The origin of flamenco art is located in the Andalusian region, which makes Seville one of the cradles of flamenco in Andalusia, an art that has become a tourist attraction in this city.

Those who visit the Andalusian capital take advantage of their stay to see live a flamenco show in Seville, a highly recommended experience to enjoy the strength, talent, art and the duende of a dance, a cante and a music that is universal and has a series of curiosities that we are going to tell you.

What is flamenco art?

Flamenco is an original art of Andalusia, the result of the influence and miscegenation of various cultures such as gypsy, Arab, Christian and Jewish. It integrates music, song and dance and, at present, this artistic expression is appreciated and practiced all over the world.

Known for its great emotional intensity, for the waste of feelings that artists print in the interpretations, flamenco was declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2010.

The origin of flamenco art and its name

As we have indicated at the beginning, flamenco has its origins in Andalusia and its birth dates back to the 18th century. There is no unanimity about its name, but there is a theory that indicates that flamenco derives from the Andalusian term ‘fellah min gueir ard‘, an expression that means something like ‘peasant without land‘.

Although its birth is set in the eighteenth century, flamenco has its roots in previous eras, including elements of dance and musicals from other cultures and whose miscegenation gave rise to the emergence of this Andalusian art.

If there is a culture that is directly associated with flamenco, it is the gypsy, perhaps because it has been the one that has contributed the most to the development of this art, although it has not been the only one, since it even includes African and Caribbean influences, in addition to the Arabs, beans and cristinas that we have mentioned previously.

Flamenco: An Art of multicultural roots

Although in its origin flamenco art was only  sing, with time it was introducing the dance and the music, mainly of the guitar. This combination is the result of the influences that flamenco has received from previous cultures.

In relation to flamenco singing and music, these have influences of:

• Popular songs and traditional music of Andalusia.
• The Gregorian chants of the Jewish synagogues.
• Arabic sounds.
• African rhythms.

If we stop at flamenco dancing, we can also find the cultural heritage of traditional dances from different corners of the Spanish geography, of African dances or the dances of India that the gypsies brought to Andalusia.

As indicated by José Luis Navarro García, historian and author of the book ‘Historia del baile flamenco’, the essential characteristics of flamenco dancing come mainly from Andalusian, gypsy and African culture.

What has each culture contributed to flamenco dance and music? According to this historian, grace, piquancy, elegance and freshness are Andalusian influences; the temperament and the interpretive claw has the stamp of the gypsy and, finally, the wiggles and sensuality is the influence of the African culture.

Flamenco Art, an expression of feelings

Flamenco is the result of a multicultural mix that can be enjoyed today flamenco shows held, for example, in the tablaos, a place where attendees can know in first person the passion and emotions that has this universal art.

And is that if there is something that characterizes flamenco is its power to convey feelings, because in its origin the first flamenco artists used this art to express emotional experiences.

The flamenco lyrics are full of pain, joy, passion, anguish, love or lack of love, among other feelings, feelings that are also reflected even in the name of some of these styles such as soleá or alegrías.

Enjoy a live flamenco show in Seville

If you want to surround yourself with the environment and discover this universal art, we recommend you to see a live flamenco show. If you visit Seville and want to enjoy a unique show in Andalusia, come to the Tablao El Palacio Andaluz.

We hold two daily passes, at 7:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., and the performances have the seal of flamenco artists of recognized national and international prestige.

If you want to live an unforgettable experience and enjoy flamenco in capital letters, do not hesitate to visit our tablao. You can see our show, accompanied by a drink or dinner. Make your reservation online, we will wait for you!