Flamenco pair dance. Flamenco - passionate Spanish dance to the sound of a guitar

Flamenco is a Spanish musical style that combines singing (usually few words in songs), dancing and musical accompaniment (usually danced to a guitar, clapping and heels performed at a predetermined tempo).

What is flamenco?

Today, Spanish flamenco dance is very popular. Many true connoisseurs of flamenco have come up with many branches and varieties in its style.
It was shaped by the rich historical heritage to which Spanish soil was exposed. Arabs, Byzantines, Hindus and Greeks, Gypsies and Spaniards have minted aspects and images of flamenco for centuries.
The history of flamenco goes back to the distant past - about 500 years ago. But special role played by the gypsies. In the 15th century they arrived on the Iberian Peninsula from Asia. Having settled in the historical region of Andalusia, the Byzantine gypsies mixed with the local population over many years.
Since the gypsies are famous for their ability to sing and dance, some of the gypsy music and dance was mixed with Spanish, which eventually grew into something similar to today's flamenco. But only 3 centuries later, a guitar was added to this style, without which today’s flamenco is unthinkable.
Spain is always open to tourists and travelers who are partial to music, dancing and singing. This country can truly amaze with its charm and charm, and ancient folklore can lure you headlong into the pool of passion and madness, because flamenco is not just a dance, it is folklore mixed with music, as well as the feelings of the dancer and his soul.

Where can you see flamenco in Spain?

Spain provides the opportunity to see a live dance performance (you can also try all the variety):

• Twice a year, the festival is called “Bienal de Flamenco” (free admission). The festival lasts 28 days. The history of this festival goes back 35 years, but it has already gained popularity in many corners of the Earth as the most luxurious and grandiose flamenco festival in Spain;
• In addition to the festival in Seville, in local tablaos (a tablao is a bar where flamenco dance is performed), you can experience flamenco at any time of the year. The most popular tablaos: Casa Anselma (starts at 24-00, daily, free entrance), Los Galos (starts at 20-00, daily, entrance 35 euros per person), Auditorio Alvarez Quintero (starts at 19-00 , daily, entrance 17 euros per person).

In other cities, Spanish flamenco dance is also popular and in demand among tourists and travelers:

• in Jerez – the festival “Fiesta de la Buleria” takes place once a year, the date must be checked on the city’s website;
• in Cadiz - you can visit the local tablaos of the city and feel the beauty of flamenco;
• in Barcelona - the autumn flamenco festival takes place in the Cordobes tablao (min. cost of admission 45 euros per person), where the best Catalan flamenco performers perform;
• in Granada - in local tablaos of the city;
• c – in the tablao Villa Rosa (min. cost - 32 euros per person), tablao Corral de la Morea (min. cost - 39 euros per person);
• in Cordoba - in local tablaos of the city.

Flamenco in the caves of Granada.

In addition to festivals and tablaos, flamenco has deep roots in , where local gypsies dance zambra in the caves of Mount Sacromonte. Granada is considered the birthplace of Zambra, as this dance originated here, in which guitar motifs are closely intertwined with singing.
Spanish gypsies in Granada have been keeping the secret of performing real flamenco for 5 centuries, which is kept secret and passed down only from parents to children.
At great desire true flamenco connoisseurs can visit Granada and the Sacromonte caves in September from anywhere globe, because today any tourist organization offers a wide range of tours and pleasant discounts for tourist groups.
While in Spain or Granada, visiting the caves and performing Spanish flamenco dance will be free.

And you say that...

The Spanish flamenco dance has become legendary over its long history, amazing stories and interesting facts. The most notable events include the following:

• almost until the end of the 19th century. the gypsies performed the dance barefoot;
• the ambassador of all Roma to the EU is the dancer J. Cortes;
• flamenco guitar made of cypress;
• the amazing sound from playing the guitar is obtained thanks to the short and strong blows of the guitarist on the strings;
• The performer usually comes up with the words of the song right away, without much preparation or pre-planned context;
• Usually the guitarist in flamenco is considered the most important link and the most revered among the entire dance group;
• almost 90% of flamenco guitarists do not know sheet music;
• There are varieties of flamenco: flamenco rock, jazz and pop;
• until the end of the 18th century, flamenco existed only in a narrow circle of gypsy families;
• Each Spanish city has its own type and form of flamenco;
• the largest festival dedicated to flamenco takes place in Seville;
• In Barcelona, ​​a restaurant and museum have been opened in honor of the dance.

Flamenco is the national Spanish dance. But this is too simple and exaggerated a definition, because flamenco is passion, fire, bright emotions and drama. It is enough to see the spectacular and expressive movements of the dancers once to forget about keeping track of time. And the music... This is a separate story... Let's not bore you - it's time to plunge into the history and specifics of this dance.

The history of flamenco: the pain of exiled peoples

The official date of birth of flamenco is 1785. It was then that Juan Ignacio Gonzalez del Castillo, a Spanish playwright, first used the word "flamenco". But these are formalities. In fact, the history of this trend goes back more than 10 centuries, during which the culture of Spain changed and developed with the participation of other nationalities. We invite you to feel the atmosphere of bygone years in order to better feel the energy and character of the dance.

Our story begins back in 711 in ancient Andalusia, located in the southern part of the Iberian Peninsula. Now it is an autonomous Spanish community, but then power on this land belonged to the Visigoths, an ancient Germanic tribe. Tired of the arbitrariness of the ruling elite, the population of Andalusia turned to Muslims for help. So the peninsula was conquered by the Moors or Arabs who came from North Africa.

For more than 700 years, the territory of ancient Spain was in the hands of the Moors. They managed to turn it into the most beautiful European country. People from all over the continent flocked here to admire the magnificent architecture, learn about science and understand the sophistication of oriental poetry.

