What is flamenco: origins, singing, dancing, guitar playing and musical styles

Flamenco flamenco is an art born in Andalusia that brings together three disciplines: singing, dancing and guitar playing. It also has roots in Murcia and Extremadura and has been a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2010. To understand what it is flamenco, you must also know its palos, the different styles of cante, such as soleá, seguiriya, alegrías and bulerías.

Origin and history of flamenco

The first documentary references to defined flamenco forms and specialised performers date from the 18th century, according to the Andalusian Institute of Flamenco. Their styles grew from the mixture with other popular songs, from Andalusian folklore to the Castilian-Mancegans seguidillas or melodies brought from America, and UNESCO recalls that the Gypsy community has played an essential role in their evolution.

Many basic styles have their roots in the Baixa Andalucía: the Andalusian Institute Flamenco considers the soleá a cante of trianero origin; the seguiriya had its main creative nucleus in Jerez de la Frontera and the origin of the tangos is divided between Cádiz and Seville.

In the 19th century, cante moved from family gatherings and taverns to singing cafés. The Andalusian Institute Flamenco places the era of the singing cafés between 1847 and 1920 and considers Silverio Franconetti the first professional singer for whom there is any record. Then came the two stages of the so-called Flamenco opera (1920-1936 and 1940-1955), and from the fifties onwards, the festivals.

In 1922, the Artistic Center of Granada organized the Concurso de Cante Jondo, promoted by Manuel de Falla and with Federico García Lorca among its promoters. It was held on June 13 and 14 in the Plaza de los Aljibes of the Alhambra. Diego Bermúdez «El Tenazas» won the Zuloaga Prize and a Manuel Ortega, the future Manolo Caracol, was also awarded, still a child. If you want more details, we recount them in our review of the history and the origins of flamenco.

What is flamenco: singing, dancing and guitar playing

Flamenco singing It is the voice of the flamenco. The copla is divided into thirds, which are each of its verses, and the singer uses resources such as melisma or the quejío, the ayes that are launched at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end of the song. In the second half of the 20th century, Camarón de la Isla recorded «La leyenda del tiempo» (1979), with production by Ricardo Pachón, and Enrique Morente, «Omega» (1996), alongside the group Lagartija Nick.

The dance The body expresses what the song says with the voice: stamping, hand gestures, turns and tap, which also marks the rhythm. Carmen Amaya performed at Carnegie Hall in New York in early 1941, and Antonio Gades and Sara Baras received the National Dance Prize in 1988 and 2003.

The touch He accompanies the singing and the dancing, but he also has his own concert repertoire. Ramón Montoya is considered the creator of the flamenco concert guitar, and Paco de Lucía (Algeciras, 1947 – Mexico, 2014) took it to the great auditoriums: on February 18, 1975 he gave a historic concert at the Teatro Real in Madrid. You have more names in our selection famous flamenco guitarists.

Compared to the classical guitar, the flamenco guitar has a narrower neck and lower strings compared to the fingerboard, and its sound is more penetrating, bright and percussive, according to guitarist Rafael Cañizares. The so-called white guitar has rosewood and a maple back.

The best-known flamenco palos

A palo is each of the styles of cante flamenco. There is no official figure for the number of palos: the Andalusian Institute of Music Flamenco describes a geography of cantes that extends from Huelva to Málaga and reaches the Levante, and also includes authorial cantes. The Andalusian Institute of Music Flamenco highlights the siguiriyas, the soleares, the tangos, the bulerías and the cantiñas as basic cantes, along with the many styles that derive from the fandango.

• Soleá: Of trianero origin according to the Andalusian Institute Flamenco, it has a twelve-time beat. There are variants specific to Alcalá de Guadaíra, Utrera, Jerez, Cádiz or Córdoba, among other places.
• Seguiriya: the song of sorrow par excellence, with Jerez de la Frontera as the main center of creation.
• Joys: they belong to the group of cantiñas from Cádiz and are related to the old jota of Cádiz.
• Bulerías They emerged in the late 19th century from the soleá, whose tempo they speed up. They are boisterous and bustling.
• Tangos: four-beat time signature and shared cradle between Cádiz and Seville. They have nothing to do with the Argentine tango.
• Fandangos triple time signature and presence in all Andalusian provinces. From them derive the malagueña and the granaína, which are sung freely, without a fixed time signature.

