Spanish Dances article by Tanya, a dancer who lives in Spain.
The warm, cheerful, and picturesque streets of Spain contain many wonders for anyone who wants to visit them. There is a very rich and diverse culture, and you can get to know so much of this by seeing these traditional Spanish dances – as we’ll introduce you to now.
List of top 10 Spanish dances:
If you have had the opportunity to walk through Seville, Madrid and Barcelona, you have surely seen the famous Tablaos that offer Flamenco shows. But there are so many other beautiful Spanish dances, as we’ll cover in this article, from the Gypsy communities of the south to the Celtic costumes of Galicia.
1. Sevillanas
Previously called “Seguidillas”, they are a dance (and a music style) that’s typical of Andalusia, mainly in Seville, Cadiz, and Huelva. Sevillanas are danced in pairs, and they have a very festive nature.
This Spanish dance originated from La Mancha, but when it came in contact with Andalusian music, it became ‘flamencoized’, and movements from the Bolero dance were added; so it’s not strictly a Flamenco branch but a proper, individual classical dance.
The Sevillanas are an emblem of the famous Feria de Sevilla and of the pilgrimages of Huelva, in festivities like Virgen de la Cabeza (in Jaén).
2. Sardana
The origins of this dance are still uncertain and not really traceable. Some say that Sardanas are as old as the ancient Roman times, but most seem to agree that it was spread in Catalan regions like Roselló and Empordà during the 19th century. This dance, as time passed, became a symbol of the Catalan identity, step by step.
It is a Spanish dance performed in alternating circles of dancing women and men who hold hands and dance to a Cobla, a live band of eleven musicians. This dance, like Sevillanas, is performed during celebrations and public gatherings.
3. Paso Doble
Paso Doble is one of the most popular Spainish dances. At its true origin, even though is it is actually French, was a fast-paced march used by the infantry troops of the Spanish military, and goes by 120 steps per minute (which is the double of the standard unit, thus its name of “double step”). The pace is based on the movement and rhythm of a bullfight.
The military march was responsible for the origin of the modern Spanish dance that was used in 18th-century comedies and ballroom dances, often performed in pairs of one woman and one man, him symbolizing the bullfighter (el matador). In our modern times, it’s also a musical genre that has instruments and voices, as well as a version of instrumental music used during bullfights.
4. Fandango
If you are into dance, you have probably heard of this name at least once. Its origin is not actually as a Spanish dance, and according to the Diccionario de Autoridades of 1732, during that time, it was a “dance introduced by those who had visited the kingdoms of the Indias”, thus implying that its real origin is from Hispano-America.
By the 19th century, the Fandango embraced many aspects of the Andalusian Fandangos, and gave origin to the “fandango aflamencao” nowadays considered one the most elemental flamenco palos. This dance has more variations than any other flamenco dance. It’s a big part of the traditions of the Basque Country, Asturias, Valencia, Catalonia, and Portugal too.
This dance is fast-paced and is performed by couples. It has some similarities to boleros, and it’s usually danced with castanets, guitars, and hand-clapping, which makes it a very lively and festive performance.
5. Muñeira
The Muñeira (Galician for “miller”) originates from Galicia and is often danced there and other Spanish autonomous communities like Asturias, and Castilla y León (which borders Galicia). In other regions of the country, this dance is called “Gallegada”.
The Muñeira is an example of the Celtic influence on the local culture of Spain, and the most evident parallel with Celtic music is a type of bagpipe called gaita, used to perform the accompanying music. The rest of the instruments are tamborils, bass drums, tambourines, conchas and charrascos.
Apparently, there is no documentation of this dance that goes prior to the 16th century, and nowadays it is an instrumental dance. The name makes reference to the working days in the mills and the spare time that went with the waiting for the milling.
6. Bolero
The origin of Bolero traces back to Cuba, but it is also a very popular dance in Spain. It emerged from the Sevillana and La Contradanza during the crepuscule of the 18th and the early 19th century, more specifically during the years of 1750 and 1772, and became a very popular dance in Murcia, Madrid, Andalusia, and La Mancha.
It has a moderate slow tempo (thus, it is moderately paced) and it is usually performed as solo or with a partner, accompanied by castanets, guitars, and lyrics from the Seguidilla. It has somewhat fallen out of fashion but still holds a very important place in the history of Spanish dances.
7. Zambra
The Zambra (a word that comes from the Arabic Hispanic term “zámra” and “zamr” from classic Arabic and which means “tocata”) is a palo flamenco that originated from the gypsies of Granada in Andalusia, and it was performed at gypsy weddings. There’s the belief that Zambra is a continuation of Moorish dances, as it holds similarities with Arabian belly dance.
This is danced barefoot, with the dancer revealing her stomach by knotting her blouse under her chest. It was prohibited in Spain during the 16th century due to political reasons because Philip II wanted to wipe out traces of culture that didn’t belong to the Catholic religion. It was danced in clandestinity and taken back during the 20th and 21st centuries by known dancers such as Lola Flores.
Gypsies are still dancing it, for them and even for the tourists in the caves of Almeria and the Caves of the Sacromonte Hill in Granada.
8. Zarzuela
La Zarzuela is not precisely a dance style. It is a genre that mixes sung and spoken scenes while incorporating popular and opera-like songs, as well as dancing. A lyrical performance, if you’d like. The etymology of the word is said to come from the Palace of Zarzuela near Madrid, as the entertainment type presented to the court was of a similar fashion to that of the Zarzuela.
It’s traced back to the 17th century and became popular during the 19th century because of the Zarzuela Theatre (located in Madrid) and the work of Francisco Barbieri, a a Spanish composer and musicologist. The Zarzuela fell out of grace during the civil war and was retaken during the decade of the 50’s to the 60’s. It is still being performed nowadays across all of Spain.
Watch an hour long Zarzuela performance – it really is quite the spectacle.
9. Jota
The Jota is a music genre and a dance style as well. It originated in Aragon and has different versions according to the region it is performed like Asturias, La Rioja, Eastern Andalusia, León, and many others, reflecting the local culture of each place.
The Aragonese Jota can be dated back to the 18th century and became more popular during the 19th century, which gave laboriously choreographed versions for festivals, movies, zarzuelas, and contests.
In is purest forms, this dance is kind of complex, as it has small jumps and rapid foot movements. It also is a visual representation, thus accompanied by singers, castanets and the dancers usually wear regional costumes. The most original and pure form of this dance is still found in places like Zaragoza, Andorra, Calanda, and Albacete.
10. Flamenco
And last but not least, we have Flamenco, the heart of the most famous cultural export of Spanish Heritage. This is more than a dance style, it’s actually more of an art form, to the point of being given recognition by the UNESCO as part of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage.
Flamenco comes from a myriad of folkloric traditions from Southern Spain, and it was made and developed by the Gypsies of Andalusia, and was present in Murcia and Extremadura.
The Romani Gypsies made a significant contribution to the professionalization of Flamenco, but the unique Andalusian style has contributions by both non-gypsy and gypsy heritages. The oldest record of Flamenco music traces back to the book of Las Cartas Marruecas by José Cadalso in 1774.
Flamenco was originally a form of political protest, and that is the origin of the famous tablaos. Franco Spanishized it by taking it away from the gypsies, prohibiting its lyrics, dance form, and giving it a different tinge to the original. However, the indelible mark of the gypsies could never be eliminated, and although it is one of the best know Spanish dances, it is recognized and known today that it has gypsy and Arab origins.
