Spanish doubles. The most famous Spanish dance: name. List and types of Spanish dances. What are Spanish dances famous for?

What is the most beautiful Spanish dance? The name of the best manifestation of the plasticity and grace of this southern country excites many fans of this genre of art today. Let’s admit right away that there is no consensus on which dance is the best. In this article we will look at the most popular and well-known of them.

What are Spanish dances famous for?

Spanish dance has many names. The most popular are flamenco, bolero, cachucha, muneira, sarabande, sardana, segdilla, joca and fondago. In order to master them, you need to be Spanish at heart, all dance teachers say.

All of them capture at first sight anyone who is present in the hall or on the dance floor. This is beauty, passion, grace and refined technique. All this has fascinated viewers for several centuries. Moreover, each of the Spanish dances, the names of which you will see in this article, is unique and inimitable.

Khota

Most people can well imagine a Spanish dance with castanets. Only a few will remember its name. This is hota.

This is a paired Spanish national dance that appeared at the very end of the 18th century in the autonomy of Aragon, and a little later spread throughout the country.

How the khota is danced depends on the region in which the aspiring stage master studied. So, there is a classic jota from Aragon, as well as Catalan, officially recognized by the government of this autonomy, Castilla, and Philippine.

All these varieties have one thing in common. The dance is performed without fail in traditional national costumes, and the dancers have castanets in their hands. All this is accompanied by singing. Vocal themes can vary, but most are somehow related to love. Religion and even politics may also be mentioned.

In some Spanish regions, the jota is traditionally danced at funerals, right during the funeral procession.

The musical accompaniment also varies. These could be guitars, drums or lutes. In the province of Galicia they even use bagpipes.

Bolero

The Spanish dance, whose name is bolero, appeared in the second half of the 18th century.

Moreover, unlike most other dances that are considered folk, it has a specific author. Folk art researcher Juan Antonio de Zamacola claimed that the author of the bolero was a dancer from La Mancha (the birthplace of Don Quixote) Sebastian Cerezo. This happened in 1780.

True, modern research believes that the bolero appeared a little earlier. Around 1773. The dance was first performed in a performance by Ramon de la Cruz called "A Decent Hotel."

The characteristics of the Spanish national dance bolero fit into three components - passion, brightness and rhythm. The dance is performed to the accompaniment of drums and guitar. The rhythmic pattern, as in the case of the jota, is complemented by castanets.

Cachucha

Unlike all previously described dances, cachucha is performed solo. Literally translated from Spanish, this word means “small boat.”

The names of the Spanish dances, the list of which is in this article, are easy to remember. Cachucha appeared in Andalusia, somewhat similar to the bolero we are already familiar with. It is also very popular in Cuba and in another Spanish province - Cadiz.

This is a solo dance performed by both women and men. Only alone. As a rule, the performance is accompanied by the clatter of castanets, stamping of heels and rhythmic clapping of hands.

In the 19th century it was one of the most beloved dances and was regularly performed on major European stages. It began to be often used in ballet. For example, Jean Coralli in The Lame Demon. In more recent times, the cachucha was performed by such famous dancers as Anna Pavlova and Lucille Gran.

Muneira

Spanish folk dances, the names of which you now know, cannot be imagined without muneira. This dance originated in Galicia.

It must be performed with hands raised up. The name of the Spanish stage dance movements in muneira is pas. This is a special dance step.

Dancers take to the stage in traditional national costumes. They are accompanied by a tambourine, bagpipes or small drum. As a rule, muneira is accompanied by Spanish folk songs.

Muneiro is considered one of the most ancient Spanish dances. According to some sources, it was borrowed from the Iberians who lived on the territory of modern Spain BC. This version is supported by the traditional cry of the aturucho, which accompanies the muneiro. It is clearly of Celtic origin, with similar words used by the Celts to run to attack.

However, according to official sources, the dance appeared only in the 16th century. According to some studies, the dance was initially extremely popular among millers, since its name is literally translated from Spanish as “mill.” According to other sources, it got its name from the fact that young people often gathered around the mill to dance and relax.

It is noteworthy that this is a universal dance. It is performed both on holidays and on weekdays, for example at an after-work party.

Researchers distinguish two types of muneira. The old one, which is necessarily accompanied by singing and playing the tambourine, and the new one, which is characterized by a prelude and instrumental accompaniment.

Sarabande

Sarabande is another old Spanish dance, known since the 16th century. It is distinguished by dark and harsh music, which is performed at a leisurely and even slow pace.

Initially, the sarabande appeared as a seduction dance, in which castanets were used, and the partner was hugged as openly as possible. The Catholic Church has repeatedly tried to ban it. Because of this, society began to rethink the dance, which inevitably reduced its popularity.

By the 18th century, the sarabande had become so chaste that it was even performed at funerals. For these cases, the music is specially remade in a minor key. At the same time, in Europe, the sarabande became a ballroom dance, which lost its popularity by the 19th century.

