A FlamencoMAPS Guide

Flamenco
From Practice to Art

Find
your Way
Enjoy
the Journey

LEARN THE 5 PILLARS OF EFFECTIVE FLAMENCO STUDIES

THAT WILL HELP YOU TO:
• ENHANCE YOUR GLOBAL UNDERSTANDING
• BOOST YOUR PRACTICE
• BUILD YOUR CONFIDENCE
• EXPRESS YOURSELF FREELY
• UNFOLD YOUR PERSONALITY

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 Introduction
I magine…

It’s summer. You have just traveled half way around the world for your dream vacation in southern Spain, in the beautiful region of Andalusia. You have come because you are driven by
your taste for adventure, attracted by the humid summer heat, and your love of the thrilling sounds of flamenco music.

You have visited the popular city of Seville, but have a yearning to explore deeper into the countryside. You have heard about a charming white village clinging to a mountain in the
province of Cádiz, where there is a reclusive singer. You decide to rent a car and hit the road, hoping for the chance to hear his voice. Suddenly, you realize that you do not really know
where you are, nor what road to follow. There is no GPS in your car, you don't speak Spanish, and you don't have a map. The few signs you can read aren’t helping, and night is falling.
You have to admit to yourself that you are lost!

Under these conditions, even the most dedicated traveler will take a long time to reach their destination, if they ever arrive at all. You must admit that in spite of your enthusiasm, you
have been caught unprepared.

This scenario is similar to the situation facing many flamenco enthusiasts. In order to obtain a solid, overall understanding of flamenco, the culture, the music, the styles, the structures,
and the language, it is useful to have a guide, someone to help you explore its rich and varied landscape. This book is an introductory guide to the maps you will need for your journey.
It is meant to be a tool to help orient you for the travels ahead through the fascinating world of flamenco.

Every moment in a flamenco performance is a journey, whether you are singing, el cante, playing an instrument, el toque, or dancing, el baile. We can leave without preparation and
perform blindly, or we can prepare and plan for this journey.

Performer and students alike can spend years memorizing flamenco music, lyrics and steps, and still miss the fundamentals of how it all REALLY works. A traditional, live flamenco
performance, that is built up as it is played, danced, and sung, is only possible because the performers know the rules. Audiences can get the impression that everything they are
seeing is the magical fruit of the moment, that everything is improvised and reinvented each time. While this is sometimes the case, there is also a great depth of knowledge and
mastery of the language, structures and codes of flamenco. The entire art form is based on these structures. Freedom, confidence, and creativity in flamenco can only be approached
by understanding these aspects.

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FlamencoMAPS aims to fill the recurring gaps that happen in the learning of flamenco by providing an overall, global understanding of the art form in its cultural context, and its many
artistic aspects. Too much of flamenco education is based on the accumulation of artistic material, but without true understanding. The result is technical memorization and mimicry, to
the detriment of communication, feeling, and personality.

Imagine…

After going around in circles all night in the hills of Spain, you manage to find your way back to your hotel in Seville. You will try again the next day, only this time you will be better
prepared. You decide to bring a dictionary, a life jacket, a parachute, and even a military survival kit in case of hostile environments. While these things might be useful, it will help you
to have an itinerary and good road maps.

This introductory guide is here to keep you from getting lost when you are traveling on your flamenco journey. Be assured, the trip will be magnificent because the gorgeous landscape
is transcendent. And at the end of the road, as in any journey, you will find what you have been really looking for – yourself.

* You can find all the terms in Spanish in the glossary at the end of this book
CHAPTER 1

Culture & Traditions

 1 · Culture & Traditions

F irst of all, it is important to remember one thing: flamenco is part of a

whole, both musically and culturally.
Like the delicate and intoxicating fragrance of orange blossoms in Seville in
May, it is truly a delight to discover the diversity of Spanish culture for yourself,
and experience the many aspects that have influenced and continue to nourish
You can't isolate it and coldly study its parts like a scientist. Flamenco is linked to flamenco:
a people, to a language, to territories, and to history. It is a part of the larger
Andalusian culture. Flamenco has also been recognized by the United Nations languages - Castellano, the Andalusian dialect, and the Romani
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), as a World language, Caló.
Heritage Treasure for its unique and significant contribution to global human Spanish society
culture. religion
fine arts – painting, literature, poetry, music
Even so, we cannot constrain this art to a single form, to a single place, to a
customs and traditions - Semana Santa, romerías, ferias
single period. It’s a human story above all. People have always traveled taking
history and politics: Phoenicians, Visigoths, Iberians, eight centuries of
things with them, discovering, creating, and leaving traces of their passage.
Arab presence, reconquest, Napoleonic wars, colonies, civil war,
Flamenco is a testimony of this richness in countless ways.
dictatorship.
… and so much more!
Clichés, over-simplifications, ready-made truths, and other narrow definitions,
can be like mist on our glasses that prevent us from seeing flamenco in all its
It is also interesting to make ourselves aware of other forms of music, dance,
diversity, its richness and its nuances.
and cultural expressions that, from near and far, sustain the diversity of
For example, flamenco is essentially Andalusian in origin, but not all flamenco, including: classical music, jazz, African rhythms, and the traditional

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Andalusians are necessarily flamencos. Flamenco enthusiasts in Spain make up folk music of the Iberian Peninsula.
a minority of the population. Even though it is an integral part of Andalusian
culture - everyone there knows more or less what it is, hears and sees flamenco Each artist, each artistic moment, is the fruit of all this, condensed and
on many occasions - it should not be believed that everyone can sing, dance expressed at a given time and place. If you really want to study flamenco, you
and play – or even that everyone appreciates it. Far from it! What a country have to know that, like any kind of art form, it is much more than a musical style,
conjures up in its collective imagination is not necessarily representative of the much more than music.
majority of its inhabitants.

This guide is meant to help widen your knowledge, leading to more fruitful
creativity for performers, and greater appreciation for flamenco enthusiasts.

