Flamenco

Flamenco (Spanish pronunciation: [flaˈmeŋko]) is an artform native to the Spanish regions of Andalusia, Extremadura and Murcia. It includes cante (singing), toque (guitar playing), baile (dance) and jaleo (vocalizations and palmas (handclapping) and pitos (finger snapping)).

First mentioned in literature in 1774, the genre originates in Andalusian music and dance styles. Flamenco is strongly associated with the gitanos (Romani people of Spain) - however, unlike Romani music of eastern Europe, the style is distinctively Andalusian and the fusion of the various cultures of southern Spain is clearly perceptible in Flamenco music. Although there are many theories on its influences and origins, the most widespread highlights a Morisco heritage, the cultural melting pot that was Andalusia at the time (Andalusians, Moors, Castilian settlers, Romanis and Jews) fostering its development over time. Flamenco music, as a theatrical representation of Andalusian musical tradition, was first recorded in the late 18th century but the genre underwent a dramatic development in the late 19th century.

Sara Baras

Sara Pereyra Baras (born April 25, 1971) is a female flamenco dancer, born in San Fernando, Cádiz, Spain.

She is internationally famous and regularly tours the world. Sara Bara started dancing at the age of eight in her mother’s (Concha Bara) dance school. She was gaining a reputation when she joined guitarist Manuel Morao's company in 1989. She has won a number of awards including the Madroño Flamenco of Montellano (Seville) in 1993, and in 1999 and 2001, she received a prize for the Best Female Spanish Dance Performer.

She collaborated with Javier Barón, and Merche Esmeralda included her in her show Mujeres. She worked with Antonio Canales on Gitano, and with El Güito at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. She danced with Manuel Morao at the Seville Expo in 1992 and later in New York.

As a solo dancer, she took part in several tributes to Camarón de la Isla. In 1997, she started her own company, with which she closed the Festival Nacional de Cante de las Minas. The company's first shows included Sensaciones (1998) and Sueños (show) (1999). Sara Baras appeared in other shows including Juana la Loca (2001) and Mariana Pineda (2002).