The development of music does not stand aside either. Persian motifs begin to take over the minds of the inhabitants of Andalusia, forcing them to change their musical and dance traditions. Abu al-Hasan Ali, a Baghdad musician and poet, played a huge role in this. Art critics see in his work the first traces of flamenco and give him the right to be considered the father of Andalusian music.

In the 15th century, Christian states located in the northern part of the peninsula began to displace the Arabs. Where the Spanish Moors disappeared is a mystery that historians are not yet able to solve. Despite this, eastern culture became part of the worldview of the people who inhabited Andalusia. But for the emergence of flamenco, the suffering of another ethnic group persecuted around the world is not enough - the gypsies.

Tired of constant wandering, the gypsies came to the peninsula in 1425. These lands seemed like paradise to them, but the local authorities disliked the foreigners and persecuted them. Everything associated with gypsies was considered criminal, including dancing and music.

Bloody persecution did not prevent gypsy folklore from uniting with Eastern traditions, which by that time had already taken root among the local population of Andalusia. It is from this moment that flamenco begins to emerge - at the junction of several cultures.

Where does history take us next? To Spanish taverns and pubs. It is here that the local population begins to perform a sensual dance, attracting more and more curious eyes to it. For now, flamenco exists only for a narrow circle of people. But at about mid-19th century style goes outdoors. Street performances or fiestas are no longer complete without passionate and emotional dance moves flamenco.

And then a professional stage awaits the dance. Flamencologists note that the genre peaked in the second half of the 19th century, when the Spanish population was crazy about the work of singer Silverio Franconetti. But the age of dance was fleeting. By the end of the century, flamenco had become a common form of entertainment in the eyes of young people. The history of dance, filled with suffering and pain of various nationalities, has remained in the background.

The musician Federico García Lorca and the poet Manuel de Falla did not allow flamenco to be equated with low-grade art and to allow the genre to leave the cozy streets of Spain forever. With their easy support, the first festival of Andalusian folk singing took place in 1922, where melodies beloved by many Spaniards were played.

A year earlier, flamenco became part of Russian ballet thanks to Sergei Diaghilev. He organized a performance for the Parisian public, which helped the style spread beyond Spain.

What is flamenco now? An endless number of varieties in which you can discern features of jazz, rumba, cha-cha-cha and others dance styles. The desire to unite various cultures has not disappeared anywhere, just like the basis of flamenco - sensuality and passion.

What is flamenco?

Flamenco is an art in which equal importance belongs to three components: dance (baile), song (cante) and guitar accompaniment (tok). These parts are inseparable from each other if we are talking about a dramatic type of style.

Why exactly guitar became the main one musical instrument? Because it was played well by the gypsies, whose traditions became an integral part of Spanish culture. The flamenco guitar is very similar to the classical one, although it weighs less and looks more compact. Due to this, the sound is sharper and more rhythmic, which is what is required for real flamenco performance.

What comes first in this style, baile or cante, dance or song? Those who are barely familiar with flamenco will say that baile. In fact, the main role is played by the song, which follows clear musical rules. The dance acts as a frame. It complements the sensual component of the melody and helps retell the story through body language.

Is it difficult to learn to dance flamenco? Watching videos of girls impressively waving their arms and rhythmically clicking their heels, it seems that everything is simple. But in order to master the basic movements of the genre, a person without proper physical training will have to make efforts. The hands become very tired, and difficulties arise in maintaining balance.

What's interesting: flamenco dance is pure improvisation. The performer simply tries to keep the rhythm of the music, performing various choreographic elements. To learn to dance flamenco, you need to experience the culture of Spain.

Let's list characteristic movements, which will not allow you to confuse flamenco with any dance style:

expressive plasticity of the hands, especially the hands;

shot with heels;

sharp lunges and turns;

clapping and finger snapping, which makes the music even more rhythmic and energetic.

Interesting Facts

• There is a whole science of studying flamenco. It’s called flamencology. We owe its appearance to Gonzalez Clement, who published a book of the same name in 1955. And two years later, a flamencology department was opened in the Spanish city of Jerez de la Frontera.

The six-string guitar is the national Spanish instrument, without which flamenco performance is unthinkable.

Traditional female costume of a flamenco performer - long dress to the floor or bata de cola. Its mandatory elements are a tight-fitting bodice, many frills and flounces along the edge of the skirt and sleeves. Due to the peculiarities of the cut, spectacular movements are obtained during the dance. Doesn't remind you of anything? The clothes were borrowed from gypsies and became a symbol of femininity and attractiveness.

Flamenco is involuntarily associated with the color red. But professional dancers see this only as a national stereotype. Where did the myth of the red dance come from? From the name of the style. Translated from Latin, “flamma” means flame, fire. These concepts are invariably associated with shades of red. Parallels are also drawn with flamingos, whose name is so consonant with a passionate dance.

Another stereotype is associated with castanets. This is a percussion instrument in the form of two concave plates, which is worn on the hands. Yes, their sound can be clearly heard during the dance. Yes, dancers use them. But in traditional flamenco, girls’ hands should be free. Where did the tradition of dancing with castanets come from then? Thanks to the public, who enthusiastically accepted the use of this musical instrument.

The nature of the style largely determines the dancers' shoes. The toe and heel of the shoes are specially tacked with small nails to obtain a characteristic sound when performing the roll. It’s not for nothing that flamenco is considered a prototype tap dancers.

The Spanish city of Seville is considered one of the most significant in the development of flamenco. There is a museum dedicated to this dance here. It was opened by Cristina Hoyos, a famous dancer. This city is popular thanks to literary characters: Don Quixote And Carmen.

With the names of which dancers is flamenco associated? These are, of course, Antonia Merce i Luca, Carmen Amaya, Mercedes Ruiz and Magdalena Seda.

Popular melodies in flamenco rhythms

Como El Agua performed by Camarón de la Isla. This spanish singer with gypsy roots is considered the most famous flamenco performer, so it is impossible to ignore his work. The presented song was recorded in the early 80s of the last century and won the love of the public love lyrics and Camarón’s emotionally intense voice.