* All the terms in Spanish are in italics. You can find them in the glossary at the end of this book.
CHAPTER 2

Music & Dance

 2 · Trio of Four and Improvisation
T
Flamenco improvisation is essentially that: a structural improvisation. It is not
inventing a musical phrase in the moment like in free jazz, or moving your body as the
he main characters of this art are traditionally: mood strikes when you are dancing with friends to contemporary music. In any
improvisational art form, especially one that involves working with other people,
the cante (singing) improvisation must take place within the framework of an agreed upon and
the toque (guitar) recognizable structure.
the baile (dance)
the palmas (hand clapping) and sometimes the cajón (wood percussion Such structures are not all fixed: they can be modular and flexible, and built in the
instrument) that give life to the compás (rhythm). Rhythm is not necessarily moment, according to what the artists propose, and how they react.
embodied by a particular musician, but it is omnipresent and expressed by
everyone. Flamenco improvisation consists of having movable building blocks available, and
building a performance each time.
Flamenco music developed from these four fundamental elements – cante, toque,
baile and palmas. It is possible to play flamenco music with any kind of instrument in In the case of flamenco, this improvisation is organized by the concept of palos, which
the world, but the language will be the same. tells us which framework we are working with at the rhythmic, harmonic, metric,
melodic, and structural levels.
The cuadro (group) are the people who come together and play, sing, and dance
flamenco. When we are part of a cuadro, each one of us must both find a common That is why, in a flamenco context, we can play/sing/dance a bulería, or por bulería. If
breath, while still keeping our individuality. we dance/sing/play a bulería, we are likely referring to a specific piece of
choreography/song/guitar solo, that is developed beforehand. In this case the piece is
Each person in the cuadro moves and orients themselves within the shared landscape. learned and rehearsed with musicians who will know the structure. When artists say
Each has their own tools, techniques, and manners of expression. Even if they all cover they will be performing por bulería, an entire field of possibilities opens up. The rules
the same territory, they do not necessarily have exactly the same map. A specialized of the game are established. The palo is bulería, which tells the artists the structure of
map is useful for each traveler for their particular discipline. the baile, the compás, and which rhythmical codes, melodies and letras (poetic verses)
are available to play with in their joint improvisation. It's a seemingly small difference in

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Flamenco is a rich and complex music revolving around several key elements: vocabulary, but a huge conceptual and practical difference!

a common traditional repertoire organized into different palos (styles) Similarly, the term song is not used in the flamenco context. A song is set, with specific
traditional structures music and lyrics. A flamenco cante is fundamentally modular, flexible, and interactive,
an elaborate language of module forms and therefore varies depending on the skills and knowledge base of the singer.
the musical codes that allow real time interaction.
The terms cantes, toques, or bailes, plus the name of the chosen palo, are used to
Interpretation and improvisation are based on these elements. In a flamenco describe and categorize any particular flamenco creation.
performance, each person will interact live, respecting each other, as well as the
specific rules and structures that constitute the common basis of musical In the final analysis, an improvisational flamenco performance is an inevitably unique
communication. Once the rules of the game are known, all you have to do is play the creation, the fruit of its moment in time. Even if the trip is the same, the journey will be
game! As in the game of chess, the rules are theoretically simple, but the combinations different every time we hit the road.
are practically endless.

* All the terms in Spanish are in italics. You can find them in the glossary at the end of this book.
 Los Palos

T he flamenco repertoire is commonly organized into palos.

So, what is a flamenco palo? Here is another ambiguity.

Literally speaking, a palo is a stick, or a pole. Sometimes a flamenco maestro/maestra

(teacher) will use a cane, an object of daily life, to mark the compás for their students by
beating it on the ground. Cantaores (singers) sometimes accompany themselves by
marking the compás with their cane when singing at a family gathering, or at the
taberna (tavern/bar).

Following the logic of this explanation of the origin of the term palo, one might think
that a particular palo corresponds to a particular rhythm, or compás. But it's more
subtle than that.

Another meaning of palo is a suit of cards, and refers here to the categorization of variations and styles. Faced with this ocean of palos and variants, it is common practice
elements according to their various characteristics. This approach helps us understand to group them into families.
a bit better, even if it is a little less romantic than the previous one.
For practical reasons, flamenco uses five large groups to categorize the palos, which
The Dictionary of the Real Academia Española, tells us that a palo is: “…one of the are formed essentially through the prism of the compás:
traditional varieties of the Cante Flamenco.” Here we understand that the singing is the
differentiator, not the rhythm. Indeed, many different palos use the same compás. For Las Soleares – soleá, cantiñas, bulería por soleá, bulería, caña polo, etc.
example: caña, polo, soléa, cantiña, bambera, bulería por soleá, are all different palos, Los Tangos – tango, tiento, taranto, farruca, mariana, garrotín, rumba, tanguillo,
but they are all expressed using a similar 12 beat compás. etc.
Los Fandangos – de Huelva, personales, abandolaos, granaína, malagueña,
We can therefore define a palo as a family of cantes, that meets specifications relating cantes de Levante, etc.
Las Siguiriyas – siguiriya, serrana, liviana, etc.

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to several aspects:
Las Tonás and Cantes a Palo Seco
melodic: the melody of the singing
metric: structure of the letra, e.g., number of words, number of syllables, Be aware that there is not just one possible classification. A classification is a type of
repetitions map of a territory that we draw and consult according to our needs. Think, for example,
rhythmic: the type of compás of the difference between a highway map, and a street map of the same city. We
harmonic: the harmonic frame - the three harmonic frames used in flamenco benefit by consulting each different kind of map. However, the territory is the same. We
are major, minor and flamenco mode. must not confuse the map and the territory. The territory is infinite in its richness, its
content, and its dimensions. The map is only an arbitrary representation of a specific
Vary any one of these parameters, and you will switch to another palo, or blend them, aspect of the territory.
which is very common in flamenco.
However, it is still essential for us not to get lost!
There are many palos, but we often estimate that there are between fifty and sixty
unique palos, depending on your method of classification. Most palos have multiple

* All the terms in Spanish are in italics. You can find them in the glossary at the end of this book.
 Compás & Palmas

R hythm connects us all.

It is a living being. It is everywhere, all the time. Everything is rhythm! Our footsteps, our
heartbeats, the windshield wipers, the turn signal, the tick-tock of a clock, the changes
of the seasons – they are all beating, all the time.

Part of being alive is to feel the rhythm of life. We embody it, put it in motion, and
experience it endlessly in our everyday life by walking, brushing our teeth, listening to
music, cooking, or waiting for a bus.

In flamenco we mostly use the term compás to refer to the rhythm. It is a broad yet
subtle term that is used to express several dimensions of rhythm:

the type of rhythmical cycle: 12 beats compás (soleá, alegría, etc.), 4 beats
(tango, taranto, etc.), 3 beats (fandango de Huelva, abandolao, etc.)
one cycle, one unit of measure (e.g., “The length of this melodic phrase is two Those who tell you not to think about or count the rhythm, may have forgotten that they
compases.”) too learned the compás at some point in their lives. They may not think about it, or
and other subtle variations found in expressions such as: “estar a compás” (to count it anymore, and maybe they never did – at least not consciously – but somehow
be in rhythm) “tener buen compás” (to have a good sense of rhythm), “tocar they learned the compás. Whether is it is by accumulation, sensation, mimicry, or
compás” (play looped rhythm sequences). thinking, all flamencos have learned how to embody the compás.

