paso doble(Spanish) paso doble- "double step") - a Spanish dance that imitates a bullfight.
The first name of the dance is "Spanish One Step", because the steps are made for each count. The Paso Doble was one of the many Spanish folk dances associated with various aspects of Spanish life. Paso Doble is based in part on bullfighting. The partner portrays the bullfighter, and the partner - his cloak or muleta (a piece of bright red fabric in the hands of the matador), sometimes - the second bullfighter, and very rarely - the bull, as a rule, defeated by the final blow. The character of the music corresponds to the procession before the bullfight (el paseíllo), which usually takes place to the accompaniment of paso doble.
The main difference between paso doble and other dances is the position of the body with a high chest, wide and lowered shoulders, a rigidly fixed head, tilted forward and down in some movements. This setting of the body corresponds to the nature of the movements of the matador. The movements can be interpreted as a fight between a matador and a bull. The weight of the body is in front, but most steps are taken from the heel.
Music consists of 3 main parts (“accents/themes”). The first topic is divided into an introduction and a main part. Most often, the third theme is a repetition of the first. At competitions in sports ballroom dancing, the first two themes are most often performed.
From Wikipedia
Despite the wide popularity of Spanish dances, few have thought about where they originate. But spanish dances originate in ancient times. Until now, dance forms that were found even in the Hellenistic era have been preserved.
For thousands of years, Spain was known to the world as Iberia. The first inhabitants of today's Spain had quite motley ethnic composition. This is what gave Spanish dances such diversity and uniqueness. The dances of Spain were influenced by the Celts who lived in Iberia around 500 BC. The Moors, who occupied Spain for 700 years, had a huge influence on Spanish dance and its development.
Origin and history.
Ethnic diversity in Spain increased Pakistani and Indian gypsies and Jewish immigrants after its conquest by Castile. Today, the mixing of ethnic dances of ancient peoples and the penetration of new immigrant cultures into them reveals to us the whole versatility of the world of Spanish dance. Every Spanish dance has its own special features depending on the area where it originated. And this is not surprising, because all regions have their own specific features and cultural roots.
Historically, the most passionate and temperamental men and women live on the coasts of Andalusia and other Spanish provinces. They know how to suffer bitterly and love passionately, without looking back. It was this temperament and irrepressible passion that brought to the world the well-known and loved by all Spanish dances.
Spanish dances undoubtedly the most emotional dances in the whole world. This is a southern temperament and irrepressible passion, the rhythm of castanets and the precise movements of stately brunettes to the sound of a guitar. Not everyone knows that Spanish dances have many varieties and stylistic incarnations. The history of their formation and development is also very rich.
Let's take a closer look at the types of Spanish dances:
Spanish dance Fandango.
Name of the dance Fandango comes from a long Portuguese folk song and means singing and traditional dance, and comes from the Latin Fatus - fate. Fandango settled in the region of Huelva. The Flamenco dance had a strong influence on the development of the Fandango.
Fandango - very old style dance of a popular nature, acquired over time Flamenco features. At the heart of this pair dance lie figures of rotation typical of courtship dance. Although there are variations of Fandango in all provinces , Fandango from Huelva has special features that distinguish it from others and make the dance the most popular and unsurpassed among others. However, this Spanish dance is little known outside of Huelva and even less in the rest of the world.
Traditional dance Paso Doble (Paso Doble).
This Spanish dance is really originated in the south of France(Paso Redoble), but modeled on the movement, sound and drama of Spanish bullfighting. Live dance paso doble style(Paso doble) is translated from Spanish as "double step".
The basis of the dance is the music played during the entry of the bullfighters into the arena or immediately before the killing of the bull. This fast dance consists of steps and turns modeled on the basis of musical accompaniment for the world-famous bullfight - bullfighting. Today it is part of the Latin American dance program.
Spain's national dance Bolero.
Spanish bolero dance introduced around 1780 by Sebastian Cerezo. It is generally accepted that the court dancer Sebastian Cerezo in 1780 used the Bolero folk dance of Spain for his French ballet. This dance comes from Morocco. The guitar and voices of ballerinas are used as accompaniment. Bolero is one of the oldest " school dances» . The name of the dance supposedly comes from the word "Volar" (fly), as it seemed that the dancers were just floating in the air. Since the 18th century, a lot of Bolero compositions have been written. The national Bolero dance was one of the most beloved dances among the Spaniards. Bolero has gained popularity all over the world thanks to its beautiful rhythms and dance steps.
Bolero is performed by a woman and a man, or several couples. There is one of the varieties of Bolero in the form of a quadrille.