"Como El Agua" (listen)

"Macarena" or the well-known “Macarena” - another bright “representative” of the flamenco genre, although the song was initially presented as a rumba. The composition belongs to the work of the Spanish duo Los del Río, who presented it to the public in 1993. After dance music a dance of the same name arose. By the way, the title of the song is the name of the daughter of Antonio Romero, one of the members of the duet.

"Macarena" (listen)

"Entre dos aguas" is a story told through a guitar. No words, just music. Its creator is Paco de Lucia, famous guitar virtuoso in whose hands the traditional Spanish instrument began to sound especially melodic and beautiful. The composition was recorded in the 70s and does not lose relevance among fans of the genre to this day. Some admit that they became inspired by flamenco thanks to Paco’s work.

"Entre dos aguas" (listen)

"Cuando te beso" is a bright and fiery song performed by the no less bright Spaniard Niña Pastori. The woman began singing at the age of 4 and from that moment on she has not parted with music and flamenco, not being afraid to combine the genre with modern rhythms.

“Cuando te beso” (listen)

"Pokito a Poko"- one of famous compositions Spanish group Chambao. What is remarkable about their work? Its members combined flamenco with electronic music, which ensured the popularity of the trio. The presented song captivates with beautiful vocals, a light and exciting melody and passionate dances, which are presented in the video.

"Pokito a Poko" (listen)

Flamenco and cinema

Do you want to get to know the art of flamenco better? We suggest setting aside a few evenings to watch films in which the main role belongs to this particular dance.

“Flamenco” (2010) tells the history of style through the eyes of famous dancers. The film was shot in the documentary genre.

Lola (2007) tells the story of Lole Flores, who is remembered by the public for her passion for performing flamenco.

"Snow White" (2012) is a black and white silent film where all the drama is expressed through dance.

Origin

The origins of flamenco should be sought in the Moorish musical culture. Gypsy music also significantly influenced this style - many consider the Spanish gypsies to be the main, true carriers of the style. In the 15th century, gypsies arrived in Spain from the collapsing Byzantium and settled throughout south coast countries in the province of Andalusia; according to their custom, they began to adopt and reinterpret local musical traditions, such as Moorish, Jewish and Spanish proper; and from this fusion of musical traditions, reinterpreted first by the gypsies and then by the Spaniards, flamenco was born.

For a long time, flamenco was considered a “closed art”, since the gypsies lived as an isolated group; flamenco was formed in narrow circles. But in late XVIII centuries of persecution of gypsies stopped, and flamenco entered the stage of taverns and cantante cafes and gained freedom.

In Russia

International Flamenco Festival “¡VIVA ESPAÑA!” The largest flamenco festival in Russia, held in Moscow (since 2001).

1- Russian Festival Flamenco " en Moscu"" - held for the first time in 2011. The festival will bring together only the world's outstanding flamenco stars.

An annual festival called “Northern Flamenco” takes place in St. Petersburg.

In the world of modern guitar music, the annual festival “World of Guitar” has been running in Kaluga since 1997, the participants of which are various flamenco groups from Russia and Spain, and many bright names of foreign guitarists, from the world famous, such as Al di Meola (2004), Ivan Smirnov (“mascot” of the festival), Vicente Amigo (2006), Paco de Lucia (2007), etc.

In other countries

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See what "Flamenco" is in other dictionaries:

FLAMENCO, the same as Kante flamenco... Modern encyclopedia

- (Spanish flamenco) in music, see Cante flamenco... Big encyclopedic Dictionary

- [Spanish flamenco] music Spanish performing style, as well as music, songs, dances associated with southern Spanish art. Dictionary foreign words. Komlev N.G., 2006. flamenco (Spanish flamenco ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

Noun, number of synonyms: 2 style (95) dance (264) ASIS Dictionary of Synonyms. V.N. Trishin. 2013… Synonym dictionary

flamenco- flamenco. Pronounced [flamenco]… Dictionary of difficulties of pronunciation and stress in modern Russian language

FLAMENCO- Southern Spanish music, song and dance style of gypsy origin. Developed in Andalusia in the Middle Ages. Singing and dancing are solo, accompanied by playing the guitar, castanets, and snapping fingers. From the middle of the 19th century. distributed by … Ethnographic Dictionary

Flamenco harmony combines features of both modality and classical-romantic tonality. The two most recognizable modalisms in flamenco are the Phrygian scale and the Gypsy scale (otherwise known as the "Arabic scale"). The Phrygian revolution, for example, is found in soleares, in the majority bulerias, sigiriyas, tangos And tientos, gypsy scale - in saete.

The typical chord progression, called the Andalusian cadence in Spain, is a local variation of the Phrygian turn, e.g. Am-G-F-E. The pitch system based on the use of such a cadence is called the “Andalusian,” “Phrygian,” or “Dorian” mode in flamenco literature (it should not be identified with the monodic Phrygian and Dorian modes in ancient and medieval music). According to the famous flamenquista guitarist Manolo Sanlúcar, in this mode the chord E(E major) is the tonic, F(F major) has a harmonic dominant function, while Am(A minor) and G(G major) play the role of subdominant and mediant, respectively. According to another (more widespread) point of view, the tonic in in this case is A minor, and the dominant chord is E major. In connection with the typical disposition of consonances in flamenco forms, the dominant chord is metrically strongest (“strong” because it contains ends period), hence the alternative name for a pitch structure of this type - dominant mode.