The best thing to do to practice the compás is to play palmas. They are the main and Just because one can retort that this or that genius does not count the compás, it does
the first raw expression of the compás in flamenco. We cannot repeat it enough: the not mean that this has to be the model for all of us. Does that make it a prerequisite for
palmas are fundamental. Everyone must know how to play quality palmas: the singer, talent? Perhaps she/he could have been an even better performer had they

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dancer, guitarist, percussionist – even the public! And palmas are very social: maybe understood consciously how to count the rhythm. I'm not saying that you only have to
you won't dance, play or sing at a flamenco fiesta (party), but for sure you will want to at count, but that it is useful to count, and then, later, get rid of it and let music flow. For
least play palmas! my part, I think we have everything to gain from it.

Flamencos strive to feel this rhythm all the time. Anything can be a pretext to bring this Rhythm in flamenco is a complex thing. If we have several tools to make our job easier,
rhythm to life. They assimilate it, practice it, chant it, and tame it, in all its forms. In why not use them? Why only use one leg for running if you have two? Our brain loves
addition to the physical and hearing sensation, it is fundamental for artists to relationships, different points of view, links and comparisons. To understand our art
understand the rhythm – to think it, to break it down, and to be able to count it. form more deeply is only an advantage. The more we understand, the clearer, richer,
Because thinking and putting words or numbers to the rhythm helps us to understand and more nuanced with be the result. It does not diminish our artistry if we understand
the structure. what we are doing!

* All the terms in Spanish are in italics. You can find them in the glossary at the end of this book.
 El Cante
Saying and singing were once the same thing. – J.J. Rousseau

S inging is a universal, emotional expression of the human soul.

It exists in all cultures, in all eras, with and without words. It moves, transports, carries,
but also structures, organizes, and creates forms.

In flamenco, the cante is a message, conveyed by the letra and a melody. The richness
and depth of certain letras make them real poems in their own right. In condensed
format, they talk about everything: life, death, love, separation, mourning, and everyday
life. There are tips, complaints, requests, prayers, jokes, anecdotes, praise of places and
people – anything goes!
Many fans have the idea that dance is the center of flamenco. This is a cliché that still
dies hard. Many guitarists only enjoy the guitar. Everyone tends to see flamenco
Yo no hago más que beber All I ever do is drink through the prism of their own activity and preferences.
La gente a mi me critica People criticize me, saying
Que no hago más que beber All I ever do is drink Certainly, the cante may be more difficult to access, depending on which artist reaches
Y si la gente supiera If only they knew the reason
our ears first, and if there is a difference of language. At this point, some people might
El motivo porque That pushes me to the brink
Conmigo también bebiera They'd join in, drink, and stop judging
experience that the cante is an aspect they have to endure, or suffer through, to get to
the aspect that they are most interested in learning. On the contrary, we must learn to
– Fandango de Alosno love it, respect it, understand it, play with it, and not despise it, flee it, or fear it. Our
patience will pay us back, to be sure!

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Anything that refers to the art of flamenco singing in general is grouped together The cante can be elusive, so much so that we can feel helpless when it comes time to
under the generic term cante, and not “canto,” which in Spanish refers to other types of seriously consider it, and ultimately stick to a very superficial knowledge and
singing, such as lyrical singing. understanding. The cante is like water: it can feel liquid and flow in the music, or it can
feel gaseous and float above the compás, or even feel solid and cutting like ice, to
In traditional flamenco the cante is the essence, the source, the founder. It is perhaps accentuate a word, a syllable, a beat.
considered the most noble and deepest of the four elements of flamenco. In Andalusia
this tricky question often comes up for foreigners like me who come to learn guitar, or During a dance, all the interaction will center around the cante. Even during a solo
dance: “Do you like the cante? Because if you don't like the cante, you don't like guitar recital, it is possible to be aware if the guitarist knows and loves the cante. We
flamenco!” It's a little drastic, but I quite agree. It would be like saying that I like paella, can see the footprints of the cante, its shapes and melodies, in his playing. The musical
but I don't eat the rice. calls that remain unanswered, will remind us of its presence.

* All the terms in Spanish are in italics. You can find them in the glossary at the end of this book.
 El Toque
piano at the end of the 1940s. Carlos Benavent has been playing
flamenco bass for decades. None has yet to dethrone the guitar.

The guitar is essentially the “the one-man-band” of flamenco. It has many

simultaneous roles to play. The guitar provides performers with precious
information at the rhythmic, harmonic, melodic, and structural levels.

The guitar is, within the cuadro, the caring and benevolent companion,
who reassures, helps, guides, supports, proposes, invokes, and
enlightens. The guitar is the glue that unites all the players. Indeed, it slips
in between letras, or responds to the baile, all while supporting the whole.

That is the guitarist’s role – when it's done right!

Guitar language is like a luminous display panel in our car, showing us the

I
location, the route, the itinerary, and the exit on a road trip. The guitar
offers all the equipment we need to navigate smoothly, and will help us
n Spanish culture, playing music is taken very seriously: musicians even in the event we get ourselves lost, providing hints or guidance to
aren’t, “playing an instrument,” but instead they are, “touching” an get another artist back on track.
instrument. It is not “playing the guitar,” but “touching the guitar” - tocar la
guitarra. The guitarist is therefore, el tocaor, the player, literally, the one Therefore, it is important to know how to learn the language of the guitar

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who touches. Everything that refers to the art of the flamenco guitar is so that we can understand what it is telling us. We have to learn its
generally grouped together under the generic term, toque. language.

The guitar is the main traditional instrument of flamenco. Today, and for a It's hard to make a friend whose language we don't share. But if we start
long time, we can see all kinds of other instruments, like, piano, bass, communicating in the same language then everything becomes possible:
flute, violin, double bass, percussion, and instruments from around the conversations, jokes, complicity, and even intimacy.
world, entering the mix. Arturo Pavón, the nephew of Pastora Pavón, “La
Niña de los Peines,” and Tomás Pavón, was already playing flamenco

* All the terms in Spanish are in italics. You can find them in the glossary at the end of this book.
 El Baile
This stereotype endures because it is one reality of the dance. Yet there is so much

A
more than this caricature. An artist’s approach to the baile – the sensitivity, the
nything that refers to the art of flamenco dance in general is called baile, and expression, the mastery of the compás, the knowledge of the palos, the understanding
not "danza," which refers to other concepts. In flamenco we say bailaor/ of the cante – these elements make all the difference in the artist’s achievement. These
bailaora (flamenco dancer) and not bailarín/bailarina, (dancer). aspects may not be as directly visible to audiences, but in my opinion they are the most
important.

Let us not lose sight of the fact that flamenco is a music that can be danced, of course,
but it is not restricted to being only a dance. The cantaor can lead the baile, or the
bailaora can lead the cante, though sometimes it is hard to tell the difference.
Flamenco’s oldest influences come largely from folk music and dances, such as
fandangos, verdiales, jotas, etc., where singing takes place parallel to dance, although
without a direct interaction. Flamenco inherited this character, but added the
interactive, communicative aspect that can be found, for example, in African and
African-origin music. The concept of call and response in blues and jazz is similar to
parts of the escobilla de alegría. Such variety in flamenco makes it much more complex,
but also much more interesting.

