The last few months I have taken a flamenco course in Madrid! It was incredibly fun and took me out of my comfort zone. We attended several lectures about the history of flamenco and the many different techniques. Flamenco incorporates singing (cante), guitar playing (toque), dance (baile), and hand claps (palmas). Palmas is often divided into two primary categories: “palmas sordas,” which are soft, muffled claps, and “palmas abiertas,” which are loud, resonant claps.
Flamenco itself originates from the gitanos who created the style of dance in the 17th century. The history of flamenco is complex and nuanced; the style has risen in popularity as a national dance, despite Spain’s long history of discrimination against the gitano people and flamenco as a whole. Today, flamenco is a source of national pride for the Spanish people.
I am honored to have learned so much about the gitano people and the artform itself. My dance instructor is a phenomenal dancer who was nothing but patient and kind. We would practice in a flamenco cafe twice a week, every week for four months. I really fell in love with the art form and how beautiful it has made me feel. I look forward to attending a flamenco festival in Seville this spring and continuing to dance flamenco!
Kristi Ross
Academic Year 2024-25
GW Madrid (GW Study Program)
Elliott School of International Affairs
International Affairs Major