What is "flamenco"

flamenco \flamenco\ n.

1. a strongly rhythmic and vigorous style of dancing characteristic of the Andalusian gypsies, characterized by clapping and stamping of feet.

   Syn: gypsy dancing.

2. (Mus.) a strongly rhythmic style of music originating in southern Spain, often improvisatorial, performed by itself, often on a guitar, or as an accompaniment to flamenco dancing.

1882, from Spanish flamenco, first used of Gypsy dancing in Andalusia. The word in Spanish meant "a Fleming, native of Flanders" (Dutch Vlaming) and also " flamingo." Speculation are varied and colorful about the connection between the bird, the people, and the gypsy dance of Andalusia.\n

\nSpain ruled Flanders for many years in 16c., and King Carlos I brought with him to Madrid an entire Flemish court. One etymology suggests the dance was so called from the bright costumes and energetic movements, which the Spanish associated with Flanders; another is that Spaniards, especially Andalusians, like to name things by their opposites, and because the Flemish were tall and blond and the gypsies short and dark, the gypsies were called "Flemish;" others hold that flamenco was the general Spanish word for all foreigners, gypsies included; or that Flemish noblemen, bored with court life, took to slumming among the gypsies.

n. 1 (context uncountable English) A genre of folk music and dance native to Andalusia, in Spain. 2 (context countable English) A song or dance performed in such a style.

1. n. guitar music composed for dancing the flamenco

2. a style of dancing characteristic of the Andalusian gypsies; vigorous and rhythmic with clapping and stamping of feet [syn: gypsy dancing]

Flamenco is an artform native to the Spanish regions of Andalusia, Extremadura and Murcia. It includes cante (singing), toque (guitar playing), baile (dance), jaleo (vocalizations), palmas (handclapping) and pitos (finger snapping).

First mentioned in literature in 1774, the genre originates in Andalusian music and dance styles. Flamenco is strongly associated with the gitanos (Romani people of Spain)—however, unlike Romani music of eastern Europe, the style is distinctively Andalusian and the fusion of the various cultures of southern Spain is clearly perceptible in Flamenco music. Although there are many theories on its influences and origins, the most widespread highlights a Morisco heritage, the ethnic and cultural melting pot that was Andalusia during the early modern period (locals, Moors, Castilian settlers, Romanis, Jews etc..) fostering its development over time. Flamenco music, as a theatrical representation of Andalusian musical tradition, was first recorded in the late 18th century but the genre underwent a dramatic development in the late 19th century.

In recent years, flamenco has become popular all over the world and is taught in many non-Hispanic countries, especially United States and Japan. In Japan, there are more flamenco academies than there are in Spain. On November 16, 2010, UNESCO declared flamenco one of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

Flamenco is a 1995 Spanish documentary film directed by Carlos Saura with camerawork by cinematographer Vittorio Storaro. The film is entirely musical and dancing vignettes, composed and photographed on a sound stage.

Flamenco is a 1952 Spanish documentary film directed by Edgar Neville. It was entered into the 1953 Cannes Film Festival.

Flamenco is a variety of accompanied dance native to Spain.

See Flamenco guitar for the musical instrument and style.

Flamenco may also refer to:

Flamenco, also known as Ballerina Obelisk, is a cultivar of domesticated apple that bears apples good for eating fresh, and is grown for its unusual ornamental properties. The tree grows in a straight up columnar style, with many small fruit-bearing branches. 'Flamenco' is one of a series of apple tree cultivars that share a registered trademark under the name Ballerina.

Flamenco was developed in Kent, England, between the years 1950 - 1999 by the East Malling Research Station, when they crossed a hybrid of the English Cox's Orange Pippin and the French Court Pendu Plat with the " Wijcik McIntosh", which itself is a columnar mutation

• Selecting dwarf apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.) trees in vitro of the Canadian McIntosh apple.

The apple itself is very good for fresh eating, having a sharper style flavor like the Cox's Orange Pippin, it harvests at late season, and keeps fresh about one or two months. It is a very attractive tree, but needs good gardening skills and is susceptible to many apple diseases.