By Craig Davis, craigslegztravels.com
To experience the cultural heartbeat of Spain, attending a flamenco show is a must.
Seeing shows in Granada and Barcelona provided some of the most memorable moments of a recent trip around Spain.
Read on for details — similarities and differences — about the two shows. But first, a bit about the allure of flamenco.
What stood out at both shows, it was easy to appreciate that Flamenco is more than entertainment. For the performers, flamenco is the heartbeat of life.
The pride in their craft was palpable and relatable. Their energy and enthusiasm creates a magnetism that sweeps the audience away for a most invigorating ride.
If you haven’t seen a flamenco show, think very passionate tap dancing.
There is more to it than that, with a style of singing that is highly emotional, often mournful, driven by rhythmic hand clapping and rapid-paced Spanish guitar strumming.
Carlos Velazquez gave an intense and theatrical performance at Tablao Flamenco Cordobes in Barcelona. Velazquez began learning Flamenco when he was 5 and has danced in major cities throughout the world. (Craig Davis, craigslegztravels.com)Where to find the best flamenco shows
The most common question about flamenco on Internet forums is where to go to see the most authentic shows? The answer is the Andalusian region of southern Spain, because that’s where the art form originated.
Flamenco is the spice to the cultural sauce of Andalusia.
Just as country music is to Nashville , Tennessee.
Similarly, flamenco is folkloric and regionalized. Andalusia — particularly the cities of Seville , Granada, Cordoba, Malaga — is the heartland of flamenco. Away from Andalusia, metropolitan giants of Madrid and Barcelona also attract top performers from the south because the pay is top notch.
Roots of Flamenco in the Sacromonte caves
The deeply rooted tradition of flamenco can be found in the hillside neighborhood of Sacromonte just north of Granada. Roma gypsies settled there in the 16th century in cave dwellings carved into the wall of cliffs.
They developed the zambra style of flamenco, believed to have been inspired by the singing and dancing at Moorish weddings.
Traditional flamenco shows are still performed in some caves of Sacromonte. The late Anthony Bourdain visited Zambra Maria La Canasterain, one of the oldest flamenco clubs, for a 2013 episode of “Parts Unknown.”
The folk history and traditions of this unique area can be found at the Sacromonte Caves Museum. It includes a cave dedicated to the origin of zambra flamenco.
Flamenco in Granada: Tablao La Soleá
We didn’t visit the Sacromonte caves, but we got our introduction to Andalusian flamenco in this cave-like venue in a restaurant tucked inside the city’s bull fighting ring.
Tablao La Soleá is generally rated among the top ten flamenco shows in Granada. The dark, cozy setting made us feel almost part of the show as we were immersed in the various elements of flamenco.
The guitarist provides the emotional energy with rhythmic strumming and melodic flourishes at the Tablao La Soleá flamenco show in Granada. (Craig Davis, craigslegztravels.com)
They are: cante (singing), baile (the dance), guitarra (guitar), palmas (rhythmic hand clapping) and jaleo (shouts of encouragement to inspire the performers and lend energy to the performance).
Most attention is focused on whichever dancer commands the stage. The music propels the passion of the dance, expressed through stylistic poses, fluid movements and spins. The dancers’ footwork, known as zapateado, gives a driving beat of percussion through rhythmic and intricate tapping.
But each person on stage plays an important role. The palmas, for instance, not only supplies rhythmic accompaniment, but also contributes greatly to the emotional element with expressive clapping that can be varied to convey a range of feelings from joy and celebration to sadness and introspection.
In flamenco, the palmas not only supplies rhythmic accompaniment, but also contributes greatly to the emotional element of the music and dance. Pencil sketch by Fran Davis of a palmera during a flamenco show at Tablao La Soleá in Granada, Spain. (craigslegztravels.com)
Fran Davis captured a palmera at an introspective moment during the La Soleá show in the pencil drawing above.
It is all very intense and riveting. Especially with the audience clustered as close to the stage as possible, elevating every nuance of expression by the performers. It feels like being on stage with them. And they do feed off the spontaneous applause and periodic shouts of “Ole!”
