While it’s usually southern Spain that gets the glory for flamenco, Madrid has several great places to catch a live and heart-pounding performance of the dance that brings all the bravado of a bullfight with none of the gore.
One of the best places to see — and really, feel — flamenco in Madrid is Villa Rosa.
The Stage at Villa Rosa is Set
The flamencos keep the beat with impeccable clapping skills, and the beginning of the story flows out. We’re all anxiously waiting for the dance to begin, and the tension in the air is thick.
The first dancer takes the stage and begins with a slow and enchanting dance.
She’s gaining her momentum
The guitarist and vocalist continue the tale through strong strumming, incredibly fast finger-picking and the unmistakable wavering tone of voice that is flamenco.
Flamenco guitarist and singer
She has begun to pour the passion in, and it oozes from her fingertips to toes. Her feet begin hitting the floor harder, the room reverberates with each decidedly Spanish step.
Strike a Pose
Villa Rosa was kind enough to offer us dinner during the show, and the food was very much Madrileño, but the show was so good I couldn’t bear to look away, even to eat the delicious Pimientos de Padrón.
Pimientos de Padron, unos pican y otras no!
Meaning: some are spicy and some are not, a pepper lottery.
Next up was Hugo Sanchez, a well known name in the world of flamenco and though his reputation preceded him, everyone in the audience was suspended in disbelief at his moves.
The expression.
Hugo Sanchez, Flamenco Performer
The emotion.
Hugo Sanchez, Flamenco
And the flair.
Hugo Sanchez on stage at Villa Rosa
Last, but certainly not least, was the second female in the trio. Her style was much more quick and powerful than the first; it was as if she breathed, moved, and lived flamenco.
Stopping Time with Her Hands
She was the third performer in the first act of the evening, but after a one hour break they were going to perform again. We loved the performance so much we stayed for the second! I highly recommend this option if you have the cash and time – in fact I am going to suggest to Villa Rosa that they create a special price for this package and will update the post if they agree.
The second performance of the night enjoyed a 15-20 minute guitar solo (likely because the dancers were still changing and catching their breath) and the outfits were more beautiful and captivating than the first time around.
She’s Back in Black
Watching her black dress float through the air and whip around her body as she pleased was simply mesmerizing. It may have been the champagne we were drinking but I enjoyed the second performance even more than the first – though both were absolute must have experiences for anyone coming to Madrid!
If you want to book tickets they have an online shop with a wide variety of prices and options; there’s a mid-day show starting at 15 euro. For an experience you will remember the rest of your life, that’s a steal! Get your flamenco tickets for Villa Rosa here.
Flamenco is not just a show to be seen, it’s the ultimate expression of humanity as told through dance, song and guitar. I’ve been to a few flamenco shows here in Madrid and can say that Villa Rosa was hands down the best.
Please note that we were guests of Villa Rosa– they invited us to the show and dinner , and let us stay for the second show, too– but we bought our own champagne. If you’ve been coming to the site for a while, you know I always give my honest opinion of products and services. If you’re new here, please check out my disclaimer about how I handle freebies, paid posts, and sponsored content.
TL;DR I give it to you straight.
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