The first literary records of Flamenco is in the "Cartas Marruecas" of Cadalso, in 1774. It is speculated that it was, between 1765 and 1860, that the first Flamenco-schools were created: Cádiz, Jerez de la Frontera and Triana (Seville).  In this period, Flamenco dance started to have its firm position in the ballrooms. Early Flamenco seems to have been purely vocal, accompanied only by rhythmical clapping of hands, toque de palmas. It was left to dedicated composers, such as Julián Arcas, to introduce guitar playing. The time from 1910 to 1955, Flamenco singing is marked by the ópera flamenca, with an easier kind of music such as fandangos and cantes de ida y vuelta. The latter clearly showed South American influences.  From 1915, Flamenco shows were organized and performed all over the world. Not everyone approved with that development and in 1922, purists organized a contest in Granada to promote "authentical" cante jondo. Actual Flamenco frequently shows influences from other kinds of music, such as Jazz, Salsa, Bossa Nova, etc.  Flamenco dance  has also changed, especially among female dancers. The Flamenco guitar that was formerly just a feature for the dancers evolved into a solo art form. The great virtuoso Paco de Lucia was a pioneer of that development. Mass medias have brought Flamenco to the world stage, but it has always been and will remain an intimate kind of music. It is said that you have not listened to authentic Flamenco if not in a juerga with a small group of friends, at midnight somewhere in the South of Spain, when there is nothing around but the voice, the guitar and the body of a dancer moving in the moonlight.  I guess I will have to put that on the to-do list.

Flamenco is a musical art form practiced predominately in Spain.  The art form consists of three major elements.   These elements are the Guitar, Singing, and the Dance.  Of the three, I have only attempted to learn the guitar. The origins of Flamenco are often debated but most people agree that Gypsies traveling from India brought the art to Spain.  The art was also heavily affected by the Moorish influence in Southern Spain. There are many traditional forms of Flamenco.  These traditional forms consist of different rhythms and styles of singing and are sometimes named after the region of Spain where that form was mostly developed.  Examples are Sevillanas, Malagenas, Farrucas, Bulerias, Fandangos, Rumbas, and Tangos.   This list is by no means all inclusive.