One of the major characteristics of the traditional flamenco baile is that it is danced
alone. The partner dance sevillanas is the one exception, although some people
consider this a folk dance, and not flamenco. Men and women flamencos perform as
strong individuals with different styles and aesthetics. It is possible to see performances
choreographed for two, or even for a whole company, but the essence of flamenco
baile is individual. Since it relies on interaction and real-time communication, you can
imagine it could get very complicated, very quickly, with two or more dancers, like two
people talking at the same time, both competing to be heard.
The baile takes center stage. So much so that it is often equated with flamenco itself.

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For many people flamenco is just a dance. This is not a criticism, but it is an
The baile, like the music, is structured. It uses its own vocabulary and expressive forms
acknowledgment of a widespread ignorance of flamenco, partly due to the commercial
to bring music, compás, and emotions to life. At its best the baile is the fruit of technical
reality that a dance performance sells much better than a cante recital.
mastery and knowledge, as well as individual identity, artistry, and sensitivity. At its
worst, it becomes a manufactured, choreographic product.
The idea that flamenco dance is a riot of uncontrolled energy, angry kicks, passionate
movements, all coated by a penetrating gaze under a furrowed eyebrow, is a tired
If you are not a dancer, I highly recommend that you take some dance lessons, and pick
cliché that is hard to shake. The costumes of women flamenco dancers can sometimes
up a few steps in order to enter this universe. It will be lots of fun! Not only will you
reinforce the stereotype: the red polka-dot dress, the flower in her hair, the strong
learn to better understand and appreciate the dance, but you will begin to feel the
makeup, the black eyes, not to mention the panoply of accessories: mantón (shawl),
compás, and start to decode some of flamenco’s musical mysteries.
bata de cola (skirt with a long train), abanico (fan), or castañuelas (castanets). Try doing
an internet image search with only the word flamenco and you will see this for yourself!

* All the terms in Spanish are in italics. You can find them in the glossary at the end of this book.
CHAPTER 3

Structures
3 · Structures

A ll human constructions are organized

and built around a structure. Structures are made
up of parts on which the other components will
rely. From a wooden cabin to a Gothic cathedral,
you can't build anything coherent and solid
without them. If the structure gives way,
everything else will collapse.

Music is one such human construction. Music is

highly organized and it important to respect its
structures.

Travelers use itineraries and maps to structure

their journeys. If we don’t use these tools, one
can quickly have the feeling of going around in
circles, or being lost in a maze.

But here’s a secret: if we are the creators of the

maze, and we know its structures, we will never

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get lost.

“Endless Rhythm” by Robert Delaunay - Public Domain

 Building Blocks

I
Art lives on constraints and dies of freedom. – Michelangelo

t is important to understand the modularity of forms in flamenco. The cante,

toque, and baile are made up of structural blocks that can be arranged in different
ways according to certain rules. It is similar to how a child can make many complex
creations from basic Legos pieces.

The construction rules and mechanisms of flamenco are not limiting to expressive
freedom, quite the contrary. They allow group communication and the spontaneous
creation of a common and living musical moment.

Like the Lego pieces, all the building blocks within a cante, a toque, or a baile are
modular elements within an overall structure. They have specific names that
correspond to specific moments, functions, characteristics, and behaviors, names like:
salida, letra, falseta, escobilla, subida, llamada, remate, coletilla, patá, silencio, etc.

We now understand why in flamenco we are not dealing with songs but cantes. Each
cante brick, each letra, has a message and a meaning independent of the others. A
song tells the same story, a cante tells a new story in each letra. A cante can sometimes
have a rambling quality, affirming one thing and then its opposite in the space of two
letras .

When we play construction games, we can either follow a plan and recreate an
existing model as faithfully as possible, or we can improvise and let ourselves be
guided by our intuition and desire to see what happens. In flamenco improvisation we

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can always work with what we have. We will never find ourselves in the unpleasant
situation like when we are putting together do-it-yourself furniture and discover we
are missing a part. We can always arrange and use the material that is available to us.
This will inevitably lead to a unique and original creation, a result of the time, the
place, and the people in involved.

This is what makes it possible to do high quality flamenco regardless of our technical
level. Even if our resources are limited, we can still express ourselves, if we know
where and how to use what we have.

The best poetry can use the simplest words. In flamenco the most precious moments
can be built from the simplest components. The only limit is our own imagination.
Nathan Sawaya’s ART OF THE BRICK. Picture by Ank Kumar, via Wikimedia Commons

* All the terms in Spanish are in italics. You can find them in the glossary at the end of this book.
 Fractals
Example of a Traditional Structure of a Baile

I magine traveling to a forest… 1. INTRODUCTION: opening presentation of the performers, traditionally in the following
order: toque —> cante —> baile.
Seen from a distance, the forest is a compact and coherent whole. But as soon as we
2. BODY OF THE CANTE: series of letras, sometimes coletillas, interspersed with falsetas
arrive, our vision changes. We see a diverse profusion of plants and animals. Smells,
and zapateado (footwork) like llamadas, and remates.
sounds, and colors overwhelm our senses. And the closer we look at one element, the
more we penetrate its richness and depth, without end, like fractals. Do you know 3. ESCOBILLA: section of the performance where the footwork predominates.
fractals? These are objects that appear the same at different levels, and exhibit similar
patterns at increasingly small scales. 4. FINAL SECTION: this part can be the longest part of the baile. It is generally the faster
version of the initial palo: an alegría will end with bulerías de Cádiz, a taranto with tangos.
When we start to observe the structures in flamenco, we might have the same
impression: all these blocks of structures organize themselves into sections, which in
their turn will divide into smaller fragments without end, but always with a sound logic,
a beautiful coherence, and predictable, recurring patterns. – Common Flamenco Terms –

Just like the global structures, which are flexible and modular, the internal structures of Letra: the letra is a sung segment of poetic verse. Flamenco letras are most of the time
these global shapes are also modular and flexible, but on a smaller scale (a letra, a independent of each other, in several ways simultaneously – at the level of melody, meaning,
falseta, an escobilla). and interpretation.
Coletilla: a secondary, short letra, often sung after a main letra of the cante, like a tail, hence
The concept of construction bricks helps us to visualize these different structural its name. Coletilla = cola, the tail + double diminutive -etilla = small tail.
elements of a cante, a toque, or a baile. We can then start our construction game: Falseta: It is a rhythmic/harmonic/melodic guitar variation of several compases, developing
combine, invert, repeat. There are so many possibilities! from the compás and the key corresponding to the palo that is being interpreted.
Llamada: The verb llamar means to call. The llamada is therefore a call, or a question. It will
The different internal elements respond in their turn to the specific structures. provoke a reaction, a response from the other musicians. It is one of the main codes in the

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According to the particular palo, the letras have their meter and arrangements, the flamenco language.
coletillas have their mode of operation, the dance llamadas their syntax, the guitar Remate: The verb rematar literally means to re-kill. In flamenco it is used to mean, to finish, or
falsetas their unfolding. to conclude. It’s a climax, an explosive ending to something, a closure.
Escobilla: The part where the baile takes the lead. Dominated by the presence of the
It is a big yet exciting undertaking to become familiar with all these terms of the cante, zapateado, this is the moment when the bailaor/a must show off his/her footwork technique,
baile, toque, and compás. Once you begin to know what they mean, how they work, mastery of the compás, and rhythmic inventiveness.
and how they interact with each other, you realize that together they create an overall
structure. Similar to a biological ecosystem, a flamenco performance is a living, The fact that all the artists in a flamenco performance share this common knowledge is what
organic whole. ensures the cohesion and consistency of the construction of the flamenco moment.

