Synopsis
This beautiful book explores the origins, influences, development and appreciation of flamenco as a highly respected art form on the world stage. This folkloric tradition of music, song, and dance began in the caves of Andalusia and was shaped over centuries by a multitude of cultural and regional influences, including Roman, Jewish, Greek, Indian, and Moorish. Flamenco's introduction to the U.S. in the roaring twenties coincided with a "Spanish craze" and in the 1950's legendary flamenco stars including the Italian-American flamenco dancer-choreographer José Greco were popular attractions at nightclubs and concert halls in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Not surprisingly, flamenco found a permanent home in New Mexico, a state with a large population of Hispanic residents interested in learning about and preserving traditional and cultural Spanish folk traditions. Prominent flamenco artists emerged including native New Mexican choreographer-dancer María Benítez. Flamenco's accoutrements--costumes, musicians, instruments and dancers--are part of the story., This beautiful book explores the origins, influences, development and appreciation of flamenco as a highly respected art form on the world stage. This folkloric tradition of music, song, and dance began in the caves of Andalusia and was shaped over centuries by a multitude of cultural and regional influences, including Roman, Jewish, Greek, Indian, and Moorish. Flamenco's introduction to the U.S. in the roaring twenties coincided with a "Spanish craze" and in the 1950's legendary flamenco stars including the Italian-American flamenco dancer-choreographer Jos Greco were popular attractions at nightclubs and concert halls in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Not surprisingly, flamenco found a permanent home in New Mexico, a state with a large population of Hispanic residents interested in learning about and preserving traditional and cultural Spanish folk traditions. Prominent flamenco artists emerged including native New Mexican choreographer-dancer Mar a Ben tez. Flamenco's accoutrements--costumes, musicians, instruments and dancers--are part of the story., The juxtaposition of thirty black-and-white remastered Lindbergh images and thirty contemporary color images, provides a fascinating survey of the area over nearly a century allowing a unique view of the multi-layered, cultural landscape of the American S
