The art of flamenco with Sara Baras
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Photo by Sofia Wittert
F
or a tradition dating back thousands of years, Spanish flamenco culture is not just alive and well, but flourishing the world over. From the vibrant colours, swirling frills and polka dots of the traditional ‘traje de flamenco’ dresses worn by female dancers – often referenced by contemporary fashion designers – to the polyrhythmic handclapping, dynamic guitar instrumentals, visceral vocals and rapid fire of the dancers’ zapateando footwork, flamenco’s influence is far reaching.
This farm sits in a pocket of Asturias, northern Spain, a leisurely 90 minutes’ drive from the nearest major city, Santander in neighbouring Cantabria. Its carpet of exuberant green is tucked beneath the looming bulk of the snow-bonneted Picos de Europa mountains. In fewer than five years, Luke and his wife, Katie Stacey, have transformed this patch of land into a place exploding with life – largely by letting nature do its own thing
Photo by Sofia Wittert
Thought to have been brought to Andalusia by Gitanos, or Roma, from India’s Rajasthan somewhere between the 9th and 14th centuries, the story goes that these people’s music and dance mixed with the rich traditions of the Jews and Moors in Al-Andalus and a new culture was born.
Seven centuries on, superstar Spanish dancer Sara Baras is known as the ‘Queen of Flamenco’ and has performed on the world’s most prestigious stages, from London and Paris to New York and Tokyo. In 2020, she won the UK’s Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance.
Photo by Amy Gatenby
Photo by Santana de Yepes
Photo by Kazuo Ota
A child prodigy, Baras started dancing at the age of five in her native Cádiz, and aged just 21 she performed at the 1992 Seville Expo. Suddenly the whole world’s eyes were fixed on her talent and virtuosity, as well as flamenco culture in general, and she has never looked back since.
She had initially made a name for herself in Spain by dancing the ‘farruca’ – a dance traditionally only performed by men, and characterised by its intense footwork and sweeping turns. More than thirty years on, Baras is still dancing the ‘farruca’, albeit in a new style.
“It was something that defined me,” she told me in 2019, “and I’m even braver now because I can do it with a violin and a saxophone, or however I want.”
Despite the success of some conservation and endangered birdlife recovery projects in several Special Protection Areas, Hugo believes that there is still much work to be done. He pleads for a more sustainable introduction of renewable energy schemes, for changes in land management and agricultural subsidies, and for the promotion of sustainable tourism all over Extremadura.
Photo by Quino Al
Photo by Matthew Waring
Seeing flamenco
Where and when
If you really want to sense the sweat, sawdust and passion of flamenco, the small bars, also known as tablaos, of Seville and Jerez are hard to beat. Madrid also has tablaos, so you can enjoy flamenco when visiting the capital too. Otherwise, look out for annual events such as the Festival Flamenco Fuengirola Juan de la Loma in October, the Semana Flamenca Benalmádena in November and the Feria de Sevilla (Seville Fair) in April.
In the UK, Sadler’s Wells Theatre hosts an annual Flamenco Festival.
Glossary
Sustainability
The quality of being able to continue over a period of time, or the avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance (Camrbdige Dictionary).