* All the terms in Spanish are in italics. You can find them in the glossary at the end of this book.
 The Hero’s Journey
T
o build a cante, a toque, a baile or, any musical/choreographic work, we
have to keep in mind that the main goal is to tell a story, not at the level of
the meaning of the words, but rather at the level of dramatic composition.

Music in general is governed by these universal dynamics:

Tension leads to Resolution

Opening leads to Closure
A Question leads to an Answer

It is a narrative scheme, a dramatic dynamic, the unfolding of a story with a

beginning, a middle, and an end. This is a very interesting idea to keep in mind
because it will give meaning and direction to everything we do: we tell a story!
We need to create these dynamics, expectations, evolutions, tensions, and
resolutions as our traveling hero goes through adventures from the first step to
the end.

For this purpose, we need to understand how the plot is built. What are the
elements and how are they structured into a traditional cante, toque, or baile?

In this story, all of the actors – the singers, dancers and musicians – share the
limelight. All of them have times to shine and times when they help others shine,
but they take part in the same narration.

These openings/closings are played at the same time on different levels and at
different scales:

The cante (melodic-poetic level): the melodic and the poetic movements

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overlap. The melody resolves where the meaning resolves.
The compás (rhythmic level): we open and close rhythmically every
structural component: a tercio, a letra, a falseta, an escobilla, a patá, a
compás.
The toque (harmonic level): we open and close according to the harmonic
and rhythmical cadences as required by the palo.
The baile (choreographic level): expresses this dynamic physically and
rhythmically with body movements, attitudes and steps.

All these layers overlap and communicate with each other. The famous jaleo,
“Ole,” usually comes when everyone comes together in a climax, and releases
tension at the same time.

* All the terms in Spanish are in italics. You can find them in the glossary at the end of this book.
CHAPTER 4

Codes & Language

 4 · Codes & Language

F lamenco is modular in structure, and has

been created to allow space for improvisation
with each element. To set a cante, a baile, a
toque into a fixed format, without understanding
the structure, destroys the essence of flamenco.

Continuing to use the travel analogy: blindly

following a learned choreography is equivalent
to participating in a packaged tour. We do not
have to worry about anything. Our bus and train
tickets are booked, our restaurant seats are
reserved, our schedules and itinerary are all
organized. We do not even need to risk any
interaction with the locals. But, then, where is
the adventure?

Traditional flamenco is anything but a packaged

tour. It is best to plan the trip by ourselves. Once
we have an overview of the map of the territory

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(structures), and a clear idea of the possible
routes (the sequence of its modular
components), all we have to do is hit the road.
For that, we must know the traffic rules, and how
to drive.

So, how do we build a musical/choreographic

moment without rehearsing? By speaking the
language and using the codes.

* All the terms in Spanish are in italics. You can find them in the glossary at the end of this book.
 Language

F lamenco works like a language. And what is a language exactly? Here are two definitions,
among others:

Any structured system fulfilling a communication function.

The specialized vocabulary used by a particular group.

It is pretty clear, isn't it? Flamenco has a specific musical language, which is different from that of
jazz, opera, or Japanese music of the 14th century. We must know and assimilate this language
in order to understand and speak it fluently.

We don’t think about language structure when we have an everyday conversation. We are not
worried about grammar, or vocabulary, or syntax. We just talk. We do know the specificities of
the language and its subtler codes, like intonations and idioms. Without realizing it we naturally
improvise our speech, creating it in real time, depending on what we want to express, and our
responses to what the other person is saying.

Any language, because of its adaptive nature is variable and flexible. The challenge for any
flamenco apprentice is to learn this flexibility of the flamenco communication language, in
addition to the technique of their art.

Flamenco is fundamentally variable by nature. Unlike the weather, over which we have To accumulate letras, falsetas, or bailes, without understanding them means only this: to recite.
not control, flamenco requires a kind of control that is both flexible and interactive. You We have to ask ourselves, what do we really want to do? Do we want to recite flamenco, only
can and must vary flamenco for it to make sense. to reproduce a good facsimile, or do we want to understand it, interpret it, live it, and to be able
The artistic flexibility of flamenco happens because the performer can create any kind of to share an ecstatic musical moment?
change: lengthen, shorten, add, remove, stretch, compress, twist, cut, double, slow
down, accelerate, stop, start again, as long as this change is communicated to the other To appreciate flamenco from this point of view is to enter a musical universe based on exchange,
artists. This is where the creative freedom of flamenco arises – we can basically do pleasure, listening, and respect. There are many advantages to this:
anything we want – as long as we let the other performers know what we are doing!
We understand everything that is happening.
We can certainly perform a whole show using completely fixed music and choreography. The We become actors and no longer mere followers.

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great flamenco artists we admire can, for a specific show, choose to set options, ways, versions, We become free from the stress of being dependent on memory – no more fears of
or variations, in order to achieve other artistic and performance needs. We can be assured that “memory lapse.”
they also understand – and have mastered – the essential communication language aspect of Our brain, ears, and body are available for artistic expression.
traditional flamenco. We let ourselves go according to the dynamics. We let ourselves get inspired by others,
and by the moment.
To set a cante, a toque or a baile, without understanding its arrangement and structure, is We can sing, play, dance – with any other flamenco people on Earth – as long as they can
ultimately doing something other than flamenco. We might call this, “fake flamenco,” or, “air speak the traditional Flamenco language.
flamenco.” The performers become like flamenco puppets. We can participate in the creative game – and have fun!
We develop our tastes, our sensitivity, and our personality.
It is possible to mimic the flamenco form, but the substance will not be there. The public might We can improvise. Each performance will be new, fresh, sincere, and true.
not see the difference. They can’t tell if we have mastered the language or not. Being able to We can more deeply appreciate the artistry of others.
recite a poem in Nepali without a hitch, with a perfect accent and flawless diction, does not … and millions of other exciting things!
necessarily mean that we understand Nepali or know how to speak it.

