Essential keys to understand our flamenco show.
The flamenco meter: rhythm and meter
July 7, 2023At tablao flamenco Casa Ana we invite you to discover the essence of our flamenco shows, where magic and duende are felt in every gesture. This complex art unfolds before your eyes in an unforgettable experience. Let us share with you some essential aspects so that you can understand what our show is all about before you dive into this exciting world.
Discover the key keys to understand our flamenco show and enjoy the experience to the fullest.
How does the epectacle unfold?
In Casa Ana you can enjoy traditional flamenco shows of an hour long that works as a recital, where each of the artistic disciplines has its stellar moment: a singing solo, a first dance, a guitar solo, a second dance, ending with the so called 'fin de fiestas'.
During that hour, the artists perform different flamenco palos to show the widest possible range of different rhythms and rhythms, which transmit different emotions during their interpretation. We have a cast of more than 20 artists, leading figures of flamenco in the city of Granada and beyond. We form different groups from this cast in order to have a great variety of daily shows, since each artist has his own personality and particularity. Thus, flamenco comes to life in each performance, becoming a unique and ephemeral moment that will catch you.
Where does flamenco come from?
Flamenco was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2010, and no wonder. Although the origin of flamenco is still a mystery, it is known that it arises from a cultural crossbreeding resulting from the coexistence of gypsies, Muslims and Jews, mixed with Andalusian folklore, in addition to receiving influences from Latin music or African rhythms. The gypsy people have been a fundamental factor in the creation and preservation of flamenco, since they included it in their own customs and have made it an essential part of their culture.
Flamenco moved from an intimate setting to public performances with the arrival of romantic travelers to Spain: they saw flamenco as something exotic and unique, and were captivated by this art. Later, in the 19th century, flamenco performances were popularized in singing cafés, which gained popularity until the creation of flamenco tablaos such as Casa Ana, experts in offering an intimate show that maintains the purity of flamenco and plays a crucial role in its preservation today.
What are the "palos" of flamenco?
In flamenco, there are different styles of singing that are known as 'palos' and, although it can be somewhat complex, they have well-defined characteristics. In total, there are more than 50 different palos, although they are usually grouped into large groups, depending on the meter and the origin of the palo itself. There are some festive palos, such as bulerías or tangos; other sad and solemn ones that speak of death and tragedy, such as seguiriya, soleá or taranto; and others that are happy, such as alegrías or the guajira. All these palos, besides the metric or the lyrics, are differentiated by the emotional charge and the feeling that each one of them transmits.
What do flamenco lyrics talk about?
Flamenco lyrics talk about very different things and it will depend on the palo they are performing. In this article we talk in depth about flamenco lyrics, but as a summary we will say that there is not a story behind the flamenco show itself, but each lyric that the cantaor sings is about something different with no connection between one and the other. There are an infinite number of lyrics within the popular culture that is flamenco, so it would be impossible to explain to someone who does not speak Spanish what the flamenco singer has sung during the performance, because of the very improvisation of flamenco in the tablao: no one knows what lyrics are going to be sung during the show.
Is flamenco improvised?
Flamenco in the tablaos is totally improvised. One of the things that surprises our visitors the most is that there is no previous staging, and that is the magic of flamenco. But, we have to say that the different flamenco palos do have a defined structure, and melodies associated with the different palos; although the artist can vary the structures depending on the moment. There is a synergy or connection between all the artists on stage, who are creating the show at the time. They do not know the lyrics that are going to be sung, nor the 'falseta' that the guitarist is going to play, nor the 'escobilla' that the dancer is going to perform, nor when he is going to finish off, nor where. It is a perfect synchronization that makes flamenco especially authentic in the flamenco tablaos.
What are 'jaleos' in flamenco?
The so-called 'jaleos' in flamenco are expressions used by artists to animate the scene, exclamations of euphoria that encourage flamenco singing, guitar playing or dancing. Although there are many expressions that are commonly used, the most popular are: ¡olé!, ¡agua!, ¡fuego!, 'arsa', ¡toma!, ¡vamos!... as well as phrases that transmit to the artist how well he is executing his art.
It seems simple, but it is not at all, since it has to be done with a specific intonation in a specific time, as a part of the performance in a totally improvised way. This kind of expressions encourage the artists and introduce them even more in their interpretation, giving themselves to their feelings and expressing them on stage.
