Flamenco Ghetto - Spain

August 2004

Fiery taps and stern looks define a stirring flamenco performance. For those who can master it, there's money in it.

But flamenco started life as the lament of an oppressed people who left India centuries ago before some settled in Spain -- the gypsies. Today their inspiration comes from the Seville ghetto. It's so run down the state no longer collects rent. The police barely patrol here -- outsiders enter only with permission. Gypsy dons Ramon and Jose are in charge, a pair who have made their fortune from flamenco. Today they foster new talent. Many of their songs recall centuries of racist abuse, where speaking their language could mean your tongue was ripped out. 'We had to express ourselves in this way' says Ramon. 'With flamenco we sing our sadness, our joys and all our feelings'. Flamenco's power is deep within -- a force called duende -- the spirit -- that can be moved by great sadness or joy. For the ghetto youth, life's harshness has given them great emotion to draw on.

Produced by ABC Australia
Distributed by Journeyman Pictures

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Journeyman
• Pictures
• Flamenco
• Ghetto
• dancing
• spain
• music
• youth
• emotion
• news
• documentary
• current affairs
• journeyman
• journeyman pictures

[EGvotreamie]

@worldwildwest It's most likely a mixture of both. The flamenco history is highly contested.

[RijenRijen]

@senorespanol i am a soldat! and i have no idea.

[senorespanol]

I love this video. I am a middle school Spanish teacher.  How do I download this?

[Latinsoul65]

Vaya! Soy Boricua tambien y me siento igual.

[mafia1021]

Soy puertorriqueño y la herencia gitana tiene que estar en mi caudal genético porque esta música me gusta hasta lo más profundo de mi ser...

To be a "Gitano" is wonderful

[worldwildwest]

For years i've never thought  Flamenco was a music from the gypsies it's so distinctive they don't even resemble the music from India - i assumed somewhat it originated rather from the descendants of north african moors who emigrated to southern spain long ago.

[masreyashobra]

Beautiful!!!

[RSMRonda]

Loved the documentary, aside from calling it "Seville", which grates on my nerves. I know it as Sevilla (pronounced Seveeya).

I love flamenco. It's gorgeous. I'll never forget watching live performances in Spain. It's consumes you with so much passion.

[chulibicho]

OLE VARETA....Q ARTE TIENE POR DIOS..

[Vitotesta]

WoW! Great little documentary. Thanks very much for posting.