Fandango

Fandango is another folk dance performed to the accompaniment of guitar and castanets. A song, usually of lyrical content, is also required.

This dance appeared in the 17th century in Andalusia and Extremadura. Soon its popularity reached Catalonia, and from there it moved to Portugal and overseas - to America.

It has been proven that at the beginning of the 19th century, the classical Argentine flamenco dance adopted some features of fandango from Andalusia and was no longer the same. Now there is even a separate style - fandango in the flamenco style.

Fandango was often used in classical works. In particular, Domenico Scarlatti, Antonio Soler, Christoph Gluck, Wolfgang Mozart, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Isaac Albeniz, Enrique Granados, Manuel de Falla, Luigi Boccherini, Carl Bach.

Seguidilla

Seguidilla is a Spanish folk dance that is always accompanied by songs. It arose at the turn of the XV-XVI centuries.

The musical accompaniment is always in major modes, but sometimes it can alternate with minor modes. It is performed cheerfully and lively. The songs have a love or humorous content. The accompanying instruments are guitars, lutes, mandolins and, of course, castanets. Almost no Spanish dance can do without them.

Seguidilla is danced in couples who mix from time to time. This is a classic dance that has been performed for centuries to celebrate the successful harvest of a bountiful harvest.

Spanish dances are widely popular all over the world. Their names are known to many. At the same time, few people thought about where they originated. But people knew the names of Spanish dances (the list is given below) back in ancient times. Even dance forms that existed during the Hellenistic era have survived to this day.

general information

For many millennia, Spain was known as Iberia. Its first inhabitants were characterized by a very diverse ethnic composition, which made the Spanish names of which are very sonorous, so unique and diverse. The art of dance was largely influenced by the Celts who lived in Iberia in the year 500, as well as by the Moors, who occupied Spain for seven hundred years.

Even greater diversity in the ethnic composition was brought by Jewish immigrants and Indian and Pakistani gypsies who arrived in Spanish lands after its conquest by Castile. The combination of ethnic forms and new immigrant cultures in art led to the emergence of extraordinary Spanish dances. Their names are familiar today. The dance has unique features in accordance with the region where it originated. This is not surprising, because each region of Spain has its own cultural roots and specific characteristics.

Spanish dances: names

Historically, the most temperamental and passionate women and men live in Andalusia and others. They know how to love passionately, without looking back, and to suffer bitterly. Such uncontrollable passion brought everyone’s favorite Spanish dances to the world. Names such as flamenco, bolero, paso doble are on everyone’s lips today. Undoubtedly, these dances are the most emotional in the world. They combine the rhythms of castanets, southern temperament, guitar sounds, and the refined movements of stately brunettes and brunettes.

Not everyone knows that Spanish dances include many stylistic incarnations and varieties. Let's consider individual types.

Flamenco

If you ask any person to say the name of the famous Spanish dance, with almost one hundred percent probability he will say the word “flamenco”. And indeed it is. This most popular dance throughout the world originated in the lands of Andalusia when gypsies arrived there in the fifteenth century. It was they who formed a special dance caste.

There are many theories as to why flamenco got its name. Some consider it synonymous with the word “gitano”, which is translated from Spanish slang as “gypsy”. Others identify the origin of the term with the Flemish soldiers who guarded the Spanish-Belgian territories. They wore special clothes that emphasized ostentatious pride and self-confidence. The same qualities were inherent in the character of the gypsies.

Thus, it is impossible to reliably know where the name of the famous Spanish dance - flamenco - came from. But if we study all the available sources, they will lead us to Seville, Cadiz and Jerez. In general, flamenco includes two schools: Castilian and Andalusian. The first is characterized by poorer and drier postures and movements. The second one is somewhat pretentious.

Gypsies say that flamenco expresses their soul. Now this dance is popular not only in Spain, but throughout the world. It is probably even a mistake to position it as exclusively Spanish or Gypsy - this is a unique combination of dance forms of all the peoples who lived in Spain throughout its history.

Fandango

This Spanish dance, whose name comes from a Portuguese folk song, originated in the Huelva region. The development of fandango was significantly influenced by flamenco. It is based on the rotations and figures typical of courtship dance. In the provinces of Andalusia, different variations of the fandango are now popular, but only the special features of the old style, which originated in Huelva, make this dance unsurpassed. However, it must be said that fandango is little known outside of Spain.

Paso Doble

This dance actually originated in the south of France, but its movements, drama and sound reflect bullfighting - a Spanish bullfight. The word "paso doble" is translated from Spanish as "double step." The dance is based on music that plays when the bullfighters enter the arena, or immediately before the bull is killed. The Paso Doble is characterized by speed of movement - it consists of turns and steps. Currently, the Latin American dance program cannot do without it.

