Flamenco

Flamenco is a song, music and dance style which is strongly influenced by the Gitanos, but which has its deeper roots in Moorish and Jewish musical traditions.

Related Topics:
Song - Music - Dance - Gitanos - Moorish - Jewish

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Flamenco culture originated in Andalusia (Spain), but has since become one of the icons of Spanish music and even Spanish culture in general.

Related Topics:
Andalusia - Spain - Spanish music - Spanish culture

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According to Blas Infante in his book "Orígenes de lo flamenco y secreto del cante jondo", Etymologically, the word Flamenco comes from the Arabic word Fellahmengu, "Peasant without Land". This is related to the huge amount of Ethnic Andalusians who decided to stay and mix with the Gypsy newcomers instead abandoning their lands because of their religious beliefs (Moriscos). After the Castilian conquest of Andalusia, the so-called Reconquista, most of the land was expropiated and given to warlords and mercenaries who had helped the Castilian kings enterprise against multicultural Al-Andalus. When the Castilians later ordered the expulsion or forceful conversion of the Andalusian Moriscos, they took refuge among the Gypsies becoming fellahmengu in order to avoid death, persecution or forced deportation. Posing as Gypsies they managed to return to their cultural practices and ceremonies including the singing.

Related Topics:
Blas Infante - Etymologically - Arabic - Moriscos - Reconquista - Al-Andalus

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Originally, flamenco consisted of unaccompanied singing (cante). Later the songs were accompanied by flamenco guitar (toque), rhythmic hand clapping ( palmas), rhythmic feet stamping and dance (baile). The toque and baile are also often found without the cante, although the song remains at the heart of the flamenco tradition. More recently other instruments like the cajón (a wooden box used as a percussion instrument) and castanets (castañuelas) have been introduced.

Related Topics:
Singing - Accompanied - Flamenco guitar - Hand clapping - Dance - Cajón - Castanets

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"Nuevo Flamenco", or New Flamenco, is a recent variant of Flamenco which has been influenced by modern musical genres, like rumba, salsa, pop, rock and jazz.

Related Topics:
New Flamenco - Musical genres - Rumba - Salsa - Pop - Rock - Jazz

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