Three dancers took turns during the 45-minute show at Tablao La Soleá. The featured female dancer stood out as highly skilled. The smoothness of her transitions and command of each aspect of her performance was captivating. The male lead offered a contrast to her finesse through the power and urgency of his dance.
Flamenco in Barcelona: Tablao Cordobes
A few nights after Granada we had a chance to make our own comparisons after attending one of the most popular venues in Barcelona, Tablao Flamenco Cordobes. The Cantalonian capital is outside the cradle of flamenco, but draws premier performers from the south.
Some shows in Barcelona are regarded as touristy, that is, empathizing commercial appeal to visitors over traditional than traditional.
Veteran dancer Carlos Velazquez, performing at Tablao Flamenco Cordobes in Barcelona, has performed in major cities throughout the world.
Although Tablao Flamenco Cordobes is generally considered a touristy show — it is situated in the heart of La Rambla, the most visited part of Barcelona — it ranks No. 1 on most lists of the city’s best flamenco shows. The venue has been known for high-energy flamenco shows since 1970 when founded by Luis Adame and Irene Alba, who are regarded as legends of flamenco. It draws locals knowledgeable about the art form as well as tourists.
Numerous performers prominent in the industry have contributed to the reputation of the tablao. We saw several current stars in a high-octane show that was as entertaining as any display of music and dance that I’ve seen anywhere.
Carlos Velazquez studied under masters and has performed throughout Spain and, according to his resume, in Moscow, United States, Mexico, England, England, Germany, Italy, Israel, Japan, China and Taiwan.
He has the look of a theatrical pirate, a dancing Jack Sparrow. Seated at center stage in the second row, we had a close look at every nuance of expression as Velazquez into a frenzy until sweat cascaded off his nose.
Whew!
The two female dancers (shown in the video above) were similarly captivating. Christina Soler, from Granada, has been dancing since she was 3 and currently performs with several flamenco companies. Susana Escoda, a Barcelona native, got her start at Tablao Cordobes in the early ’90s and toured throughout Europe and Japan.
When each of them took the stage, it was apparent we were watching highly trained performers — as was also the case at Tablao La Soleá in Granada — who project a passion that can only come from an emotional attachment to their art.
It wasn’t just the dancers. There were three singers and two guitarists, and each commanded the stage in their turn.
It was fabuloso.
The audience at Tablao Cordobes isn’t permitted to take photos or videos until the encores at the end of the show. So accompanying videos don’t reflect the performance at its peak.
The show lasted about an hour and was over too soon. Whenever we return to Spain there will be a flamenco show on the itinerary, whether in Barcelona, Madrid or most anywhere in Andalusia.
Christina Soler performs at Tablao Flamenco Cordobes in Barcelona, a popular venue known for high-energy flamenco and renowned artists since 1970. An optional buffet dinner is offered. (Fran Davis, craigslegztravels.com)
About Tablao Flamenco Cordobes in Barcelona:
Prices start at $55 a person for the show and a drink. To make it a full Saturday evening out in Barcelona, we opted for the buffet dinner with drinks and flamenco show for $94 apiece.
The buffet dinner generally gets mediocre reviews. The food was average but ample. We enjoyed the dining room, which was very Spanish, as well as the clack of the dancers performing the earlier show in the adjoining theater while we ate. It was a unique experience.
Note that it is a short walk from La Rambla to the Gothic Quarter where there are numerous restaurants for dining before the show. But if you are visiting Barcelona and want to see what flamenco is about, Tablao Cordobes (La Rambla, 35, 08002 Barcelona Spain) will provide a memorable experience and may leave you hungry for more.
About Tablao La Soleá in Granada:
Flamenco shows at Tablao La Soleá flamenco is performed in a cozy, cave-like setting inside a restaurant in Granada’s bull fight ring. Fran Davis, craigslegztravels.com)We saw a matinee show and did not eat in the restaurant. In the evenings they have two flamenco performances, offering the show with a drink for $34, show and tapas for $62, or show with complete dinner for $74.
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