Flamenco Roots

The show explores the origins of flamenco, starting in the 18th century when a taste for French and classical ballet was brought over by the Bourbon Dynasty, and began to influence the existing styles. The first suite in Flamenco Roots, ‘Lineage’, looks to the ‘Escuela Bolera’ style that arose from this fusion with French culture. Against the backdrop of 18th century society, ‘Lineage’ aims to depict how personal relationships depended heavily on family ancestry, and were guided by strong social conventions.

Over the course of the performance we will venture forward in time, stopping at the end of the 19th and the middle of the 20th centuries. During this tumultuous period, the proud Spanish people developed a rich and varied folklore, which defined us as a culturally diverse nation.

The folkloric response to this period of upheaval is reflected in a suite. That suite consists of four different pieces: charro, jota, nana and muñeira, and as a whole expresses some of our most fundamental national characteristics: joy, strength, the will to fight, self-improvement, and the central role of women in society.

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