What are our expectations of Flamenco? We know of the traditional view of the dance which is that of a culturally rich dance originating in Southern Spain with many influences from Moorish and gypsy culture.

Flamenco has many different areas of interest from music and performance to fashion and its origins. So where can we start with what we write about Flamenco? As a dance it can interest many different demographics and people as they can take an interest in many different accessories.

On the musical side there is the Spanish Guitar and the repertoire that it brings. Here there is the possibility of many different products such as the guitars, music, CDs and sheet music.

Flamenco will be most widely known for its fashion as the dresses worn by the dancers and sometimes the male performers are something that can be made to appeal to everyone. The dresses and costumes are normally made to be brightly coloured with different sequins and patterns, the dress normally goes wider at the shoulders going on to narrow around the hips and then flaring out at the leg. This colour and variety will allow many different people to buy a dress and there is also the possibility of having a dress tailored to your specific tastes and needs, whether you are a performer or just a fan.

After the dress there come accessories that go with it. These are often elaborate shoes and hair clips or necklaces. Like the dresses these items can change and be as elaborate or simple as desired by the customer and again many vendors will give a huge range and choice.

For the male performer outfits may be a bit more traditional with a simple shirt and trousers arrangement this goes even further for more basic flamenco performances were the male performer may only be in a vest top and a pair of trousers giving more emphasis to the female dancer.

The actual performance of Flamenco has changed a lot over the years. The dance and the music are essentially quite similar but the scale and setting of the performance have undergone huge transformations. Flamenco is now available on the world stage being performed in many global theatres reaching an audience of millions as many different performances and styles are witnessed and enjoyed. This is a big development from the first performances of Flamenco which often took place in small rooms or even on street corners, these cantantes were very popular within the local community and provide a popular social point for many, many people.

So now we know that we can all have our own individual flamenco experience through buying the clothes, learning the music and going to see a large scale live performance but are we really getting a genuine feel for flamenco? To fully achieve this you have to go into the heart of an Andalusian city such as Seville or Granada during a ‘feria’, large street party to catch the true essence of a Flamenco performance.