Guitarists use two main fingerings of the Andalusian cadence - "por arriba" ("above") and "por medio" ("in the middle"). The capo is widely used for transposition. The "por arriba" variant corresponds (when played without a capo) to the chord progression Am-G-F-E, option “por medio”: Dm-C-B-A. Modern guitarists, such as Ramon Montoya, have begun to use other fingering variations of the Andalusian cadence. So Montoya started using options: Hm-A-G-F# For tarants, Em-D-C-H For granadines (granaines) And C#m-H-A-G# For miners. Montoya also created new genre flamenco for guitar solo, Rondenha, with cadence F#m-E-D-C#, performed with scordatura (6th string: D; 3rd: F sharp). These options include, as additional structural elements, the sound of open strings on non-chord steps, which has become specific feature flamenco harmony in general. Later, guitarists continued to expand the range of fingering options and scordaturas used.

Some flamenco styles use the major mode of the harmonic key, this cantina And alegria, guajira, some buleria And tones, and bondage(variety sigiriya). The minor scale is associated with farrukoy, milonga, some styles tango And buleria. In general, traditional styles using major and minor modes are limited in harmony by the use of two-chord (tonic-dominant) or three-chord (tonic-subdominant-dominant) sequences. However modern guitarists introduced the practice of replacing chords (eng. Chord substitution ), transitional chords and even modulation.

Fandango and its derivative styles such as Malagueña, Taranta and Cartajenera use two modes: the guitar intro is in Phrygian mode, while the opening chant is in major, changing back to Phrygian towards the end.

Singing

Singing in flamenco is characterized by the following features:

1. Vividly dramatic, often tragic in nature (in most styles).
2. Melodic improvisation based on a relatively small set of traditional melodic types.
3. Extremely rich ornamentation (melismatics).
4. The use of microintervals, that is, intervals smaller in magnitude than a semitone.
5. Portamento: Often the transition from one note to another occurs using a small smooth "approach" to the next note, that is, the notes are not immediately played accurately (in terms of pitch).
6. Narrow tessitura: Most traditional flamenco songs are limited to a range of a sixth (four and a half tones). Melodic diversity is achieved by singers through the use of different timbre and dynamic shades, micro-intervals, melismatic variation, etc.
7. Persistent repetition of one note and notes close to it on the chromatic scale (also used in guitar playing).
8. Lack of stable regular vocal meter, especially in genres cante jondo, such as Sigiriya etc. (in this case, a non-metric vocal melody can be superimposed on metric instrumental accompaniment).
9. A decrease in intensity from the beginning to the end of a vocal phrase.
10. In many styles, such as solea or Sigiriya, the melody tends to follow nearby steps. Jumps through a step or more are much less common (however, in fandango and styles derived from it, there are often jumps through three or four steps, especially at the beginning of each line of the song, which presumably indicates more early origin songs of this style, influenced by Castilian music).

Compass

The most famous palos - toná, solea, saeta and siguiriya (toná, soleá, fandango, seguiriya) - belong to the category of cante jondo (cante jondo, or cante grande - the historical core of flamenco, the oldest musical and poetic tradition of Andalusia). The opposite category is [cante chico], or cante flamenco; it includes, for example, the genres of alegría, bulería, farruca. Both categories (jondo and chico) include singing, dancing, and playing the guitar as the main trinity, but the most ancient forms of flamenco are sung without instrumental accompaniment, and in its most modern versions many introduced instruments appear from the violin and double bass to exotic percussion instruments of the East and Latin America, such as cajon, darbuka, bongo, etc.

Flamenco rendered big influence for many dance and musical styles all over the world. Recent decades mixed varieties of flamenco and other genres appeared: flamenco-pop, flamenco-jazz, flamenco rock, flamenco fusion, gypsy rumba and others.

There are adherents of flamenco who honor its traditions, which has both positive and negative sides. Strict adherence to tradition makes it impossible to deeply understand flamenco. Flamenco genres (singing, dancing, melody) are like a living organism, which requires their constant development, and without development there is no life. But along with the developing flamenco, there is also a scientific direction "flamencology"(a book with this title was written by Gonzalez Clement in 1955 and gave the name to this section of art criticism), flamencologists study the origins of flamenco and its “true” style, traditions, etc. Still on a par with supporters of the purity of the flamenco style ( purists) there are also adherents of its new forms and sounds.

Confession

Flamenco festivals

Among the most significant cities where flamenco exists today are Cadiz, Jerez, Seville, Cordoba, Granada, Barcelona and Madrid. Each of these cities has its own musical specificity, its traditions and characteristics.

In Spain

One of the most authoritative, the largest flamenco festival in Spain takes place every two years in Seville under the name " " This festival was founded in 1980. True flamenco lovers come here from all over the world to see best artists: bailaors, cantaors and guitarists.

Held annually in Cordoba International festival guitars GUITARRA", with a performance at which the glory of talented young guitarists Vicente Amigo and Paco Serrano began.

Annual cante grande festivals, cante flamenco festivals and others take place throughout Spain.

In Russia

International Flamenco Festival “¡VIVA ESPAÑA!” The largest flamenco festival in Russia, held in Moscow (since 2001).

1- Russian Flamenco Festival " (link unavailable since 05/23/2013 (2141 days)) " - held for the first time in 2011. The festival will bring together only the world's outstanding flamenco stars.

An annual festival called “Northern Flamenco” takes place in St. Petersburg. In addition, the Cana Flamenca festival takes place twice a year.

In the world of modern guitar music, the annual festival “World of Guitar” has been running in Kaluga since 1997, the participants of which are various flamenco groups from Russia and Spain, and many bright names of foreign guitarists, from the world famous, such as Al di Meola (2004), Ivan Smirnov (“mascot” of the festival), Vicente Amigo (2006), Paco de Lucia (2007), etc.

In 2011, the House of Flamenco "Flamenqueria" opened in Moscow - the first flamenco school in Russia with permanent Spanish teachers.

In other countries

Every year since 2004, the Flamenco Festival takes place in London in February. One of the largest flamenco festivals outside Spain has been taking place in the American city of Albuquerque, New Mexico for more than 20 years. In Ukraine, flamenco was represented by festivals in Kyiv (until 2006), Odessa (Festival of Flamenco and Latin American Culture in 2011) and Lviv (since 2010). Flamenco is widely represented at the “Nelly Syupure Invites” festivals, which have been taking place since 2010 in Kyiv, Sevastopol, and Sauvignon.

