Saturday 4th April 2009 - 16h - Théâtre Jean Piat, Canet

"Cantar I Bailares Sevillanas"

Performed by the students of the Antenne Méditerranée directed by Aline Rico and the Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional de Perpignan Méditerranée, this free Sevillanas concert will be a passionate and colourful display of Andaluscian dancing.

Sevillanas is not actually flamenco as such, but is often performed by flamenco artists who give it that special flamenco touch. The dance is believed to be a variation of a style of dance known as the seguidilla, an old Castilian folk dance, popular amongst couples of all ages, and frequently danced by girls in brighly coloured dresses at feria time.

From Wikepedia
The feria week would be the only time that the man could show his affection to the girl, asking her to accompany him in the dancing of sevillanas, and this is most probably why there is little physical contact, as the whole night would be watched over by her family.
Today the sevillana is danced at any form of get-together, whether it is the feria, a wedding, or at a family party, where all and everyone present will join in. For many, dancing the sevillana is just routine, something they have grown up with and learnt simply by being constantly surrounded by it, although there are many schools where you can go to learn it.
It is normally far better and enjoyable when performed by everyday Andalucians rather than professional or trained dancers, because even though the movements are set to a pattern, it is a dance of the people, and when they are simply enjoying themselves, it will be far more entertaining.
The casetas or small bars at the feria will be bursting with people who for one week of the year will forget about everything other than enjoying themselves, and like all fiestas in Andalucía, the colour, the theatrical scenes, and the traditional dress, all combine to make a most wonderful experience.
It is always amazing to see a whole dance floor erupt with people performing this style of dance, and you will normally find that everybody knows how to dance the sevillana, no matter what age. Children are encouraged from a very young age, and there is no embarrassment involved, just a passion for the dance, and the Andalucians express themselves beautifully with the dance.
There are also many different styles of sevillana including, Sevillanas Boleras, Corraleras, Biblicas, Rocieras, and Marineras to name but a few. The sevillanas are performed to a set of carefully worked out steps of which there are at least nine different steps in each section and four sections in the overall dance.

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