A Guide to Review and Practise Sevillanas
This video tutorial has been created to support you at all stages of your learning. ¿Bailamos por sevillanas?
About Sevillanas
The “Sevillanas” (Spanish pronunciation: [seβiˈʝana]) is atraditional flamenco-inspired Spanish folk dance that originates in Seville (Spain). Lively and fun, it is a “must know” for flamenco dancers. Throughout your flamenco learning journey, you will revisit and improve your sevillanas overtime.
Sevillanas are the only dance form in flamenco performed in pairs. You can see people dancing them at flamenco shows, celebrations, nightclubs or simply on the streets of Seville. At the annual La Feria de Sevilla (the Seville Fair ) sevillanas are danced day and night for a week.
Our students perform sevillanas at various levels of expertise at most of our public school showcases and events.
Sevillana #1 (First verse) La Primera Copla
Sevillanas Steps
The Sevillanas’ steps are a traditional choreography and although there are variations in style and mostly in the second and third “coplas” (verses), the structure is the same, so they can be danced with anyone else who knows them anytime, anywhere.
Paso de Sevillana: The most common dance step performed in Sevillanas includes a front and backward stepping pattern
Pasada/Pasadas: Partners switch places with each other twice in each verse.
Brushed steps A waltzing, 3-count step
Careos: Passing waltzing steps in which dancers switch positions facing each other, the word “cara” means “face”, “careos” meaning face t0 face.
Vuelta/s: pivot turns.
Sevillana #2 (Second verse) La Segunda Copla
Sevillanas Structure and Rhythm
The rhythm of Sevillanas can be interpreted as 3/4, although it is generally 6/8.
Coplas: Each sevillana is composed of 4 “coplas“.
Tercios: each “copla” or verse is divided into 3 sections or tercios (1/3s), the dancers switch places with a “Pasada” at the end of each “tercio” (third), except on the first sevillana, where there are 4 additional pasadas at the end.