Sevillanas Tutorial

Free Sevillanas Video Tutorial - Learn, Review and Practise

The videos on this page have been created to support you at all stages of your learning. ¿Bailamos por sevillanas?

About Sevillanas

The “Sevillanas” (Spanish pronunciation: [seβiˈʝana]) is a traditional 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. 

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. 

The Paso de Sevillana, the Pasadas and the Vueltas are steps repeated in all 4 sevillanas, while the other steps are specific for each sevillans.

Paso de Sevillana (Sevillana Step) The most common dance step performed in Sevillanas includes a front and backward stepping pattern. The Sevillana step starts all four sevillanas and it is done there times in each Sevillana, and four additional times in the first one.
Pasada/Pasadas (The Pass or passing step) Partners switch places with each other twice in each verse and additional four times in a row in the first Sevillana.
Vuelta/s:  pivot turns that end all fours sevillanas and also  take place at various points during sevillanas 2, 3 and 4.

Esquinas (corners or grapevines) are steps that go side to side in the first sevillana

Pasos Arrastrados (Brushed Steps) and Pasos Cruzados (Crossed steps or pas de Basque) waltzing, 3-count step characteristic  of the second sevillana

Careos: type of posada used in the fourth sevillana in which dancers switch positions facing each other, the word “cara” means “face”,  “careos” meaning face to face.

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. 

Getting  Started

The  most important steps to learn are the Paso de Sevillana and the pasada. Typically you start learning “la Primera”, the first Sevillana. On the videos below you will learn these two key steps. You will also learn the “5 pasos de Sevillana” and the “four pasadas” in the first Sevillana.

El Paso de Sevillana – Learn and Practise Along

La Pasada - Learn and Practise Along

Sevillana #1 (First verse) La Primera Copla

Sevillana #2 (Second verse) La Segunda Copla

Sevillana #3 (Third verse) La Tercera Copla

Sevillana #4 (Fourth verse) La Cuarta Copla