Ethnic Dances.
The first Spanish dances were based on the theme of magic and various religious rituals inextricably linked with natural cycles. For example, the Basque country dance Sorgin Dantza is a witch dance reminiscent of pagan times. Galicians is a sword dance to celebrate the arrival of spring. The Basques are known for their martial dances in which swords or sticks are used by competing dancers. The graceful and exciting jumps of the dancers look very impressive. Popular with the Basques open dances in a circle. In these dances, men and women hold hands or a handkerchief to enable the ballerinas to perform intricate steps.
In the Catalan folk dance Sardana, people hold on to the raised hands of their neighbors in a circle and move in small steps. Galicia is distinguished by the Celtic origin of its dances and the Galician trumpet is the most popular instrument.
Incendiary Flamenco.
The most popular among all Spanish dances in the world - Flamenco. It originated in the Andalusian lands, its origin is associated with the gypsies who arrived in Spain in the 15th century. These gypsies formed a special dance caste. Many of them were very fond of singing and dancing at various annual celebrations. Today, the term "Flamenco" is synonymous with the word "gitano", which is translated from the Spanish slang as "gypsies". most popular theory the origin of the word flamenco from the name of the Flemish soldiers guarding the Spanish-Belgian territories is considered. Distinctive features these soldiers had a special style of dress, self-confidence and ostentatious pride. These qualities were as close as possible to the character of the gypsies. Because of all this, it is impossible to reliably know where the word "Flamenco" came from. There are many theories promising to explain the meaning of "Flamenco". Having carefully studied the sources, traces of origin will lead us to Cadiz, Seville and Jerez. divided into two schools. More dry and poor in movement and posture - Castilian. Andalusian is more pretentious.
The gypsies themselves associate Flamenco with the expression of their soul. Last years Flamenco is gaining popularity not only in Spain but also abroad. In fact, Flamenco is not only a gypsy or Spanish dance, it is a unique mixture of artistic dance forms from all the peoples that have lived in Spain throughout its history.
What is the most beautiful Spanish dance? The name of the best manifestation of the plasticity and grace of this southern country excites many fans of this genre of art today. We admit right away that there is no consensus on which dance is the best. In this article, we will consider the most popular and well-known of them.
What are Spanish dances famous for?
Spanish dance has many names. The most popular are flamenco, bolero, caccia, muneira, sarabande, sardana, segdilla, hoca and fondago. In order to master them, you need to be a Spaniard at heart, all dance teachers say.
All of them capture at first sight anyone who is present in the hall or on the dance floor. It is beauty, passion, grace and refined technique. All this has captivated the audience for several centuries. Moreover, each of the Spanish dances, the names of which you will see in this article, is unique and inimitable.
jota
Most can well imagine the Spanish dance with castanets. Only a few will remember its name. This is hota.
This is a paired Spanish national dance that appeared at the very end of the 18th century in the autonomy of Aragon, and a little later spread throughout the country.
The way the hotu is danced depends on the region in which the novice stage master studied. So, there is a classic jota from Aragon, as well as Catalan, officially recognized by the government of this autonomy, Castilla, Philippine.
All these varieties have one thing in common. The dance is performed without fail in traditional national costumes, and in the hands of the dancers castanets. All this is accompanied by singing. Vocal themes may vary, but most are related to love in one way or another. Religion and even politics may also be mentioned.
In some Spanish regions, jotu is traditionally danced at funerals, right during the funeral procession.
Musical accompaniment is also different. It can be guitars, drums or lutes. In the province of Galicia, they even use bagpipes.
Bolero
The Spanish dance, whose name is bolero, appeared in the second half of the 18th century.
Moreover, unlike most other dances that are considered folk dances, he has a specific author. Researcher folk art Juan Antonio de Samacola claimed that the author of the bolero is a dancer from La Mancha (the birthplace of Don Quixote) Sebastian Cerezo. It happened in 1780.
True, modern studies believe that the bolero appeared a little earlier. Around 1773. For the first time, the dance was performed in a play by Ramon de la Cruz called "Decent Hotel".
The characteristics of the Spanish national bolero dance fit into three components - passion, brightness and rhythm. The dance is performed with drums and guitar. The rhythmic pattern, as in the case of jota, is complemented by castanets.
Kachucha
Unlike all previously described dances, kachacha is performed solo. Literally translated from Spanish, this word means "small boat".
The names of Spanish dances, the list of which is in this article, are easy to remember. Kachucha appeared in Andalusia, something similar to the bolero we already know. It is also very popular in Cuba and in another Spanish province - Cadiz.
