One cultural activity, I was very fortunate to be able to attend, was a free Flamenco dancing show sponsored by IES, on February 11th. I jumped at the opportunity to see a live dance show because it was an activity I knew I had to do while studying in Spain. For 15 years of my life, I performed dance competitively and dance played a major part in my life. I was so excited to see traditional Spanish dance because I knew it would be very different than what I had always performed.
The night started with a three course meal, including paella and sangria, before the dancers gracefully came on the stage. The costumes the dancers wore fit my previous perception of Flamenco, but the actual dancing and storytelling performed was nothing like what I expected. I was surprised by the quick movement of the dancers and the intensity in their movement. At first I was hesitant if I liked the show, but I was quickly enthralled with the dancers’s stomping and even found myself clapping along to the music. I could feel the emotion in the stories the artists told through song, even though there was a language barrier. The difficulty of the Flamenco was shown by the sweat that dripped off the dancers as they stomped and spun.
My favorite part of the entire performance was the final act because it was an older man who had incredibly quick foot movements and was obviously a seasoned Flamenco dancer. This man had so much energy and left me wishing to see more. Although the Flamenco is an art form originating from southern Spain, it is performed in many parts of Catalonia today, and it was an performance I was very thankful to be able to experience.
Madison's Catalan Culture Experience 