Famous flamenco artists

• Niña de los Peines, Lola Flores , Fosforito, Niña de La Puebla,
• Ramon Montoya Sr. ( Ramon Montoya), Paco de Lucia ( Paco de Lucia), Vicente Amigo ( Vicente Amigo), Manolo Sanlúcar ( Manolo Sanlúcar), R. Rikeni ( R. Riqueni), Paco Serrano ( Paco Serrano), Rafael Cortes ( Rafael Cortes)(guitar)
• Antonio Gades and Mario Maya ( Mario Maya) (dance)
• Camaron de la Isla ( Camarón de la Isla) and Enrique Morente (singing)
• Blanca del Rey ( Blanca Del Rey)
• Antonio Canales ( Antonio Canales)
• Antonio el Pipa, Javier Martos (dance)
• Maria Moya (dance)
• Gipsy Kings, Manzanita (guitar, singing)
• Santa Esmeralda (disco, plus guitar)
• Eva La Yerbabuena ( Eva La Yerbabuena)
• Estrella Morente
• Marina Heredia

• Flamenco dancer Joaquín Cortés is the Roma Ambassador to the European Union.
• "Duende" is the soul of flamenco, also translated from Spanish as "fire", "magic" or "feeling". “There is only one duende he is not capable of - repetition. Duende does not repeat itself, like the appearance of a stormy sea.”
• Up to the second half of the 19th century For centuries, gypsy women performed flamenco barefoot.

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An excerpt characterizing Flamenco

The forces of twelve languages ​​of Europe rushed into Russia. The Russian army and population retreat, avoiding a collision, to Smolensk and from Smolensk to Borodino. The French army, with ever-increasing speed, rushes towards Moscow, towards the goal of its movement. The strength of its swiftness, approaching the target, increases, just as the speed of a falling body increases as it approaches the ground. A thousand miles away is a hungry, hostile country; There are dozens of miles ahead, separating us from the goal. Every soldier of the Napoleonic army feels this, and the invasion is approaching by itself, by sheer force of swiftness.
In the Russian army, as they retreat, the spirit of bitterness against the enemy flares up more and more: retreating back, it concentrates and grows. There is a clash near Borodino. Neither army disintegrates, but Russian army immediately after the collision, it retreats just as necessarily as a ball necessarily rolls away when it collides with another ball rushing towards it with greater speed; and just as inevitably (although having lost all its strength in the collision) the rapidly scattering ball of invasion rolls over some more space.
The Russians retreat one hundred and twenty versts - beyond Moscow, the French reach Moscow and stop there. For five weeks after this there is not a single battle. The French don't move. Like a mortally wounded animal, which, bleeding, licks its wounds, they remain in Moscow for five weeks, doing nothing, and suddenly, without any new reason, they run back: they rush onto the Kaluga road (and after the victory, since again the battlefield remained behind them at Maloyaroslavets), without entering into a single serious battle, they run even faster back to Smolensk, beyond Smolensk, beyond Vilna, beyond the Berezina and beyond .
On the evening of August 26, both Kutuzov and the entire Russian army were sure that battle of Borodino won. Kutuzov wrote to the sovereign in this way. Kutuzov ordered to prepare for new fight, in order to finish off the enemy, not because he wanted to deceive anyone, but because he knew that the enemy was defeated, just as each of the participants in the battle knew it.
But that same evening and the next day, news began to arrive, one after another, about unheard-of losses, about the loss of half the army, and a new battle turned out to be physically impossible.
It was impossible to give battle when information had not yet been collected, the wounded had not been removed, shells had not been replenished, the dead had not been counted, new commanders had not been appointed to replace the dead, people had not eaten or slept.
And at the same time, immediately after the battle, the next morning, the French army (due to that rapid force of movement, now increased as if in the inverse ratio of the squares of the distances) was already advancing by itself on the Russian army. Kutuzov wanted to attack the next day, and the whole army wanted this. But in order to attack, the desire to do so is not enough; there needs to be an opportunity to do this, but this opportunity was not there. It was impossible not to retreat to one transition, then in the same way it was impossible not to retreat to another and a third transition, and finally on September 1, when the army approached Moscow, despite all the strength of the rising feeling in the ranks of the troops, the force of things demanded so that these troops march for Moscow. And the troops retreated one more, to the last crossing and gave Moscow to the enemy.
For those people who are accustomed to thinking that plans for wars and battles are drawn up by commanders in the same way as each of us, sitting in his office over a map, makes considerations about how and how he would manage such and such a battle, questions arise as to why Kutuzov didn’t do this and that when retreating, why he didn’t take up a position before Fili, why he didn’t immediately retreat to the Kaluga road, left Moscow, etc. People who are used to thinking like this forget or don’t know those inevitable conditions in which the activities of every commander in chief always take place. The activity of a commander does not have the slightest resemblance to the activity that we imagine, sitting freely in an office, analyzing some campaign on the map with a known number of troops, on both sides, and in a certain area, and starting our considerations with what someday famous moment. The commander-in-chief is never in those conditions of the beginning of some event in which we always consider the event. The commander-in-chief is always in the middle of a moving series of events, and so that never, at any moment, is he able to think through the full significance of the event taking place. The event is imperceptibly, moment by moment, carved into its meaning, and at every moment of this sequential, continuous carving of the event, the commander-in-chief is at the center the most difficult game, intrigues, worries, dependence, power, projects, advice, threats, deceptions, he is constantly in the need to answer countless questions offered to him, always contradicting one another.
Military scientists tell us very seriously that Kutuzov, much earlier than Filey, should have moved troops to the Kaluga road, that someone even proposed such a project. But before the commander-in-chief, especially in Hard time, there is not just one project, but always dozens at the same time. And each of these projects, based on strategy and tactics, contradicts one another. The commander-in-chief's job, it would seem, is only to choose one of these projects. But he cannot do this either. Events and time do not wait. He is offered, let’s say, on the 28th to go to the Kaluga road, but at this time Miloradovich’s adjutant jumps up and asks whether to start business with the French now or retreat. He needs to give orders now, this very minute. And the order to retreat takes us off the turn onto the Kaluga road. And following the adjutant, the quartermaster asks where to take the provisions, and the head of the hospitals asks where to take the wounded; and a courier from St. Petersburg brings a letter from the sovereign, which does not allow the possibility of leaving Moscow, and the rival of the commander-in-chief, the one who undermines him (there are always such, and not one, but several), proposes a new project, diametrically opposed to the plan for access to the Kaluga road; and the forces of the commander-in-chief himself require sleep and reinforcement; and the venerable general, bypassed by a reward, comes to complain, and the inhabitants beg for protection; the officer sent to inspect the area arrives and reports the exact opposite of what the officer sent before him said; and the spy, the prisoner and the general doing reconnaissance - all describe the position of the enemy army differently. People who are accustomed to not understanding or forgetting these the necessary conditions activities of any commander-in-chief, present to us, for example, the position of the troops in Fili and at the same time assume that the commander-in-chief could completely freely resolve the issue of abandoning or defending Moscow on September 1, whereas with the position of the Russian army five miles from Moscow this issue could not have arisen . When was this issue resolved? And near Drissa, and near Smolensk, and most noticeably on the 24th near Shevardin, and on the 26th near Borodin, and on every day, hour, and minute of the retreat from Borodino to Fili.