This is a solo dance performed by both women and men. Only alone. As a rule, the performance is accompanied by the sound of castanets, stamping of heels and rhythmic clapping of hands.
In the 19th century, it was one of the most beloved dances, which was regularly performed on major European stages. He began to be often used in ballet. For example, Jean Coralli in Lame Demon. In more later times Kachucha was performed by such famous dancers as Anna Pavlova and Lucile Grand.
Muneira
Spanish folk dances, the names of which you now know, it is impossible to imagine without the Muneira. This dance originated in Galicia.
It must be performed with hands raised up. The name of the Spanish stage dance movements in Muneira is the pass. This is a special dance step.
Dancers take the stage in traditional national costumes. Accompany them on a tambourine, bagpipe or small drum. As a rule, the muneira is accompanied by Spanish folk songs.
Muneiro is considered one of the most ancient Spanish dances. According to some reports, it was borrowed from the Iberians who lived in the territory modern Spain BC. In favor of this version, the traditional cry of aturusho, which accompanies the muneiro, is cited. It has a clear Celtic origin, with similar words the Celts fled to attack.
However, according to official sources, the dance appeared only in the 16th century. According to some studies, the dance was originally extremely popular among millers, since its name literally translates from Spanish as "mill". According to other sources, it got its name from the fact that young people often gathered around the mill to dance and relax.
It is noteworthy that this is a universal dance. It is performed both on holidays and on weekdays, for example, at a party after the end of the working day.
Researchers distinguish two types of muneira. The old one, which is necessarily accompanied by singing and playing the tambourine, and the new one, which is characterized by a prelude and instrumental accompaniment.
Sarabande
The Sarabande is another old Spanish dance known since the 16th century. It is distinguished by its dark and harsh music, which is performed at a leisurely and even slow pace.
Initially, the sarabande appeared as a seduction dance, in which castanets were used, and the partner was hugged as frankly as possible. The Catholic Church has repeatedly tried to ban it. Because of this, a rethinking of dance began in society, which inevitably reduced its popularity.
To XVIII century the sarabande has become so chaste that it is performed even at funerals. For these cases, the music is specially altered to a minor key. At the same time, in Europe, the sarabande became a ballroom dance, which XIX century lost its popularity.
Fandango
Fandango is another folk dance that is performed to the accompaniment of the guitar and castanets. A song, as a rule, of lyrical content is also obligatory.
This dance appeared in the 17th century in Andalusia and Extremadura. Soon his popularity reached Catalonia, and from there it moved to Portugal and across the ocean to America.
It is proved that at the beginning of the 19th century, the classical Argentine flamenco dance adopted some features of the fandango from Andalusia and was no longer the same. Now there is even a separate style - fandango in the flamenco style.
Fandango was often used in classical works. In particular, Domenico Scarlatti, Antonio Soler, Christoph Gluck, Wolfgang Mozart, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Isaac Albeniz, Enrique Granados, Manuel de Falla, Luigi Boccherini, Carl Bach.
Seguidilla
Seguidilla is a Spanish folk dance that is accompanied by songs. It arose at the turn of the XV-XVI centuries.
Musical accompaniment is always on major frets, however, it can sometimes alternate with a minor. Performed cheerfully and movingly. The songs have love or humorous content. Accompanying instruments are guitars, lutes, mandolins and, of course, castanets. Almost no Spanish dance can do without them.
The Seguidilla is danced in pairs, which mingle from time to time. This is a classic dance that has been performed for centuries to celebrate the successful harvest of a rich harvest.
Spain is a country with a fascinating history and culture. For many people around the world, the country is associated with bullfighting and the charming, expressive flamenco dance. Unfortunately, a real bullfight can only be seen in Spain, but things are much simpler with the national dance - they have learned to dance it all over the globe.
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Photo gallery: Hot Spanish flamenco dance - technique and types of performance
The magic of Spanish dance (photo)
Modern Spanish dances can be divided into several groups. Ethnic ones belong to the first group, they are performed by ordinary Spaniards, classical Spanish dances - flamenco, sardana, saltarella and others belong to the second group, ballroom dances, for example, belong to the third group.
Flamenco is the most famous Spanish dance. His incendiary rhythm and with a striking spectacle he conquered the whole world. There are two types of flamenco, which are stylistically different from each other in performance. dance moves- ancient and modern. In each of the types, another fifty genres are distinguished, but they are sometimes so close in technique that it is impossible to draw a clear line between them.
