“And let that day be lost to us on which we did not dance once!”

–Friedrich Nietzsche

“Are you going to see flamenco while you’re in Spain?” my mother asked over Skype one night while I was in Madrid.

“I doubt it,” I said, explaining that it’s more of a southern Spain thing. Specifically, it hails from Andalusia, a region known for its beaches, tapas and capital of Sevilla.

But beyond any regional concerns, what I should’ve added was – I’m not even sure I want to. Flamenco seemed right up there next to bullfighting on the List of Things You’re Supposed to See in Spain. (You know the list I mean, right? Every country has one…).

As I’ve said before, I don’t do well when I’m told there’s something I have to do or see – whether it’s trekking in Nepal or a full moon party in Thailand. I wanted to let Spain reveal herself to me on her own terms, rather than dictate my experience there.

A few days later, I attended a welcome orientation lunch for Pueblo Ingles in Madrid (my elevator-pitch explanation is that it’s a week-long program for Spaniards to practice their English with native speakers. But it’s also about so much more than that.)

Our lunch was being held at Casa Patas, what I assumed was quite a touristy restaurant from the way its logo appeared right above its location on my map of Madrid. After a delicious plate of paella, red wine and creamy flan for dessert, we moved upstairs for the actual orientation.

It didn’t occur to me that the stage at the front of the room was for anyone other than Pueblo Ingles reps to give their speil. Half an hour later, though, when two flamenco dancers, a guitarist and singer entered the room, I realized something else was going on.

Once they began to dance, I couldn’t imagine having left Spain without seeing this.

Flamenco Dance in Spain

Flamenco Dance in Spain

Flamenco Dance in Spain

It was the kind of experience where the emotions of it didn’t connect to the physical surroundings. There I was, in a sparsely decorated room two stories above the streets of Madrid, sitting in a hard plastic chair surrounded by people who weren’t yet my friends – and I wanted to weep.

Just the day before, I had walked through the city with a fellow pilgrim from the Camino. “I feel numb,” I told him as we passed the iron gates of Retiro Park and made our way to the Prado art museum. “I feel like I could be anywhere right now.”

Part of this had to do with my PCD (post-Camino depression, of course…). Another part of it had to do with what happens when you stay in a new place every night. Your brain begins to resist the constant change after awhile, almost in an act of rebellion. It becomes harder to connect with a place, your roots refusing to unfurl themselves.

And so to find myself suddenly moved to tears – watching sweat gather on each dancer’s brow, feeling every stomp of their heels and every clap of their hands – I could only be grateful. Grateful to feel the numbness falling away, grateful to be bewitched by the beats, mesmerized by their movements and melodies.

When their performance was done and all of us let go until our departure in the morning, I hung around a bit, passing time until I needed to meet another friend later on. Out in the hall, I could hear a few people still talking, and then my ear caught the voice of the guitarist.

I hurried out to say hello. The roots of his dark, thick curls were still damp with sweat; his handshake was strong. He told me that although he started playing guitar at a young age, he played mainly rock. It wasn’t until he was 21 that he started learning flamenco.

“What made you switch?”

“The rhythm, the strength, the power,” he answered, and then he excused himself and said goodbye.

His words stayed with me long after he left, the perfect summation of what had moved me so much while they danced.

The rhythm, the strength, the power.

Flamenco Dance in Spain

Flamenco Dance in Spain

Flamenco Dance in Spain

See your own flamenco dance in Madrid:

  • Casa Patas is located at 10, Calle de Cañizares in Madrid, and the closest Metro stop is Antón Martín on Line 10.
  • The restaurant is open from 1:00-4:30pm every day, from 8:00pm-midnight Monday to Thursday, and from 7:30pm-1:00am Friday and Saturday. Details of daily flamenco performances can be found here.
  • For more information, visit their website or give them a call at (+34) 913 690 496.

8 Comments

    • Thanks, Naomi! So glad you enjoyed the photos – it was a little difficult to capture them as their movements were so quick, but I think in a way the blur almost evokes it more.

  • This is one thing we did miss in Spain. I’m bummed I missed that lunch (dang late flights) and that I didn’t follow up when Hubs suggested we check out flamenco while we were there. Thanks for sharing this!

    • Ah, I’m so sad you weren’t able to make it to the lunch! I couldn’t quite remember if you were there – so many new faces were one big blur 🙂 Well, I always say I like to leave a few things to come back for in a place…perhaps flamenco is one of your things in Spain!

  • First, very beautiful photos!
    Second, I totally know what you mean – and in fact, the dancer looks just like the one I had seen in Barcelona!!
    Rhythm, strength, power – very well summarised! It’s a very moving invigorating dance!

    • Hey Abhijit! Thanks so much for stopping by – and I’m really glad to hear you enjoyed the post. That’s great you got to see flamenco dancers in Barcelona, I didn’t realize you could see them there, too! Spain definitely won me over…I’m excited to go back and visit one day 🙂

  • Thanks for your reflection Candice , life is a clean canvas and you get to paint , at times you may even start afresh as time , experiance and reflection always alter the perceptions that we at some time held so dear .

    The Camino , a beautiful life journey ,emphasizing that we are all so similar , seekers , needing community , needing space to reflect . I just finished the Camino again this year having walked from Astorga last year with my son and now with my wife from St Jean , I think it’s a must to do ” even though I know you don’t like must do ” . Tonight we will visit Casa Patas , best wishes and if you ever get to Cape Town let us know and we will provide you as a fellow pilgrim some great places to stay and visit

    Buen Camino

    • Thanks so much for saying hello, Lee! It’s wonderful to hear from a fellow pilgrim 🙂 I loved hearing about your own time on The Way – both with your son and with your wife…that must be such a fantastic thing to do as a family. I hope you enjoy your time at Casa Patas tonight, and I will absolutely let you know when I make it to Cape Town – I’d definitely love to visit one day!

Comments are closed.