# Spain Study Abroad # Introduction: Flamenco is a comprehensive art in Spain. It integrates dance, singing and instrumental music. It was popular in southern Spain in the past and has now expanded to the vast areas of Spain. And it is becoming one of the representative arts in the whole of Spain. During a flamenco performance, a group of singers, dancers and guitarists sit in a semicircle on stage chairs. Next, I would like to introduce the performance characteristics of Spanish flamenco dance.

Introduction to the performance characteristics of Spanish flamenco dance - singing

The performance starts with the singer’s shouts and exclamations, which is to ignite the fire of enthusiasm in the hearts of the audience. The guitarist plays the introduction or prelude to create a special atmosphere for singing and dancing. The singer also has to adjust his voice before starting to sing. The hoarse and nasal tone is still a characteristic of flamenco singing. It is decorative. The sound is mostly used for stress, and the melodious and tortuous sounds similar to the appliqué are very common, and they are often microtonal. This is a singing method rarely seen in other Western European countries.

Introduction to the performance characteristics of Spanish flamenco dance--clothing

Male dancers wear tight black pants, long-sleeved shirts, and sometimes a floral vest ( Said to be influenced by matador costumes); female dance partners comb their hair back into a sleek bun and wear colorful costumes, corsets and multi-layered skirts. With the neck and arms exposed, the dance is unrestrained, passionate, stretched and graceful. Flamenco dance originates from real life, and generally middle-aged dancers are the most suitable to demonstrate flamenco.

Introduction to the performance features of Spanish flamenco dance--lyrics

Most of the lyrics are related to God, love, women, and death, but there are few contents about money and getting rich. , which may be related to some concepts of the Gypsies. However, even orthodox Spaniards have difficulty understanding the lyrics. Because the lyrics contain ancient Gypsy elements and the singer’s improvised consonants and interjections, it can only be enjoyed as music, unlike Portuguese Fado.

The guitar is a Spanish guitar. It looks like what we usually call an acoustic guitar, but it is actually a specially made flamenco guitar with a loud volume and a bright tone. It can be used for solo, but it is used as accompaniment when performing dances. It is mainly used as a rhythm instrument. It has three basic musical techniques, one is strumming with fingers, the other is melody passage, and the third is improvisation in the middle of singing. interlude. The requirements for guitar players are very high, and their strength and skills must reach a certain level before they can play.

Throughout the performance process, actors and audiences are pursuing a kind of "Duende" - that is, the connection of souls and taking it as a state of perfection.

The rhythm of flamenco has both free and regular beats. The commonly used 12 beats have five accents of 3, 6, 8, 10, and 12, which is somewhat similar to that of India. Tara beats. There are many added second intervals in the music progression.

Introduction to the performance characteristics of Spanish flamenco dance - music style

From the perspective of music style, flamenco music is a mixture of melancholy and sadness and enthusiasm. . Flamenco dance originated from the common people, so the most unreserved emotions of human nature are expressed in the gestures of the dancers. Men in flamenco dance pay great attention to the movements of their feet, and the rhythm produced when they tap the floor with their heels is very crisp. Women's dance pays more attention to the movements of their hands, wrists, arms, waist, and hips. Dancers often can't help but look at each other. Stomping on the ground, twirling fingers while making sounds, coupled with singing, clapping, shouting, dancing steps and the sound of castanets in the hands of the dancers, interweaving and responding to each other, the performers and the audience are in harmony, and the atmosphere is very warm.