Flamenco in Seville

When in Seville you need to get yourself to a flamenco show. A much loved local art form, Flamenco dancing is popularly practised in the south of Spain.

The dance is accompanied with a beautiful Spanish guitar as well as singing, and is popular across many sections of the population. Traditionally portrayed as gypsy music and made famous by gypsy bands worldwide, the art form has other influences including local traditional music and dance from the area, as well as hints from the many different ruling classes of the area, including the moors.

Flamenco schools were created as early as the 1700s in order to protect and promote the art form and the traditional areas of the dance are around Seville and Cadiz. The dance was welcomed and popular at local dances and balls and  was accompanied by the traditional singing that still prevails today, before the guitar was introduced at a later stage and flamenco music began to take hold.

Modern Developments

The art form developed and became more popular as the dance became commonly practised in local establishments. It became a large scale attraction and the music began to develop its own form as the years progressed, incorporating influences from Latin America and the fandango music of the era. By the early 20th century the dance and music were known and appreciated worldwide and an industry developed throughout the world.

Over the next few decades flamenco dancers, singers and musicians were visible on stage and at festivals, accompanied by the ever present guitar whose music was gaining popularity of its own. Modern flamenco music retains much of its tradition from its period of development but has also incorporated other influences including jazz and other Spanish art forms such as salsa. 

Now popular on the world stage the art form is celebrated and appreciated in many different countries throughout the world. You can see many different types of shows from large show cases with great production capacity and all the modern props to small budget productions which may be more authentic and true to the original flamenco from Spain. By far the best way to view the art form is to view it in its homeland – so head to Seville and catch a small impromptu display at a local café or location costa blanca restaurant. If you know locals who can point you in the direction of a genuine flamenco show without all the trappings of modern tourism, then all the better.

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