Flamenco: An Art Without Borders

Some go so far as to say that 'pure flamenco' no longer exists. Despite these contentions however, flamenco must be understood as a dynamic art. The fact that it is internationally recognized and in high demand in such countries as Japan, Germany and the United States attests to its near universal appeal. Like the Gypsies themselves who are known for adapting various national musical expressions to their own vision, the the art of flamenco has continued to evolve and mutate over the years, incorporating influences such as ballet, Spanish classical dance, jazz and modern dance. Many artists arre also exploring Arab and Indian influences, combining variations of these musical forms with flamenco music and dance.

There are three main components in flamenco: cante (song), toque (playing: guitar, palmas (handclaps), etc.), and baile (dance). Flamenco originally started with unaccompanied cante--guitar and dance followed later. It was a passionate personal expression full of pathos and often a form of protest. The centuries-long persecution and discrimination against Gypsies in Spain is reflected in their music which often reveals a fierce desire for personal liberty and expression in the face of social stigmas and imperatives to integrate into the dominant, non-Gypsy (payo) culture. Some other popular themse are: love, death, illness, fate, betrayal, morality, religion, honor, social status and humor. Many songs also reflect the importance of family and community to the Gypsy identity and way of life. There are three principal modes of cante in the flamenco repertoire: cante jondo or cante grande (deep song), cante intermedio (medium or intermediate), and cante chico (light song). These terms are also applied to toque and baile. Jondo (sometimes spelled hondo) is a term used to invoke some of the more serious, profound or deep feelings and emotions within flamenco. It is also considered more difficult to perform well. some flamenco rhythms in this mode are siguriyas, soleares, martinetes (until recently unaccompanied by guitar or dance) and tonas. Some people have compared the unaccompanied cante to the Muslim call to prayer of the muezzins. Chico generally refers to the lighter emotions and moods exprerssed in flamenco, as seen in the four-count rhythms of tangos and rumbas (a form with origins in Latin America and the Caribbean). The intermedio falls between chico and jondo or grande, being closer in feeling and execution to the jondo.

Flamenco dance is primarily a solo form of expression but group choreographies are becoming increasingly common, particularly in large companies. In flamenco terminology, a dancer is referred to as a bailaora (f.) or a bailaor (m.); a guitarist is called a tocaor; and a singer is a cantaor/a. People who engage in the practice of flamenco are referred to generally as flamencos or flamencas. It is important to remember that not all Gitanos are flamencos, and not all flamencos are Gitanosw. The frequent claim that flamenco is "in the blood" or that one must be Gypsy to perform it well probably stems from the fact that it was dominated and largely developed by about 25 families, a virtual "Gypsy dynasty" (ex. Montoya, Cortes and Pena). However, non-Gypsies have also played significant roles in flamenco.