Flamenco!

Belinda, John and I attended a Flamenco show.  On our walk to the show, we had the lively discussion, is it a Spanish tradition?  We went down that rabbit hole about what is Spain, after all?  On their own historical timeline, they were only recently united by the marriage of Ferdinand and Isabella in the 15th century.  Venus can accomplish more than Mars in the matters of state where monarchies are the form of government.   But I digress.  Flamenco is a phenomenon from Andalusia and its roots are tangled with gypsies, Muslims and the Reconquista.  It is said that the Romani people (known as gypsies, likely descended from the Punjab region of India/Pakistan) contributed quite a bit of their cultural essence to the flamenco dance and music.  They were in Andalusia, specifically Granada in the final days of the Reconquista as the caretakers of the horses for the Christian Cavalry during the 15th century.

The guitar was beautifully played, and the chord progressions and mode could be easily recognized as flamenco style music.  What we were not expecting was the piercing singing that sounded like a Muslim call to prayer.  That got our attention.  The dancing was a cross between what we expected of flamenco with exaggerated arm movements and frilly costumes, but it also contained a vigorous tap dance/ stomping component.  It was loud, rhythmic and flamboyant.  Touristy venue, but worth an hour of pre-dinner time to experience it.  One drink each included...no pictures or video permitted.