Russian troops, having retreated from Borodino, stood at Fili. Ermolov, who had gone to inspect the position, drove up to the field marshal.
“There is no way to fight in this position,” he said. Kutuzov looked at him in surprise and forced him to repeat the words he had said. When he spoke, Kutuzov extended his hand to him.
“Give me your hand,” he said, and, turning it so as to feel his pulse, he said: “You’re not well, my dear.” Think about what you are saying.
Kutuzov on Poklonnaya Hill, six miles from the Dorogomilovskaya outpost, got out of the carriage and sat down on a bench on the edge of the road. A huge crowd of generals gathered around him. Count Rastopchin, having arrived from Moscow, joined them. This whole brilliant society, divided into several circles, talked among themselves about the advantages and disadvantages of the position, about the position of the troops, about the proposed plans, about the state of Moscow, and about military issues in general. Everyone felt that although they had not been called to this, although it was not called that, it was a council of war. The conversations were all kept in the area of ​​general issues. If anyone reported or learned personal news, it was said in a whisper, and they immediately went back to general issues : no jokes, no laughter, no smiles were even noticeable between all these people. Everyone, obviously with effort, tried to stay at the height of the situation. And all the groups, talking among themselves, tried to stay close to the commander-in-chief (whose shop was the center in these circles) and spoke so that he could hear them. The commander-in-chief listened and sometimes asked questions about what was being said around him, but he himself did not enter into the conversation and did not express any opinion. For the most part, after listening to the conversation of some circle, he turned away with a look of disappointment - as if they were not talking about what he wanted to know. Some spoke about the chosen position, criticizing not so much the position itself as the mental abilities of those who chose it; others argued that a mistake had been made earlier, that the battle should have been fought on the third day; still others talked about the Battle of Salamanca, which the Frenchman Crosard, who had just arrived in a Spanish uniform, told about. (This Frenchman, together with one of the German princes who served in the Russian army, dealt with the siege of Saragossa, foreseeing the opportunity to also defend Moscow.) In the fourth circle, Count Rastopchin said that he and the Moscow squad were ready to die under the walls of the capital, but that everything yet he cannot help but regret the uncertainty in which he was left, and that if he had known this before, things would have been different... The fifth, showing the depth of their strategic considerations, talked about the direction that the troops would have to take. The sixth spoke complete nonsense. Kutuzov's face became more and more concerned and sadder. From all the conversations of these Kutuzov saw one thing: there was no physical possibility of defending Moscow in the full meaning of these words, that is, it was not possible to such an extent that if some crazy commander-in-chief had given the order to give battle, then confusion would have occurred and the battles would have all it wouldn't have happened; it would not have been because all the top leaders not only recognized this position as impossible, but in their conversations they discussed only what would happen after the undoubted abandonment of this position. How could commanders lead their troops on a battlefield they considered impossible? The lower commanders, even the soldiers (who also reason), also recognized the position as impossible and therefore could not go to fight with the certainty of defeat. If Bennigsen insisted on defending this position and others were still discussing it, then this question no longer mattered in itself, but mattered only as a pretext for dispute and intrigue. Kutuzov understood this.
Bennigsen, having chosen a position, ardently exposing his Russian patriotism (which Kutuzov could not listen to without wincing), insisted on the defense of Moscow. Kutuzov saw Bennigsen’s goal as clear as day: if the defense failed, to blame Kutuzov, who brought the troops to the Sparrow Hills without a battle, and if successful, to attribute it to himself; in case of refusal, to clear oneself of the crime of leaving Moscow. But this question of intrigue did not occupy the old man’s mind now. One scary question occupied him. And he did not hear an answer to this question from anyone. The question for him now was only this: “Did I really allow Napoleon to reach Moscow, and when did I do it? When was this decided? Was it really yesterday, when I sent an order to Platov to retreat, or the evening of the third day, when I dozed off and ordered Bennigsen to give orders? Or even before?.. but when, when was this terrible matter decided? Moscow must be abandoned. The troops must retreat, and this order must be given.” To give this terrible order seemed to him the same thing as giving up command of the army. And not only did he love power, got used to it (the honor given to Prince Prozorovsky, under whom he was in Turkey, teased him), he was convinced that the salvation of Russia was destined for him and that only because, against the will of the sovereign and by the will of the people, he was elected commander-in-chief. He was convinced that he alone, even in these difficult conditions, could remain at the head of the army, that he alone in the whole world was able to know the invincible Napoleon as his opponent without horror; and he was horrified at the thought of the order he was about to give. But something had to be decided, it was necessary to stop these conversations around him, which were beginning to take on too free a character.
He called the senior generals to him.
“Ma tete fut elle bonne ou mauvaise, n"a qu"a s"aider d"elle meme, [Is my head good or bad, but there is no one else to rely on," he said, getting up from the bench, and went to Fili, where his crews were stationed.