Added to this repertoire are the cantes de ida y vuelta, such as the guajira and the colombiana, with influences from American music. You have each style explained, with tips for recognising it live, in our guide to flamenco palos.

Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity since 2010

UNESCO inscribed flamenco in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity On November 16, 2010 (decision 5.COM 6.39), at the proposal of Spain, with a candidacy that the Junta de Andalucía agreed upon with Murcia and Extremadura. Since 2011, November 16 is the Day of Flamenco Andalusia.

The UNESCO fact sheet explains that flamenco is transmitted through artistic dynasties, families, flamenco clubs and social groups.

Among the festivals, the Seville Biennial Flamenco has been held every two years since 1980. Its XXIV edition was scheduled from September 9 to October 3, 2026, according to its official website, and we've summarised the highlights in our guide to the Seville Flamenco Biennial 2026. Other highlights on the calendar are the Jerez Festival, the Festival Internacional del Cante de las Minas in La Unión (Murcia) and the Córdoba Guitar Festival.

Where to watch flamenco in Seville

In Seville you can see flamenco in tablaos, peñas, theatres and festivals. A tablao is a venue with a stage dedicated to flamenco shows; peñas flamencas are associations of enthusiasts that organise recitals, and theatres and festivals programme company shows. If it is your first time, it will help you to read what a performance is like to see flamenco in a Seville tablao.

Tablao Flamenco Las Setas está en la Plaza de la Encarnación, 38, en la planta baja del Metropol Parasol, con acceso a pie de calle. La sala tiene 140 plazas y el espectáculo dura 60 minutos, sin descanso, con 8 artistas en escena bajo la dirección artística de Sandra Guerrero «La Negra», bailaora con más de 30 años de trayectoria.

Tradition and innovation in modern flamenco

He flamenco continues to incorporate new languages. In dance, Israel Galván and Rocío Molina received the National Dance Prize in 2005 and 2010, respectively. In music, «El mal querer» (2018), the album in which Rosalía combined electronic flamenco production with dance, won the Latin Grammy for Album of the Year in 2019.

Frequently asked questions about flamenco

Is the flamenco exclusively Andalusian?

Andalusia is its cradle, but UNESCO also recalls that it has roots in Murcia and Extremadura. The taranta, for example, originated in Almería and, according to Flamenco the Andalusian Institute of Culture, spread to Linares and other mining towns in Jaén and throughout the province of Murcia, especially La Unión. Today, there are also artists, schools and enthusiasts of flamenco the taranta in many countries.

Do you have to be Romani to sing or dance flamenco?

No. UNESCO considers it a sign of identity for numerous groups and communities, especially the Roma community, which has played an essential role in its evolution, and today artists of all backgrounds interpret it. What is required is mastering the rhythm of each instrument, something that can be achieved through training and many hours of practice.

How long is a flamenco show?

It depends on the format. At Tablao Flamenco Las Setas, the show lasts 60 minutes, without breaks, with 8 artists on stage. The doors open 15 minutes before and you can't enter once it starts, so arrive early. In theaters and festivals, the duration depends on the show.

Where can I learn flamenco if I am a beginner?

In Seville there are academies with classes for all levels and short courses for visitors; we give you tips on how to choose in our article about Flamenco classes in Seville. If you are looking for formal training, the Professional Conservatory of Dance in Seville offers the specialty of dance flamenco, and the Higher Conservatory of Music Rafael Orozco de Córdoba offers higher studies in this field flamenco.

See flamenco in Las Setas: opening times and tickets

Tablao Flamenco Las Setas has daily shows at 18:00, 19:30, 21:00 and 22:30, with an extra show at 16:30 during high season. Tickets cost from 28 euros, with free cancellation up to 24 hours beforehand, and the venue has a rating of 4.9 out of 5 with over 11,000 reviews on Google and TripAdvisor. Check showtimes, prices and availability. For any queries, call or send a WhatsApp message to +34 684 776 981.