Mrs Eve Brady

Flamenco is the traditional song and dance of the Gypsies (flamencos) of Andalusia in southern Spain.

The art form developed over several centuries from Gypsy, Moorish, Andalusian, and other roots. Flamenco music and dance became popular in the early 19th century as caf entertainment.

Individual genres include the light buleras; the more serious soleares and its lighter descendant, the alegras; the fandangos grandes, a serious adaptation of a lighter non-Gypsy genre; the malagueas, an offshoot of the fandangos; and cantos grandes such as the siguiriyas gitanas and saetas.

Both text and melody of these songs, like the flamenco dance, are improvised within traditional structures such as characteristic rhythms and chords. Zapateado, intricate toe- and heel-clicking steps, characterizes the men's dance; the traditional women's dance is based more on grace of body and hand movement.

The baile grande, especially, is believed to retain elements of the dance of India, where the Gypsies originated. Castanets, found in Andalusian dance, are not traditional to flamenco. Song and dance may be accompanied by jaleo, rhythmic finger snapping, hand clapping, and shouting.

In the 19th century, guitar accompaniment became common for many genres, and guitar solos also developed. In the 20th century, commercial pressure distorted much traditional flamenco dance.