The Spanish dance was one of the finest dances done before or today along with Ballet and all the Contemporary dances. This Spanish dance documentation goes way back to the Hellenic period (550 B.C.).

   The Spanish Jaleo (also called Chufla) was usually danced impromptu by a supple, agile gypsy with castanets, to a guitar accompaniment and the haunting notes of an ancient love song. The Jaleo was always danced by a woman and was the veritable expression of the Spanish Gypsy soul. The female dancer bounds, darted, swayed, wheels and invites. In El Jaleo was passion and ecstasy. In Flamenco the Jaleo denotes encouragement of the dancers and singers along with hand-clapping, shouts of "Ole" as well as various other enthusiastic expressions of approval.

   The Gypsy whirling dance called the Jaleo de Xeres (Jeres) and the Olé were somewhat similar to the Fandango, their charm consisting in their rapid combination of gestures and motions, and were said to be in high favor among the Andalusians. The former is not infrequently introduced in American stage ballets. The Jaleo de Xeres (Jerez) was usually danced impromptu by an agile gypsy with castanets, accompanied by a guitar and the haunting notes of an ancient love song. Danced exclusively by women, the Jaleo was the veritable expression of the Spanish gypsy soul.

The Dance called the Merengue has its roots in the "Jaleo."

Movie / Films

Television

Ballets / Stage

1898 - Castanet Dance

1901 - Sevillenas Dance

1909 - Spanish Girl, The

1923 - The Spanish Dancer

Publications

1947 - ?Serenata española?

$ 1983 - Carmen DVD

1926 - Mentor Magazine

$ 1960 - The Alamo (a snippet)

$ Carlos Saura Dance Trilogy Part 1 - Carmen

3/28/1931 - Colliers Magazine

2/8/1945 - Life Magazine ("Gypsy Dance")

2/9/1949 - Galveston Daily News

Other Related Dances ...

Alegrias

Janda

Paso Doble

Bolero

Fandanguillo

Jota

Rumba Gitana

Tanguillo

Bulerias

Fandango

Malaguena (song)

Sarabande

Taranto

Farruca

Merengue

Zambra

Chica

Flamenco

Pambiche (Merengue Jaleo)

Solea (Soleares)

Chufla

Spanish Dance

Zapateado

Dancers, Choreographers etc.

Political

Books, Magazine Articles on the dance...

Title

Author

Date Published

Publisher

$ Grammar of the Art of Dancing

Zorn, Friedrich Albert

1905

n/a

Mentor Magazine

Overton, Grant

12/1926

n/a

$ Dance Encyclopedia

Chujoy, Anatole

1949

A.S. Barnes

Musicians

Poets / Writers

Artists

Albeniz, Issac (1860-1909)

de Falla, Manual (1876-1946)

Gilbert, Ralph

Lorca, Federico Garcia

Misc. Research Words that may be related ... to help your searches

Agitanado

Bailes

Cuadro Flamenco (divertissement)

Manuela

Bailar

Caliphs

Folkloric

Taconeo

Other...

n/a