Andalusia - The History

Walking down the street of any Andalusian street, you might be surprised at the diversity that is presented in the faces of the locals. You might see a mix of cultures, traditions and genes all bound together into one common denominator; that is the Spanish identity, or more specifically, the Andalusian identity. Spain has long been known to be a mixture of different worlds, but it is in Andalusia that this is seen at is most prominent. The southern region of Spain is best known for its diversity in and harmonization of three very distinct cultures and religions - Jewish, Muslim, and Catholic. 

As a true history buff, I must point out that Spain has been unfortunate enough to be one of the continent's most conquered regions; from the Romans, to the Moors, to the Muslims and the Arab, it is easy to see the impact that these peoples have had on the this  much invaded corner of Europe. 

After seven centuries of fighting the Muslim invasion of the Iberian Peninsula, Christians drove the Muslims from their last vestige in Granada. They attempted to secure the region by expelling Moors, Berbers and Jews from Spain. In what would today be called ethnic cleansing, and replaced the former conquerors with immigrants from northern Spain but overlooked the Gypsies who had moved into the country during the Middle Ages. It is thanks to this oversight that we are now able to the enjoy the wonderful art form that is known all around the world, as Flamenco.

Flamenco is a dance form that is associated with Spain, but in truth, actually originated in Andalusia. Although not gypsy in origin, flamenco was, and continues to be, heavily influenced by these people. The actual dance form is inspired by many different origins, such as Jewish, Byzantine, Hindu, as seen in the hand movements as well in the hips, and after the colonization of the Americas, even latin as well. Traditionally, it has been passed down within families for  many generations, and like any art, continues to evolve, with different fashion styles as well as routines.


Flamenco has three distinct expressions that some together to form what is flamenco. The first one is "El Toque" - touch. this includes mainly the guitar, but also is used in ccordance to rhythm and the beats and taps that they produce in order to enhance the performance. the second element is "El Canto" - song, which, as its name implies, is the sound and song that is sung during the dnace. The last and most important expressions is of course, "El Baile" - Dance. Without this, Flamenco is nothing, and this is the heart of flamenco.


Flamenco has over a dozen different forms of expressive forms, and varies according to the mood and emotion that the dancer wants to portray, whether its happpiness, to sensuality, to even death and mourning. Flamenco has evolved to express all kinds of moments in everyday life, and at its core, tells a story though passion, strength, and precision.