Like any other dance, flamenco cannot be imagined without such important attribute, like a feminine Spanish outfit. In our case, this is a long floor-length dress, complemented by a fluffy skirt with different frills, low-heeled sandals about 5-8 cm (for zapateado), sometimes helping the dancer beat the rhythm, as well as a Spanish shawl, which is decorated with long tassels. The colors of the outfit mainly consist of deep and burning shades - red, maroon, cherry, yellow, dark green and fiery black.
Flamenco performance is impossible without understanding the concept of duende. Duende is called the soul of the performer. Only the fire inside the dancer, the strength of his energy are capable of such a wonderful creation - flamenco.
Burning flamenco
There are no hard and fast rules in flamenco performance. Partners can safely succumb to improvisation. By the way, only girls often perform flamenco on stage, but in the pair version it looks much more harmonious, when a woman demonstrates her grace and coquetry during the dance, and a man demonstrates strength and courage with frequent steps.
Flamenco technique consists of several main points. First, you need to learn how to accurately basic steps so that the legs beat off a certain rhythm of the dance. Secondly, you need to remember the proud and graceful body, which should be stretched like a string. And thirdly, we must not forget about the movement of the hands. If the dance is performed to a melody with a slow tempo or consists of a combination of a fast energetic rhythm and a soulful slow one, then it would be appropriate to make movements only with the hands - it looks like you are twisting your palms away from you.
The basic flamenco steps are based on the zapateado strike. For example, if you want to create a resonant blow, then it is worth hitting with the toe of your shoes, if it is more deaf, with the front of the foot.
During the flamenco dance, the following main movements are distinguished:
If you master kicking with your feet along with these two most simple movements flamenco, then you can safely proceed to more complex tricks.
Spanish dance with castanets
Spanish dances are always accompanied by the sounds of castanets. Let's take a closer look at this national musical instrument.
Castanets are made of wood. They are put on the hands of flamenco dancers - castanets serve as an accompaniment during the performance. If you hear the phrase "Spanish dance with castanets", do not be afraid that this is some kind of special dance. In fact, this is the same flamenco, they will simply perform it without additional musical accompaniment - only under the blows of castanets.
In order for the accompaniment to be of high quality, and the sound of the musical instrument to organically merge with the flamenco dance, you need to be able to pick up the castanets correctly, since the sound quality depends on their location.
Only people with extraordinary endurance and patience can play castanets. see these days solo dancers with castanets are rare. More and more dances are performed to traditional Spanish flamenco music played on the guitar.
If you still want to try castanets, here are some tips:
- AT right hand there should be high-sounding castanets, in the left - more muffled.
- When picking up the tools, be sure to fasten them on your thumbs.
- Two castanets are connected by a string, which must be wrapped around the thumbs in order to be able to play muffled sounds by tapping the fingers on the surface of the instrument.
Spanish dances for children
Teaching a child the technique of Spanish dance is the right decision of parents. So, in children involved in flamenco, their gait gains confidence, and their posture becomes a beautiful graceful silhouette.
The main advantage of teaching children passionate flamenco is that the dance does not need any preliminary physical training. If a child wants to dance a Spanish folk dance, he and his parents should not worry about stretching, being overweight or underweight, low or tall. Absolutely everyone can dance flamenco, starting with the most early age. Moreover, dance helps many girls gain self-confidence and get rid of complexes, because we all know how scary they are sometimes in school age. Flamenco will make a little coquette out of a girl with good flexibility and plasticity.
As you can see, learning to dance Spanish dances is for everyone who wants to get rid of stiffness and complexes, whether it be physical or spiritual tightness. Moreover, flamenco is able to bring the dancer even out of a state of depression due to its mischievous, cheerful and incendiary rhythm.
Spanish dances are widely popular all over the world. Their names are known to many. However, few people thought about where they originate from. But the names of Spanish dances (listed below) people knew in ancient times. Even the dance forms that existed during the Hellenistic era have survived to this day.
general information
For thousands of years Spain was known as Iberia. Its first inhabitants were characterized by a very diverse ethnic composition, which made the Spanish names of which are very sonorous, so unique and diverse. The dance art was largely influenced by the Celts who lived in Iberia in the year 500, as well as the Moors, who occupied Spain for seven hundred years.
Even greater diversity in the ethnic composition was made by Jewish immigrants and Indian and Pakistani gypsies who arrived in Spanish lands after its conquest by Castile. Compound ethnic forms and new immigrant cultures in art led to the fact that unusual Spanish dances appeared. Their names are familiar today The dance has unique features according to the region where it originated. This is not surprising, because each region of Spain has its own cultural roots and specific features.