Bolero

This is the national dance of Spain, whose ancestor is a court dancer named Sebastian Cerezo. He came up with it back in 1780 for his French ballet. The basis was taken from dance forms from Morocco. Bolero can be called one of the oldest “school” dances. Presumably its name comes from the Spanish verb “volar”, which translates as “to fly”. This is due to the fact that during the performance of the bolero it feels as if the dancers are floating in the air.

Since the eighteenth century, many dance compositions have been created. A guitar is used as accompaniment. This national dance is one of the favorites of the Spanish people. Thanks to his interesting dance steps and beautiful rhythms, he became famous all over the world.

The bolero can be performed by one pair of men and women or by several pairs at once. There is a dance option in the form of a quadrille.

Sarabande

This dance has been known in Spain since the twelfth century. At one time she even insisted on its ban, since during the performance some explicit movements were used, the grace and curves of the female body were too openly demonstrated. The songs to which the sarabande was sung were also considered indecent. Then a conscious rethinking of the dance began, as a result of which it became more solemn and serious. They even began to perform it at funerals, and the music was written to order in a minor mode.

All this led to the fact that in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, an ennobled version of the sarabande spread throughout the country as a ballroom dance. However, by the mid-eighteenth century it had lost its popularity.

Ethnic dances

In general, the first dances that appeared in Spain were based on the theme of magic. They were based on a variety of religious rituals that were inextricably linked with the cycles of nature. For example, witch dance has been popular since pagan times. Its name is Sorgin Dantza. In addition, the Basques have a sword dance that symbolizes the arrival of spring - the Galicians. These people are also known for their martial dance art. These dances involve two competing dancers using sticks or swords. Their jumps look exciting and grandiose.

Folk dancing in a circle is popular in Spain and involves both men and women. People stand in a circle, hold hands and perform certain steps synchronously. There is the Catalan Sardana dance, when men and women also stand in a circle, take their neighbors’ hands, lift them up and begin to move in slow steps.

Each Spanish dance represents the history of its people and shows the color and individuality of its soul.

Couple dance is a dance performed by two partners, usually a man and a woman, as opposed to solo and group dance. As a rule, partners remain together for the duration of the dance and, if several couples participate in the dance at the same time ... Wikipedia

couples dance- gentleman. lady. | engage. sherochka with masherochka (joke). ball. evening of dancing. dance night. dance (colloquial). disco. dancing... Ideographic Dictionary of the Russian Language

DANCE- From ancient times to the present day, people dance on holidays or simply on free evenings, having fun at ease or participating in a solemn ceremony. Many centuries ago, dances could be seen in rural squares, where peasants... ... Musical dictionary

DANCE- rhythmic, expressive body movements, usually arranged in a specific composition and performed with musical accompaniment. Dance is perhaps the oldest of the arts: it reflects the human need that dates back to the earliest times... ... Collier's Encyclopedia

dance- inspired (Polonsky); wild (Gorodetsky); unbridled (Serafimovich); joyful (Serafimovich); measuredly joyful (Bryusov) Epithets of literary Russian speech. M: Supplier of His Majesty's court, the Quick Printing Association A. A. Levenson. A. L... Dictionary of epithets

Erotic dance- a type of art in which the means of creating an artistic image are body movements of an erotic nature, the dancer’s gestures and the position of his body. Humans have always had a need for plasticity of movements, including... ... Sexological encyclopedia

Kaylee (dance)- Keighley is a general term for traditional group dances in Ireland and Scotland, and more generally for the music for these dances and the parties at which these dances are danced. The original meaning of the word Kaylee ... ... Wikipedia

Lezginka (dance)- Check neutrality. There should be details on the talk page... Wikipedia

Duet dance- DUET DANCE (duet), pair dance of a dancer and a dancer. It can be part of a performance or an independent act. At the beginning of the development of ballet dance, any pair dance was called pas de deux. OK. ser. 19th century pas de deux takes more... ... Ballet. Encyclopedia

Habanera (dance)- This term has other meanings, see Habanera. HABANERA (from the name of the city of La Habana Havana) is a Cuban dance, which in its rhythm is close to tango. General information Size 2 beats (2/4), tempo moderate or moderate... ... Wikipedia

BOLERO (dance)- BOLERO (Spanish bolero), Spanish couples dance. Musical time signature: 3/4. The pace is moderate. Accompanied by guitar, drum and castanets, singing of the dancers. The bolero genre is reflected in the works of many composers (M. Ravel (see Maurice RAVEL) and ... encyclopedic Dictionary

Books

• Pair Dance, Franziska Woodworth. Elya did not think that dancing at a charity evening would lead her to marriage. This is how you wake up in the morning, and your photo is on all TV channels. The prince is looking for Cinderella who conquered him! It’s just a pity that... Buy for 417 UAH (Ukraine only)
• Tango of the Old Guard, Arturo Perez-Reverte. A young beautiful couple, seized by passion, dances tango in the quiet interior of a ship gliding on the night sea. It all happens in 1928, when the young and charming dancer Max and the exquisite...