One of the things you can (and now I know you should) do in Seville is visit the Museo del Baile Flamenco –directed by Cristina Hoyos– and enjoy its show. I confess that it is one of the things I probably would never have done on my own, but thanks to the trip organized by the tourism company Sevilla Inside, I did it and I am more than happy.
Before continuing, I want to clarify, so that no one is confused, that I don’t like flamenco. I’m not a fan of that type of music, and if you play it on the radio, I would probably give you a bad look and sigh. Even so, I loved the show. But I won’t spoil anything yet.
The Museo del Baile Flamenco in Seville has several floors. On the upper floor, there is an exhibition of paintings, all related to the world of flamenco. Very beautiful, yes, but they were momentarily overshadowed by a “castañófono,” some sticks, and the jewel of the crown, a flamenco rhythm machine, all incredibly entertaining because you could make it sound 🙂
Flamenco rhythm machine at the Museo del Baile Flamenco in SevilleOn another floor is the actual museum, where you can learn about the history of flamenco through audiovisual media, in an interactive way for visitors. You can visit it in up to 8 languages. I found it all very interesting, and it is well complemented with an exhibition hall of costumes used by dancers during performances and a permanent photographic exhibition.
On the ground floor, there is the shop and the tablao. The group of bloggers, curious as we were, took seats in the first and second rows, and we got ready to soak up the ancestral tradition of flamenco dance and music. (At this point, yes, I was curious, but as I mentioned, I feared dying of boredom because I don’t like this kind of music. Nothing could be further from the truth…)
The show began. Dim light, a few chairs. Carmen Lozano and Sergio González came out on stage and started dancing, accompanied by the music of a guitarist and a singer. Sparks flew on the stage. I know the photos are not of good quality, but my equipment is not very good, and I, my dears, did not want to miss a single detail of the performance.
Carmen Lozano and Sergio González, dancers at the Museo del Baile Flamenco in SevilleThe expression on the dancers’ faces is incredibly vivid. Every gesture they make perfectly matches the feeling of the music. Joy, pain, concentration, love… Everything, absolutely everything, is reflected in their expressions. Their bodies are also impressive. They are figurines wrapped in flamenco dresses and “batas de cola,” swaying gracefully. Tá, tá, tá. ¡Arsa! They approach, they move away, they brush against each other. Passion, sensuality.
Carmen Lozano dancing at the Flamenco MuseumAnd if their faces and bodies are impressive… Watching the feet of these artists, I think I didn’t blink and I was unable to close my mouth during the entire hour-long show. What a tap dance! The show could not be filmed, but even if it were possible, nothing transmits art better than live. There were musical performances, and the dancers performed both together and separately, all of them incredible.
Sergio González dancing at the Flamenco MuseumMusically, I think the show enriched me a lot. For those who don’t know, besides being a journalist, I am a musician (clarinetist), and my training is mainly classical. I find flamenco rhythms complicated, very rich, and I have much to learn from the attitude that these artists maintain on stage.
The show came to an end. It didn’t feel long or boring at all, and the general feeling we left with was surprise at discovering that we had loved the show, even the “non-flamenco” fans 🙂
Conclusion: I recommend the show even if, like me, you are not very fond of this style. The price for the museum + flamenco show is €24, which seems quite affordable to me for a museum and a live performance.