Spanish dances: names
Historically, the most temperamental and passionate women and men live in Andalusia and others. They know how to love passionately, without looking back, and suffer bitterly. Such an uncontrollable passion revealed to the world the beloved Spanish dances. Names such as flamenco, bolero, paso doble are on everyone's lips today. Undoubtedly, these dances are the most emotional in the world. They combine the rhythms of castanets, the southern temperament, the sounds of the guitar, the refined movements of stately brunettes and brunettes.
Not everyone knows that Spanish dances include many stylistic incarnations and varieties. Let's take a look at the individual types.
Flamenco
If you ask any person to say the name of the famous Spanish dance, with almost one hundred percent probability he will pronounce the word "flamenco". And indeed it is. This most popular dance in the world originated in the lands of Andalusia, when the gypsies arrived there in the fifteenth century. It was they who formed a special dance caste.
There are many theories as to why flamenco got its name. Some consider it a synonym for the word "gitano", which translates from Spanish jargon as "gypsies". Others identify the origin of the term with the Flemish soldiers who guarded the Spanish-Belgian territories. They wore special clothes that emphasized ostentatious pride and self-confidence. The same qualities were inherent in the character of the gypsies.
Thus, it is impossible to reliably find out where the name of the famous Spanish dance, flamenco, came from. But if you study all the available sources, they will lead us to Seville, Cadiz and Jerez. In general, flamenco includes two schools: Castilian and Andalusian. The first is characterized by poorer and dry postures and movements. The second one is somewhat odd.
Gypsies say that flamenco expresses their soul. Now this dance is popular not only in Spain, but all over the world. It is probably even a mistake to position it as exclusively Spanish or Gypsy - this is a unique combination of dance forms of all the peoples who have lived on the territory of Spain throughout its history.
Fandango
This Spanish dance, whose name comes from a Portuguese folk song, originated in the region of Huelva. Flamenco had a significant influence on the development of fandango. It is based on the typical courtship dance spins and figures. In the provinces of Andalusia, various variations of the fandango are now popular, but only the special features of the old style that originated in Huelva make this dance unsurpassed. However, it must be said that the fandango is little known outside of Spain.
paso doble
In fact, this dance originated in the south of France, but its movements, drama and sound reflect the bullfight - the Spanish bullfight. From Spanish, the word "paso doble" is translated as "double step". The dance is based on music that sounds at the time when the bullfighters enter the arena, or just before the bull is killed. Paso doble is characterized by speed of movement - it consists of turns and steps. Currently, the program of Latin American dances cannot do without it.
Bolero
This is the national dance of Spain, the ancestor of which is a court dancer named Sebastian Cerezo. He invented it back in 1780 for his French ballet. Dance forms from Morocco were taken as a basis. Bolero can be called one of the oldest "school" dances. Presumably its name comes from the Spanish verb "volar", which translates as "fly". This is due to the fact that during the performance of the bolero there is a feeling that the dancers seem to be floating in the air.
Since the eighteenth century, a lot of dance compositions have been created. The guitar is used as accompaniment. This national dance is one of the favorites of the Spanish people. Thanks to interesting dance steps and wonderful rhythms, he gained fame all over the world.
Bolero can be performed by one pair of a man and a woman, or by several pairs at once. There is a version of the dance in the form of a quadrille.
Sarabande
This dance has been known in Spain since the twelfth century. Once upon a time, she even insisted on its ban, because during the performance some frank movements were used, the grace and curves of the female body were too openly demonstrated. The songs under which the sarabande was performed were also considered indecent. Then a conscious rethinking of the dance began, as a result of which it became more solemn and serious. They even began to perform it at funerals, and the music was written to order in a minor key.
All this led to the fact that in the seventeenth - eighteenth centuries the ennobled version of the sarabande spread throughout as ballroom dance. However, by the middle of the eighteenth century it had lost its popularity.
ethnic dances
In general, the first dances that appeared in Spain were based on the theme of magic. They were based on a variety of religious rituals that were inextricably linked with the cycles of nature. For example, witch dance has been popular since pagan times. Its name is Sorgin Dantza. In addition, the Basques have a sword dance, symbolizing the arrival of spring, the Galicians. Also, this people is known for its fighting dance art. These dances involve two competing dancers using sticks or swords. Their jumps look breathtaking and grandiose.
In Spain, folk dances in a circle are popular, in which both men and women participate. People stand in a circle, join hands and perform certain steps simultaneously. There is a Catalan sardana dance, when men and women also stand in a circle, take their neighbors by the hands, lift them up and begin to move with slow steps.
Each Spanish dance represents the history of its people and shows the colorfulness and individuality of its soul.
