My program allowed us to sign up to go to a sort of introductory Flamenco show. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I arrived at the studio but I was pleasantly surprised by what followed. The dancer (baile) first explained what Flamenco was and how important it is to the Spanish culture. There are a few different parts in flamenco that all contribute to the expression, when most people hear the word ‘flamenco’ they think of the traditional woman in the dress dancing but it is so much more that. There is also guitar (toque) and singing (cante), the way that the songs are played and sung contribute a great deal to how the song is perceived. Even the way the baile dresses shows whether the story that is being told is happy or sad.

At the show, after explaining what flamenco was they put on a show, displaying two different songs. I found it incredible how the baile, cante, and toque stayed in unison and on beat with one another. The songs were obviously in Spanish but I was able to understand the emotion in the story through the other forms of expression. The first song was sadder, the baile was dressed in black and held facial expressions of deep sadness. The cante sang in low, long, melancholy notes and the toque was played in the same way. The next dance that was done was a happier one, the pace quickened and the baile even changed into a more brightly colored dress. I think it’s really beautiful how even though I couldn’t understand the words, I still understood the story because art is so much more than just poetry and flamenco really captures that.