Palos del flamenco: what they are and how to recognise them

What are the "palos" of flamenco?

The Andalusian Institute of Flamenco, an agency of the Andalusian Regional Government, defines the palo as the name given to each style of cante. To distinguish one from another, attention is paid above all to the compás (the repeating rhythmic structure), the stanza, the melody and the character: festive in bulerías, of deep sorrow in seguiriya.

Some styles of flamenco are sung in time and danced, such as soleá, alegrías or tangos. Others are free-form songs: they do not have a fixed rhythm and the singer measures each line in their own way, as happens in taranta or granaína. If you are approaching flamenco for the first time, before continuing it may be useful to read what is flamenco and what are its three disciplines.

Most of the source data, rhythm and structure of this guide are based on the index cards of the Andalusian Institute of Flamenco.

The main styles of flamenco, one by one

1. 1. Soleá, a cante of Triana origin

   The soleá (in the plural, soleares) the first reference is to Flamenco the Andalusian singer Andonda; hence the Andalusian Institute considers it a song of Andalusian origin. It spread to Alcalá de Guadaíra, Utrera, Jerez, Cádiz, Córdoba, Marchena or Lebrija, and each place developed its own variants. Its origin may date back to the nineteenth century, as a song that accompanied a dance called jaleo.

   How to recognise it:

   • Twelve-beat time signature with accents on the 3rd, 6th, 8th, 10th and 12th beats.
   • Air slower and more majestic than that of the buerbas.
   • Stanzas of three or four eight-syllable verses.
   • Arm movements, hip undulations and waist breaks stand out in the dance.

   If you want to compare it with its faster relative, read our article on the bulería and the soleá.

2. 2. Alegrías, the cantiña of Cádiz

   The joys they belong to the cantiñas group, the Cádiz cantes with a mixed metre, and are related to the old jota from Cádiz. They originated as a cante for dancing and are formed by a succession of verses interspersed with what are known as juguetillos.

   How to recognise them:

   • Twelve-beat mixed compass, like the solea.
   • Four-line octosyllabic stanzas.
   • The traditional «tirititrán» that is vocalised in flamenco singing.
   • A dance with very pronounced footwork (using the toe and heel of the shoe) and a quiet section called a «silencio».

3. 3. Bulerías, the palo of the fiesta

   The bulerías They emerged at the end of the 19th century from the soleá, from which they take the tempo to speed it up. They are boisterous and lively, they come from Cádiz and Seville and change their tone according to the area: the older ones in Cádiz, the more formal ones in Jerez and the younger ones in the cuplés for their buerias.

   How to recognise them:

   • Twelve beats, like the soleá, but much faster.
   • Coplas are usually three or four-verse octosyllabic poems.
   • There are also bulerías when playing the guitar or when playing outdoors, intended primarily for listening.

4. 4. Tangos, in four-time rhythm

   The flamenco tangos They have no relation to Argentine tango. They are one of the basic styles of flamenco, their birthplace is shared between Cádiz and Seville, and they have variants from Cádiz, Triana, Jerez or Málaga, each with its own flavour.

   How to recognise them:

   • Four-beat time: the first beat is a rest, and the second, third, and fourth beats are marked.
   • Very different tonalities depending on the area: minor in those from Triana, modal in those from Cádiz and major in those from Málaga.
   • Stanzas of three or four eight-syllable verses.
   • An upbeat rhythm that really lends itself to dancing.

5. 5. Seguiriyas, the song of sorrow

   The seguiriyas (also siguiriyas) are the song of sorrow par excellence and there is evidence that they were already being sung in the 18th century. They originate from Cádiz and Seville, with Jerez de la Frontera as the main center of creation, and they have a wide variety of styles.

   How to recognise them:

   • Twelve-beat metric cycle, distinct from that of the soleá, in which the rests carry great weight.
   • Four-line stanzas: the third of eleven syllables and the others of six.
   • Tragic and sad character.

6. 6. Fandangos, from Huelva to Málaga

   The fandangos they are present in all Andalusian provinces and many other cante styles derive from them. The one from Huelva was born in Alosno and spread throughout the Andévalo, with local styles such as those from Almonaster, Encinasola or Calañas.

   How to recognise them:

   • Triple time signature.
   • The abandoned fandangos of Málaga, such as verdiales or rondeñas, maintain that very strong beat.
   • The malagueña and the granaína originate from the fandango, but are sung freely, without a set rhythm.
   • Many bear first and last names: they are personal fandangos, creations of singers such as José Rebollo or Pérez de Guzmán.

7. 7. Sevillanas, flamenco-style folklore

   The sevillanas no son un palo flamenco en sentido estricto: el Instituto Andaluz del Flamenco las define como cante y baile folclóricos aflamencados, con una copla similar a la clásica seguidilla castellana. Se bailan en ferias, romerías y fiestas, y en Sevilla las oirás por todas partes durante la Feria de Abril.

   How to recognise them:

   • Triple time signature with the first beat accented.
   • They are danced as a couple, in sets of four sevillanas, each with its own choreography.
   • Each sevillana has three parts.

   If you are interested to know where the border is, we explain it in the differences between flamenco and sevillanas.

8. 8. Taranta, the trunk of the mining songs

   The taranta It belongs to the cantes of Levante and, within them, to the cantes of the mines. It was born in Almería and spread to Linares and other mining towns in Jaén and to the province of Murcia, especially to La Unión, the headquarters of the International Festival of Cante de las Minas. It is the source of all other mining song styles.

   How to recognise it:

   • Free song: the flamenco singer measures the verses in their own way, without a fixed rhythm.
   • Stanzas of four or five octosyllabic lines, with one of them repeated when singing.
   • Lyrics about human existence; the mining song, by the same group, is the one that sings to the mine and its men.
   • Its metrical version, designed for dancing, is the taranto.

How to recognise flamenco styles at a tablao flamenco

You don't need to know music. Look out for these clues while watching a flamenco show in Seville:

1. The compass: twelve beats with accents on the 3rd, 6th, 8th, 10th and 12th point to the soleá family (soleá, alegrías, bulerías); four beats point to tangos; if the singer lengthens the lines without a fixed rhythm, it is a cante libre, such as the taranta or malagueña.
2. Speed: The soleá and the bulerías share a structure, but the former is slower and the latter much faster.
3. The lyrics: sorrow in the seguiriya, celebration in the bulerías.
4. The clapping and the cheering: the cries of encouragement, such as «olé», accompany the artist; you have its meaning in our vocabulary flamenco.

Where to listen to flamenco flamenco styles live

The fastest way to learn to tell them apart is to listen to them live. In Seville you have tablaos, flamenco clubs, theatres and festivals like the Flamenco Biennial, which has been held every two years since 1980.

Tablao Flamenco Las Setas is on the ground floor of Metropol Parasol (Plaza de la Encarnación, 38), with artistic direction by Sandra Guerrero «La Negra»:

• Daily screenings at 18:00, 19:30, 21:00 and 22:30, with an extra screening at 16:30 during peak season.
• 60 minutes of show, without an interval.
• 8 artists on stage; the standard line-up includes guitar, singing, percussion and dancing.
• Tickets from €28 and free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
• Bar with cocktails, Sherry wines and Iberian tapas.
• 4.9/5 rating with over 11,000 reviews on Google and TripAdvisor.

Check times and prices and book your ticket