Fandango

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This page is about the flamenco style. For other meanings, see Fandango (disambiguation).

Fandangos is a style of flamenco music and dance, probably derived from the jota^{[citation needed]}. Philologists link it to the ancient Roman erotic dance known as the cordax (called iconici motus by the poet Horace and the playwright Plautus). The satires of Juvenal make specific mention of the testarum crepitus (clicking of castanets). In its earlier Greek expression, finger cymbals were used.

The fandango form probably has more derivations than any other in flamenco.

The fandangos grandes (big fandangos) are normally danced by couples, which start out slowly with gradually increasing tempo. This is the form from which many others are derived.

In Portugal Fandango is one of the dances of Folklore. The choreography of this dance is quite simple: on its form more used we have two male dancers facing each other, dancing and tap-dancing one at each time, "seeing" which one has the most lightness and repertoire of feet changes in the tap-dancing. The dancers can be boy and girl, boy and boy (most frequent) or rarely two girls. While one of the dancers dances, the other just "go along". Afterwards they "both drag their feet for a wile" until the other one takes his turn. They stay there, disputing, seeing which one of them makes the feet transitions more eye-catching.

The fandanguillos (little fandangos) are livelier more festive derivations of fandangos. Some regions of Spain have developed their own style of fandangos, such as Huelva (fandangos de Huelva) and Málaga (fandangos de Málaga, or Verdiales).

The rhythm is essentially the same as for bulerias and soleares.

Fandango is also a term used by British and Australian tourists visiting numerous countries in South America, used to express appreciation eg. of a wonderful view or a fantastic steak

External links

• Get to know the flamenco forms: the fandango