In the spacious, best hut of the peasant Andrei Savostyanov, the council met at two o’clock. Men, women and children of peasants big family crowded into the black hut through the entryway. Only Andrei’s granddaughter, Malasha, a six-year-old girl, to whom His Serene Highness, having caressed her, gave her a lump of sugar for tea, remained on the stove in the big hut. Malasha timidly and joyfully looked from the stove at the faces, uniforms and crosses of the generals, one after another entering the hut and sitting down in the red corner, on wide benches under the icons. Grandfather himself, as Malasha Kutuzova internally called him, sat apart from them, in a dark corner behind the stove. He sat, sank deeply into a folding chair, and incessantly grunted and straightened the collar of his coat, which, although unbuttoned, still seemed to be squeezing his neck. Those entering one after another approached the field marshal; He shook hands with some, nodded his head at others. Adjutant Kaisarov wanted to pull back the curtain in the window facing Kutuzov, but Kutuzov angrily waved his hand at him, and Kaisarov realized that his Serene Highness did not want his face to be seen.
So many people had gathered around the peasant’s spruce table, on which lay maps, plans, pencils, and papers, that the orderlies brought another bench and placed it near the table. The people who came sat down on this bench: Ermolov, Kaisarov and Tol. Under the very images, in the first place, sat with George on his neck, with a pale, sickly face and with his high forehead merging with his bare head, Barclay de Tolly. For the second day already he suffered from fever, and at that very time he was shivering and aching. Uvarov sat next to him and, in a quiet voice (as everyone else said), quickly making gestures, told Barclay. Small, round Dokhturov, raising his eyebrows and folding his hands on his stomach, listened carefully. On the other side, Count Osterman Tolstoy sat, leaning his broad head on his arm, with bold features and sparkling eyes, and seemed lost in his thoughts. Raevsky, with an expression of impatience, curling his black hair at his temples with the usual forward gesture, glanced first at Kutuzov, then at front door. Konovnitsyn’s firm, handsome and kind face shone with a gentle and cunning smile. He met Malasha's gaze and made signs to her with his eyes that made the girl smile.
Everyone was waiting for Bennigsen, who was finishing his delicious lunch under the pretext of a new inspection of the position. They waited for him from four to six hours, and during all this time they did not start the meeting and carried on extraneous conversations in quiet voices.

There are many dances in the world. Each nation has its own rhythms and music. But in the modern world there is hardly a person who has never heard of Spanish flamenco.

Woman dancing flamenco

Perhaps the most famous performer in the world, with whose name flamenco is associated, is the famous Carmen. A burning beauty with a bright rose in her long black hair. Her image has become a symbol of dance for all times.

A woman dances to the enchanting sounds of a guitar, accompanied by soulful singing. Her bouffant skirts flutter in time with the movements. Her arms curl like the wings of a fairy bird. Her eyes are full of passion and fire. Her sexuality attracts men like the light of a lantern to moths in the darkness of the night. She knows how beautiful she is and is proud of it. But this woman is not cheap, she knows her worth, and only the best can win her heart.

Flamenco - passion, fire, expression of feelings and emotions. There is nothing feigned or fictitious about it. He is life itself. It is impossible to perform it without inspiration. Top Performers- those who put their soul, passion and body awe into flamenco.

Dance directions

There have long been two styles of flamenco, which differ from each other in style. The ancient cante hondo (translated as deep) is a historically established cult dance. It expresses the sacred essence of the rushing soul.

The second direction is cante chico (lightweight). This is modern flamenco, which has lost its spiritual component and has become a dance for everyone. There are over 50 varieties in both classes, the differences between which can only be understood by an experienced specialist.

Origins of dance

Flamenco is a dance that originated in ancient times. Its origins lie in Moorish culture. In the 15th century, streams of refugees from Byzantium poured into Andalusia. Among them were gypsies, Jews, blacks and other peoples. They all lived as outcasts, inferior people. All the pain of the people splashed out in soul-tearing music, songs and passionate dancing. Each people contributed part of their own to flamenco cultural heritage, a piece of your soul.

In the 18th century, the situation improved, the persecution of Gypsies stopped, dancers took to the squares and performed in taverns. Art, which for so many centuries was considered sacred and forbidden, was released and gained popularity. Spanish flamenco became a symbol of newfound freedom.

Already in the 20th century, Cuban melodies and jazz tunes were organically intertwined with traditional Spanish and gypsy elements. The dance was supplemented with elements of classical ballet.

Fusion of genres

Spanish flamenco dance, in fact, is not only the fiery movements of a dancer or dancer. This is a symbiosis of the musical accompaniment of toke, traditionally performed on the guitar, the soulful singing of cante and the baile dance itself.

Flamenco is bailaora, cantaora and toraora. In the traditional performance, each of them can start their own part. And the rest are supportive. Any one of the three can come out first and set the topic. And the rest will pick it up with musical, dance or song improvisation. When one of the performers comes to the fore, the others stay in the background to allow the performer to express his emotions. But during the performance the roles change. And only at the end they unite in the apogee of a dance united by a common fire.

Complex rhythms

The musical rhythm of flamenco is difficult to adopt or translate into sheet music. Each time during performance, the same melody can be played faster or slower, transitions and modulations are added. The true art of dancing (Spain) flamenco is passed on from teacher to student.

