GYPSY DANCE from spain - Research Paper Example

The dances also represent freedom - freedom of personal and spiritual expression, the only type of freedom possible for an oppressed people. (Background on Romani Dance) The culture of the Gypsies can be interpreted as being intellectually divine and intriguing which is successfully expressed through their music and dance. It is probably safe to assume that because of various pull factors and migratory patterns, the Gypsies who are Indians by native and not Egyptians travelled throughout Europe and beyond settling in different geographic locations such as Spain.

What they brought with them, however, throughout this wary travel was their unique identity of culture. Between 800 and 900 A.D., a large exodus of people occurred from the Punjabi region of India. These people are believed to be members of the Untouchables, a group within the Indian caste system comprised of animal traders and trainers, acrobats, dancers, musicians, palmists and metalworkers. These nomadic groups, generally referred to as Roman and/or gypsies, divided into two major migratory routes, the most traceable moving west across Asia and the European continent, including Spain.

The first recorded account of Spanish Gitanos "Beticos" dates from 1447 in Barcelona. It is also believed that a second migratory route took them down to and across North Africa (including Egypt) and up into Southern Spain "Andalusia" via the Gibraltar. This faction, known as Cale (black), has been far more difficult to verify and trace due to the great similarity of appearance and lifestyle to the indigenous peoples along the route. We should not forget that Southern Spain was part of the Islamic Empire for a period of 800 years.

Although, the Northern Beticos immigrated to the more tolerant Islamic region of Andalusia, to this day, the gypsies themselves maintain a great distinction between the Beticos and ‘Cales’, with virtually no intermarriage between the groups. During the Inquisition of the ‘Reconquista’, even this tolerance ended while gypsies from all over Spain were herded into "gitanerias" or ghettos. However unjust and cruel, this persecution and isolation was the very influence that safeguarded the purity of their music and dance within the family group.

Finally, in 1782, the Leniency Edict of Charles III restored some measure of freedom to the Spanish gypsy and allowed this music and dance to be presented to and adopted by the general population of Spain. This resulted in a period of great exploration and evolution within the art form, which continues to this day. Unlike the common gypsy language, gypsy music has great variety, varying from country to country, with strong local characteristics which, to a certain extent, are decided by their nomadic lifestyle.

The gypsies picked up the music from their surroundings and the native people present, and adopted it with their own understanding. As a result, gypsy music has highly-flavored traits of region, which in turn has a significant impact on the development of the local music. For instance, a gypsy who migrated from Russia will add accordion or guitar into their music. The alternation of solo and chorus, and parallel thirds can frequently be