(or How to speak "Flamenco" with a very English accent):
DANCE
Hands:
A Fuera (Ah FWEY-rah): outward hand movement
A Dentro (Ah THEN-tro): inward hand movement
Palillos (Pa-LEE-yohss): finger-snapping
Palmas (PAHL-muss): rhythmic hand-clapping
Sordas (SOR-thas): muted (literally: "deaf") referring to softer clapping
Claras (CLA-rass): bright, referring to loud clapping
Footwork:
Escobilla or escovilla (Es-coh-BEE-yah): long footwork section
Golpe (GOAL-pay): Stamp with the entire foot
Planta (PLAN-tah): Ball of the foot
Punta (POON-tah): Toe
Tacón (Tah-CONE): Heel
Taconeo (Tah-cone-AY-oh): Footwork in general
Whole body:
Marcaje (Mar-CAH-hey): Dance steps (which include upper-body movement)
as opposed to footwork
Parts of a dance:
Letra (LET-rah) or Copla (KOH-plah): verse
Llamada (Yah-MAH-dah): call to begin or end a dance section
Remate (Ray-MAH-tay): punctuation of the singing with footwork
Salida (Sah-LEE-dah): entrance
VOICE
Cante (KAHN-tay): singing
Salida (Sah-LEE-dah) or Temple (TEM-play): singer's opening or warm-up
Letra (LET-rah) or Copla (KOH-plah): verse
Estribillo (Es-tree-BEE-yo): repeated words, or chorus
GUITAR
Falseta (Fal-SET-ah): melodic themes and variations on the guitar
Rasgueado (Ras-gay-AH-do) or Rasgueo (Ras-GAY-oh): strong, rhythmic guitar strumming which is
the trademark of flamenco guitar
PERCUSSION
Cajón (Ca-HONE): the most popular percussion device in modern flamenco -
means literally 'box' or 'big box', referring to shipping crates once used by Peruvian dock workers as
instruments
Castañuelas (Cas-tah-nyew-EL-ass): castanets, hand-held percussion used by dancers for the
forms Sevillanas and Fandangos, and one of the most identifiable sounds in flamenco
GENERAL VOCABULARY
Compás (Comb-POSS):
1) the rhythmic structure or signature of a
form with its specific accents, e.g., Tangos are in 8, Bulerías in 12, etc.
2) one measure
of music: eg., one cycle of 12 beats in Bulerías
Duende (DWEN-day): the "demon" or "spirit" that
possesses and inspires a flamenco artist
Jaleo (Ha-LAY-oh): shouts of encouragement made by band-members or
members of the audience: e.g., "OLE!"
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