* All the terms in Spanish are in italics. You can find them in the glossary at the end of this book.
 Codes When you learn how to drive, you must study the traffic rules and codes. For fun, could
we imagine doing a flamenco traffic rules test?

O ne burning question that torments all flamenco apprentices is:

The purpose of this theoretical study before beginning to drive a car is so that we can:

understand and interpret signals

know how to act and react according to these signals, the terrain, and the
"Yes, but in the end, can someone please tell us who the hell is in charge?”
circumstances.
It is a simple question, but there is no simple answer. avoid accidents
remain calm and serene at the wheel so we can concentrate on driving instead
A huge difference between flamenco baile and other dances, such as folk dances for of having to focus on each new road sign.
instance, is that the baile at the same time both influences and reacts to what the learn to synchronize our behavior to facilitate the flow of traffic.
others are doing. That's how everything is built: as a team, in the moment. In a folk
dance, the dance is structured depending on the music. The music doesn’t change. And this is exactly what we do in flamenco.
There is no two-way communication taking place.
Thankfully, none of us learn to drive a car only using the method of trial and error. It
We find this phenomenon in the popular dance sevillanas, for example. The would result in too many traffic accidents. Learning the rules of the road, the coded
choreography, which certainly leaves a lot of room for interpretation and variations, is language of the flamenco performance, allows artists to avoid accidents and to
always the same and respects the almost immutable canon of the sevillanas. Even maximize the creative joy of participating in this art form.
though the human warmth of a band performing and singing sevillanas live cannot be
matched by a recording, on a purely functional level it is the same.

The notion of codes is fundamental in flamenco. The codes are what articulate the
structure. This language of codes brings the music and dance to life, and allow for
communication and improvisation.

Two Definitions of Code:

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A conventional, rigorously structured system of symbols and combinatorial
rules for representing information.

A set of principles or rules that state how people in a particular context should
behave.

Certain musical, rhythmical, or physical components carry specific meanings. They

can announce changes and trigger reactions.

This is the idea of a stimulus that leads to a response.

* All the terms in Spanish are in italics. You can find them in the glossary at the end of this book.
CHAPTER 5

Finding Your Way

 5 · Finding Your Way

O ne of the major difficulties that we

encounter during our quest to learn flamenco is
the profusion of information, which is sometimes
incomplete, isolated, erroneous, and even
contradictory. It is very difficult to know what to
look for, where to look for it, and when to believe
what we have found.

There is the internet, books, countless schools,

peñas flamencas, and academies. Where is the
truth and how do we recognize it?

Mastering any new skill requires three factors:

learning, understanding, and practice. Mastery
may be a journey, but the path is not straight. In
fact, it is a spiral. We go through the same places
over and over, but each time around we arrive
with a different set of experiences, with a more

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enlarged, more precise vision of our subject,
always approaching nearer to our goal.

Our path is only ours; it is unique. We have to

seek it out.

* All the terms in Spanish are in italics. You can find them in the glossary at the end of this book.
 Learn
Truth is a fallen and shattered mirror. Each one picks up a fragment and says Flamenco covers a huge territory. During our journey we must choose our guides
that all the truth is there. – Rumi wisely to determine the sources from which we will learn. The styles are endless and

T
continue to evolve across space and time. Flamenco is not an exact science; it is art.
he musical language of flamenco has been, and continues to be, primarily an In art, nothing is radically right or wrong, black or white.
oral tradition. Everyone transmits their knowledge from their own experience,
in their own way, with their own words, their own images, and their own In the age of the internet, YouTube, and the like, accessing Information has never been
interpretations. This necessarily gives rise to differences, subtleties, nuances, and easier. We are in the age of information abundance. However, to transform Information
sometimes even contradictions. The task for the flamenco apprentice is to learn to into knowledge, we have to give it meaning. This is not an easy task in the internet
detect the common language behind all these differences. ocean, where you will find everything, including its opposite. Search intelligently,
investigate, experiment, analyze, test, and cross-check. The right information is always
available.

When approaching the art of flamenco, whatever path we decide to take, we will
eventually need to visit Spain, the cradle of flamenco development. The cities of Jerez,
Sevilla, Cádiz, Málaga, and Granada in Andalusia, La Unión or Badajoz, and even the
capital Madrid, are where we will find what we seek. We will find maestras and
maestros from whom we can take lessons, fiestas in which we can take part, and
concerts or performances which we can attend. A significant part of learning flamenco
is to listen to and see as much flamenco as possible. If we are lucky, we might even get
to know flamenco artists who can share their knowledge with us.

Artists are what give any art form its life. Every artist has a lesson to give us if we are
able to perceive it. Flamenco as we know it today has been shaped by many artists
across places and eras, each contributing to its development. It is essential to become
familiar with the major artists of the cante, the baile, the toque, of today and of
yesterday, to enjoy the legacy they have left, to appreciate their contributions.

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It is wise to drink from multiple sources, and not necessarily only from what you like at
first. From recordings on wax cylinders to the latest album released on a digital
platform, flamenco apprentices are encouraged to make their research and study as
extensive as possible. These are all opportunities to enjoy the variety, diversity and
We must not take any one person's word as the final truth. This includes me as the
richness of this art.
author of this guide. I am sharing my point of view, the fruit of my experience, hoping
to shed some light on the subject of flamenco. Too many of us have been victims of
It is from this broad knowledge that we will be able to develop our skills, refine our
self-proclaimed pseudo-masters and priestly teachers who think they alone possess
personal tastes, and unfold our personality.
the absolutely correct knowledge. When you hear this be warned – you are probably
approaching danger.

* All the terms in Spanish are in italics. You can find them in the glossary at the end of this book.
 Understand

O
ne of my maestros once told me something I still remember. I had slipped
down the dangerous slope of overconfidence and was making hasty
judgements.

He said, “You have to learn in order to know, know in order to understand, and
understand in order to judge.”

I think it fits well here. In order to make sound judgements as to what we need to do in
a flamenco performance, we need to have sound knowledge. Only then can we make
good decisions. Only then will our actions result in a successful, rewarding and
fulfilling moment of flamenco artistry.

In my experience, and in a very general way, I see two main ways to approach a set of
new knowledge/skills: accumulation or understanding.

By accumulation: we approach each new item we encounter as an isolated

case, repeat it by mimicry, apply the trial/error method, then gradually draw
conclusions and retain knowledge. This is how we learn our native language.
This is also how people born into flamenco families learn. It takes a long time
and the structures and codes can remain unconscious. Knowledge acquired
We, who are not the little cousins of the cantaor, Camarón, the brothers and sisters of
in this way is very difficult to transmit. Have you ever tried to teach someone
the great tocaor, Paco de Lucía, nor the children of the amazing bailaora, Eva la
your native language? It can be surprisingly difficult unless you have a
Yerbabuena, we, who have to learn to understand in order to perform some day, we
minimum understanding of the rules of grammar that you naturally use every
need intellectual tools in order to be able to better grasp and use the musical,
day without thinking about it.
rhythmic, and choreographic components of flamenco.