Performers

Famous performers made flamenco famous throughout the world. As soon as the persecution of gypsies was abolished and the Spaniards learned the beauty of life-affirming dance, it became extremely popular. Already in 1842, the first flamenco school was opened in Seville. It was from this time that dance became an industry; it lost its sacredness and mystery.

At the turn of the 18th-19th centuries, the performer Silverio Fronconetti was famous, who carried this ancient art to the masses. His performances were always full of passion and fire. But numerous followers turned flamenco from a sacred dance into a sports one, where performance technique stood above spiritual depth. It is this option that has become generally accepted throughout the world.

But at home, in Spain, there are true connoisseurs. There, the phrase “There is no fire in him!”, said about a flamenco performer, is a “death sentence” for the dancer. There is a known case when on one of dance competitions Grand Prize received by an 80-year-old woman. She outshone the young performers with her inner fire and passion, reflected in her dance. After all, as the Spaniards say, you need to dance as if death itself was holding you by the shoulder.

Learning process

Flamenco is very popular dance. In almost every city there are schools where they teach it. The flow of those wishing to learn the secrets of mastery does not dry out. And this is not surprising, because it is flamenco that reveals the feminine essence. You can’t be modest in life and perform moves on stage with fervor. Having started training, a woman changes internally, she frees herself from complexes, gets to know herself, and opens up like a bud. You can start training at least at 6 years old, at least at 86. There are no restrictions.

In Spain, everyone is offered to go basic course flamenco for beginners, consisting of 10 classes, held 2 times a week. You can learn the basics of dance in less than a month, but to become a professional it will take years of work.

A good teacher, first of all, will make a woman love herself. After all, only a woman who is proud of her beauty will be able to adequately present herself in dance.

The main pose is a pose of complete self-satisfaction. The proud beauty does not know any complexes, does not see flaws in herself, and certainly will not tell others about them. After this, feminine gestures, steps, and turns are worked on. The dancer is a queen, and the audience, looking at her with admiration, sees in her an unearthly woman.

Why you should learn flamenco

Every girl, regardless of the date of birth on her passport, should try herself in flamenco. Learning this dance reveals hidden reserves in a woman. After just a few months of training, she will understand that in life there is no place for pretense and fears. A woman is strong and beautiful, she cannot be broken by everyday difficulties. She loves and is loved.

In addition, regular training significantly improves your figure. The main requirement for all dancers is a straight back as a symbol unbending character. You can forget about scoliosis and stoop after the first lessons.

Important elements of the dance are beating the beat with your feet. Honing these exercises makes the leg muscles toned and elastic, and the legs slender and beautiful.

The dancer's hands should flutter like wings. Masters teach how to bend them beautifully and gracefully.

Regular exercise will inevitably lead to an improvement in your figure, tightening of all muscles, and improving their relief. Beautiful posture is another important advantage from classes. Well, self-confidence and getting rid of the inferiority complex will be a pleasant bonus.

Flamenco cures problems this kind better than any psychologist.

Dance clothes

Flamenco is a dance with gypsy roots. The dancer's clothing resembles the traditional dress of a representative nomadic people. The floor-length skirt is made of multi-colored fabric. It can be multi-layered or decorated with frills and flounces. While moving, the dancer seems to be engulfed by the waves of her own dress. An integral part of the dance is playing with the hem, which resembles either uncontrollable sea waves or tongues of scorching flames. This dress must be bright and catchy - no pastel colors!

A shawl with long tassels is another element women's suit. It can be tied at the waist, emphasizing the slender silhouette, or thrown over the shoulders. In this case, it forms the silhouette of a soaring bird in motion.

Often dancers perform with a fan, literally hypnotizing the audience and keeping them in suspense until last moment. Each attribute seems to come to life while moving to the music, adding its own additions to the performer’s story.

An important detail of the costume is shoes with heels, with which the performer taps out the rhythm. The hands may contain castanets, which make clicks and set the tempo for movements and music.

Men performing flamenco (photo in the article) dress in dark trousers with a wide belt and a snow-white shirt. You can complement the outfit with a short vest. The performer's image is laconic and strict. This is the very embodiment of masculinity and stature.

Important elements

While performing flamenco, the dancer does not hover above the ground; on the contrary, he stands confidently, as if taking a firm, life-affirming position. This is a symbol of safety and security. He took his place, it belongs to him by right, at least for the duration of the dance.

The movements of each part of the body reveal a story about life, a story about what worries everyone individually and everyone together. Experiences, resentments, love and sadness come from the chest. The dancer’s shoulders speak of the weight of responsibility and centuries-old oppression. The hands tell the story of feelings; they are the most expressive part of the performer’s body. Widely spaced elbows seem to allow him to take a firm life position, free up a piece of the sky for yourself. The spine is the basis of the dance. It symbolizes inflexibility of character, fortitude and perseverance.

The movements in flamenco are simple, there are not so many of them. But each of them is filled deep meaning, conceals the wisdom of centuries. Anyone who knows the language of dance can tell the world his story and make all viewers empathize. This is the path that leads to inner liberation and joy, although outwardly it is filled with sadness and pain.

New forms

Throughout history, flamenco has changed and experienced ups and downs. And even today connoisseurs say that this type of art is dead, but interest in it has not faded. On the contrary, new types and movements are emerging, based on traditional performance and complemented by modern forms. This is how flamenco pop, flamenco rock, flamenco jazz and gypsy rumba appeared. Each of them has the right to life and finds fans and followers. But it remains a favorite!

It is difficult for a beginner to understand these currents. But everyone can find something they really like. The main thing is to understand the spirit of dance, to comprehend deep meaning movements and put feelings into the execution of each step.

When you see an advertisement for enrollment in a flamenco school, you should not pass by. Perhaps it is fate itself that is giving a sign that it is time to change your life, open up and fly. And dancing is the best way to do it beautifully and with dignity.