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By understanding: with this method we approach each new item we
encounter, isolate it, but then very quickly include it into a whole. This
method helps us to connect the dots, place new information in relation to
previous information, and then incorporate it into the larger system. Learning
verbs in a foreign language through memorization is harder than learning
the rules that govern multiple words.

Maybe you can achieve the same result with both methods, but I think one is, in the
long run, faster and more efficient than the other. You will save a lot of time!

* All the terms in Spanish are in italics. You can find them in the glossary at the end of this book.
 Practice

T
he practice of flamenco is once again akin to learning to drive a car. After having
learned the basics, with an overall understanding of how everything works, we must
move on to practice, and get started on the roads. The difficulty is similar.

We have to think of a thousand things, coordinate them, and carry them out. We have to pay
attention to the road, to other vehicles, to operate the pedals, to change gears, to hold the
steering wheel, to anticipate the trajectories, to use the signals – all at the same time.

Unfortunately, there is no way to take a car ride with only one of these things in mind. We
have to perform all these functions at the same time – right from the start!

This is why we must free our mind as much as possible from useless things, automate many
of them through practice, and gradually allow everything to take place in a whole which will
ultimately have only one purpose – authentic, personal artistic expression.

The ear, the precision, the technique, the rhythmic agility, the creativity, the inspiration, the
physicality, the intuition, and the soniquete (the groove or swing), are all things that we must
practice beforehand.

If there is a secret to mastering any art form, it's this: there is no secret, only practice. If
practice is informed by knowledge and understanding, then artistic development will move
forward more easily. Knowing exactly what to practice, why to practice it, and how to
practice sounds like a direct path to success, right?

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I encourage all flamenco apprentices to free themselves from the boundaries of their
particular craft. I can't repeat it enough: try to learn a little bit of everything! Whatever your
specialty, play palmas, learn to sing some letras, strum a little guitar, try the cajón, or learn a
few good dance moves. A true flamenco/a understands all these aspects. You will see, it is
really fun and liberating!

Remember: flamenco is a language. The more we practice it, the more fluent we will
become. The more we understand it, the more we will appreciate its subtleties, its variations,
its humor, and its richness.

* All the terms in Spanish are in italics. You can find them in the glossary at the end of this book.
 Find Your Way

Traveler, your footprints are the only road, nothing else. Traveler, there is no road; you
make your own path as you walk. – Antonio Machado

N
ow it is up to you to search, browse, experiment, analyze, test, dance, play, sing,
or play palmas. Hopefully, you will now do this with an increasingly keen
awareness.

Be assured that knowledge will not to lock us in. On the contrary, it will set us free!

Once we are free, we can create.

Creating does not necessarily mean designing a whole dance show, composing a
guitar album, or writing a collection of letras. Creating is what we do every day, in
different aspects of our life. All of us can improvise and create. We trace our route the ability to come up with a great idea, but rather in knowing how to make great use
step by step, by adapting each one of them to our environment, our fellow travelers, of a simple idea. Listen to, The Ode to Joy, from Beethoven's 9th Symphony. He takes a
and our destination. simple theme and masterfully develops it into a complex work of musical art. Saying
that an artist is a genius can sometimes be used as an excuse for apprentices not to try
We can create using the same traditional material that flamenco artists have used for too hard. We are not all geniuses, after all. For them it's easy. Maybe it’s not even worth
generations. You will find countless different ways of expressing the same thing: a step, trying. But be assured that learning any art form takes preparation, time, effort, and
a letra, a guitar chord. The important thing is not so much the what, but rather the practice. Even for the great ones.
how.

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If we start looking for our own personal how, we will eventually end up asking
Art is a means of expression, a tool. Flamenco is an extraordinary, creative and ourselves the question – why? Why do we want to learn flamenco art? Why do we long
customizable tool. Any traditional element, whether it be cante, guitar, baile or palmas, to express ourselves through this medium?
is variable according to our tastes, our abilities, and our intentions.
Because each of us has something unique to say, precious, unalterable, and a unique
We often talk about the genius artist. Having a great idea and being a genius are two way of saying it. The simple fact of changing something, however small it may be, is
different things. Anyone can have a great idea by chance, or by luck. True genius is not already creating. The more we create, the more we find our way – to ourselves.

* All the terms in Spanish are in italics. You can find them in the glossary at the end of this book.
Enjoy the Journey
In the quest for the Holy Grail,
the important thing is not the Grail,

E
but the Quest.

verything is in our hands now.

When we enter flamenco by this path, we enter a universe of enjoyment,

development, and inspiration. The final destination doesn't really matter anymore,
especially since it doesn't really exist. It is the journey that matters.

The only thing that is within our reach is our ability to savor every moment of our
journey and to share it with others – with other musicians, dancers, singers, with the
public, with every part of ourselves.

Respect, share, and enjoy are key words. The goal of the journey is the same for
everyone: to express our feelings in communion with the others, leaving room for
surprise and inspiration. Sharing means knowing how to give and take, knowing when
to guide, and when to let ourselves be guided by the others, or by the moment, or by
our inspiration or intuition.

We have to know how to find ourselves, and when to lose ourselves. We must
overcome frustrations by setting achievable goals, achieving them and moving on to
set and achieve new ones.

Creative self-expression is more than just an activity, whether the art form is singing,
music, or dance. It is a quest for ourselves.

Be aware of the fact that:

the journey is not always straight.

the work is not always easy.
the process of understanding, learning, and assimilating takes time.
there are no secret recipes, no magical flamenco pills.
the work has to be done by yourself.

It is fascinating and incredibly rewarding.

The good news is that we have the time when we go step by step, at our own pace. It
is in this way that we can all experience the joy of learning, singing, playing, and
dancing flamenco.
Flamenco Glossary
Flamenco Glossary Caña: One of the flamenco palos.

Cantaor/a: Flamenco singer.

A bandolao: specific rhythm used in many folkloric fandangos (e.g.

verdiales) and in certain flamenco palos (e.g. jabera, rondeñas, jabegote). From
Cante: Flamenco singing. A cante is an assortment of sung stanzas/verses, to
be differentiated from a song which is a concept is rarely applied in flamenco.

the way rhythm is strummed on the bandola – a unique string instrument Cantiña: One of the flamenco palos. Also a palo family.
formerly used in Spain.
Castañuelas: Castanets. A musical percussion instrument worn one on each
Abanico: An accessory used in flamenco dancing, typically in a guajira dance. hand. Also called palillos.

Alegría: One of the flamenco palos. Coletilla: An element of cante, like a secondary short letra, often sung after a
main letra, hence its name. Cola, which means, tail + double diminutive -etilla =
A palo seco: Refers to cantes performed without guitar accompaniment, such
small tail).
as romances, tonás, and martinetes.

Compás: A very broad term encompassing many aspects of rhythm, but mainly

B aile: Flamenco dance. A baile is a choreographic piece that can last up to

twenty minutes, and responds to a specific structure and musical codes.
the type of cycle (e.g. 12 beat compás), or a cycle as a unit (e.g. 2 compases of
soleá).

Cuadro: A flamenco group. The basic cuadro is made up of a trio: cante, toque
Bambera: One of the flamenco palos.
and baile. Often the singer will also play palmas, or there will be separate
palmeros.
Bulería por soleá: One of the flamenco palos.

Bata de Cola: A skirt with a long, ruffled train.

E scobilla: Part of a dance where the baile takes the lead. Dominated by the

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presence of the zapateado (footwork). This is the section when the bailaor/a
Bulería: One of the flamenco palos.
shows off his/her footwork technique, mastery of the compás, and rhythmic
inventiveness.

C
F
ajón: A wooden, box-shaped percussion instrument initially used to
accompany popular music from the Ica region of Peru, where a high proportion
alseta: It is a guitar rhythmic/harmonic/melodic variation of several
of the population is of African origin. Integrated and adapted into flamenco by
compases, developing from the compás and the corresponding key of the palo
guitarist Paco de Lucía in the 1970s.
being played.

Caló: Language spoken by the Spanish and Portuguese Romani.

Flamenco Glossary Llamada: Literally it means a call. The llamada is therefore a musical or
choreographic call, a question. It will provoke a reaction, a response from the
other musicians. It is one of the main codes in the flamenco language.

Fandango: A family of flamenco palos. Originally referred to a style of folk

M
talent.
aestro/a: Flamenco teachers and professionals renowned for their

dance and music.

Mantón: Shawl. An accessory used in flamenco dance, usually used together

Feria: Annual local festival in Spain. Originally an agricultural fair.
with the bata de cola.

Fiesta: Party. The term juerga is also used to mean specifically a flamenco
party.
P almas: Tocar las palmas – literally, to play the palms. It is the action of
marking the compás by clapping with the hands, while marking the accents
Fin de Fiesta: This is at the end of a flamenco performance, when all the
performers join together on stage to share a last moment of celebration, with the foot.
generally por bulería, or sometimes por tango, before exiting the stage. If
artists or the public then wish to go on stage to play, sing, dance, or play Palo: Each of the traditional varieties of flamenco cante.
palmas, they will also be welcome.
Pata or patá: From patada: literally, a kick. Mainly for tangos or bulería. A sort
Flamencura: To have flamenco skill and talent. It is a combination of qualities, of micro baile performed mainly during the fin de fiesta on stage or during a
such as depth, authenticity, and quality of artistic expression. fiesta. Usually composed of short llamadas y remates, a patá may or may not
accompany the cante, and is not just for the dancers. Often light, even

J aleo: Means “fuss.” Jaleos are the exclamations and cheers made during a
baile, cante, or toque intended to encourage the performer. Jaleos are an
humorous, patás are highly appreciated for their spontaneity and
inventiveness.

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integral part of the musical aesthetic of flamenco. Jaleo is also a term for one of Peña Flamenca: Flamenco club. A peña flamenca is meeting place for
the flamenco palos. flamenco artists and aficionados, whether in Spain or abroad. All kinds of
activities related to flamenco take place there: concerts, recitals, courses,
Jota: Traditional Spanish dance that is widespread almost everywhere in Spain. conferences, meetings, workshops, or celebrations.
It is related to fandango.
Polo: One of the flamenco palos.

L etra: Poetic verse that forms the basis of the cante. Flamenco letras are
typically independent of each other on several levels: meaning, melody, and
Por: Refers to the rules of the game of the palo in which performers will sing,
dance, play. Palo includes the compás, harmony, melodies, types of letra, and
interpretation. structures. For example: a cante por soleá, a baile por taranto, tocar por bulería.
Flamenco Glossary Soniquete: This term has only recently appeared in the vocabulary of
flamenco, referring to a way of bringing rhythm to life. It can be compared to
the groove or the swing of the music and the performer. It is also a subjective
assessment of the quality of rhythmic execution – “That performer has great

R emate: Literally to “re-kill.” In flamenco it means to finish or conclude. It’s

a climax, an explosive end to something, a closure.
soniquete.”

Subida: An accelerated section mainly driven by the dancer.

T
Romería: Pilgrimage. A popular festival that is celebrated in a place near a
hermitage on the day of the religious festival of the saint or the virgin to whom ango: One of the Flamenco palos.
it is consecrated.
Taranto: One of the Flamenco palos.

S alida del cante: It is the characteristic element of the flamenco cante, often
without text, that opens the cante, before the first letra. It can be an accurate
Tiento: One of the Flamenco palos.

(although sometimes misleading) indicator of the palo and style that will be Tocaor/a: Flamenco guitarist.
interpreted next. Many palos have their own characteristic salida, for example
the memorable “tirititrán, tran, tran…” of the alegría. Toque: Flamenco guitar playing. A toque is an instrumental piece of flamenco.

V
Salida del baile: During a baile, it is the first appearance of the dancer, often
with an energetic zapateado, which marks the end of the introductory phase of erdiales: Particular popular fandango sung and danced to the
the baile. Sometimes also called a llamada. accompaniment of a band: La Panda de Verdiales. Original folk song form that
has been slowly adopted into the flamenco tradition. By extension: the
Sevillana: One of the flamenco palos. There is some controversy as to whether flamenco palos based on these popular styles.
or not the sevillana is truly a flamenco baile due to its folkloric character.

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Semana Santa: Spanish celebration of Holy Week, the week immediately apateado (or taconeo): Footwork in flamenco dance. Also a currently little
before Easter. Religious fraternities perform penance processions on the interpreted palo, which originally stages a dialogue between percussive dance
streets of almost every Spanish city during this week. and the guitar, but which has become today a guitar toque, often of great
virtuosity.
Silencio: Basic element of the structure of a baile por alegría. Traditionally set
before the escobilla, it is a soft, slow dialogue between dance and guitar, in a
minor key, sometimes with a development into the corresponding major key.

Editing by Alyssa Bonilla

About Me
I am Guillermo Guillén, an eclectic flamenco
guitarist, born in France, and trained in Spain. I
have been touring around the world for over fifteen
years.

I have accompanied renowned artists such as

Rocío Márquez, Ismael Fernández, Sonia Olla,
Raúl Micó, Francisco Contreras “El Niño de Elche,”
La Lupi, José Galván, and Esperanza Fernández.

I have performed in countless peñas flamencas,

and have been featured in major international
music and dance festivals in more than twenty

www.flamencomaps.com by Guillermo Guillén © 2021

countries, accompanying singers and dancers, and
also as a soloist, and a teacher.

https://guillermoguillen.com/
 Visit

.com

Get on my waitlist for my upcoming courses!

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