Spain and Latin America: A Historical Bond That Nurtured Flamenco

The story of the cajón is fairly well known. Today, it’s an iconic element of flamenco: when one thinks of flamenco, rhythm and percussion come to mind, and alongside the clapping hands (palmas), we now imagine someone playing this box-shaped instrument. But the cajón wasn’t always part of flamenco—it arrived relatively recently. Specifically, in the 1970s, when Paco de Lucía and his sextet’s percussionist, the Brazilian Rubem Dantas, discovered a Peruvian cajón at the home of the Spanish ambassador in Lima. It was being played by Caitro Soto, who accompanied the renowned Peruvian singer Chabuca Granda.

With great intuition, Rubem Dantas realized that this was the missing piece in flamenco percussion. Paco agreed. “Wherever more than three people are making flamenco, the cajón is there. It’s ideal for this music because it sounds very similar to the dancer’s footwork, to the knuckles tapping out rhythm on a table, or to the percussive hits on a guitar body. And it doesn’t produce a pitch, unlike other skin-covered percussion instruments. It was a discovery and an achievement I am very proud of,” Paco de Lucía once said, as quoted by José Manuel Gamboa in his book Una historia del flamenco.

The group Son de la Frontera, in turn, introduced another Latin American instrument into the flamenco soundscape: the Cuban tres. While it hasn’t reached the universal acceptance of the cajón, this three-course string instrument has become an integral part of the group’s music, born from collaborations with the singer Martirio. According to the magazine deflamenco.com, the group’s aim is to blend the warm resonance of the Cuban tres into the signature sound of toque de Morón, especially that of its most iconic guitarist, Diego del Gastor.

Flamenco Across the Atlantic

Long before them, many flamenco artists had already performed across Latin America and built successful careers there. Among them was the legendary dancer Carmen Amaya from Barcelona, whom we honor at the Tablao de Carmen. She arrived in Argentina in 1936 and debuted at the Teatro Maravillas. She performed in Rosario and Córdoba, traveled through Uruguay, and made a long stop in Brazil before reaching New York, captivating audiences in Rio de Janeiro along the way.

More recently, flamenco artists like dancer Sara Baras, bailaor Farruquito, and guitarists Vicente Amigo and Tomatito have enjoyed successful tours throughout Latin America. Paco de Lucía himself spent the last years of his life living in Xpu Ha, near Playa del Carmen in the Mexican Caribbean.

Today, cities across South America—like Bogotá, Medellín, Montevideo, and Querétaro—host their own flamenco festivals. Flamenco, especially its dance, is kept alive by a growing number of schools and academies across the continent.

At the Root of Flamenco Rhythm

The Latin influence in flamenco actually goes much further back—it lies at the heart of the rhythmic structure of many major flamenco styles. According to flamenco scholar Faustino Núñez, as explained on the authoritative website Flamencópolis, the binary rhythm (used in deep-rooted styles like tangos, rumba, garrotín, or farruca) descends from the American tango, which arrived in Cádiz from Cuba in the early 19th century. And the twelve-beat rhythm, the hallmark of flamenco’s complex compás, is found in styles that came from overseas, like the peteneras and guajiras. Flamenco later incorporated this rhythm into iconic styles like bulerías, soleás, alegrías, and seguiriyas.

“Cantes de ida y vuelta”: The Round-Trip Flamenco Songs

These are flamenco songs with Caribbean origins—brought back by flamenco artists who traveled to Latin America and later returned to Spain, or songs that arrived on the Iberian Peninsula through ongoing cultural exchange. According to José Manuel Gamboa, in his book Una historia del flamenco, the turning point was the Hispano-American Exposition in Seville in 1929–1930, where flamenco artists reconnected with South American culture. His extensive research highlights the main “cantes de ida y vuelta”:

• Guajira: Originates from the Cuban “punto guajiro”, a rural style sung by white farmers and Spaniards. Early guajiras had political or social content, but later leaned into idyllic themes about life in Cuba. A popular modern lyric says: “I like to walk in Havana in the morning / After drinking my coffee / With my lit cigar.” Notable singers of flamenco guajiras include Silverio Franconetti, Antonio Chacón, Niño Medina, and Enrique Morente. In dance, the guajira uses props like fans to create a vibrant tablao performance. Its rhythm alternates between 6/8 and 3/4, and Gamboa suggests it influenced the development of major flamenco rhythms like soleá, seguiriya, and bulería.
  
• Milonga: One of the most popular flamenco styles in the 20th century, made famous by Manuel Escacena’s version of Milonga de Juan Simón. The style originally came from Argentina and Uruguay, brought to Spain by Pepa de Oro. Other key performers include Pepe Marchena, La Niña de la Puebla, and Juanito Valderrama. Manolo Sanlúcar also contributed a seminal guitar interpretation with Canto a una lágrima.
  
• Vidalita: Closely related to the milonga (and sometimes confused with it), vidalitas share melancholic themes. The name stems from “mi vida” (“my life”). Escacena recorded En mi triste rancho in 1928, followed by renditions from Valderrama and Marchena.
  
• Petenera: Popularized in Seville in 1879, the petenera has a debated origin. Some believe it stems from the Paño Moruno style, while others trace it to Peru or Mexico, or to Cádiz (notably, to a woman named Dolores from Paterna de Rivera). The song may even have Jewish roots. The first known recording was by Rafael Romero “El Gallina”, with Pepe Marchena later known for preserving the style. A legend claims peteneras bring bad luck, as the original singer’s lovers allegedly met tragic ends. Today’s flamenco artists like María Terremoto challenge that superstition, embracing the style in modern albums.
  
• Habanera: A slow Cuban tango that has become part of flamenco repertoire. One example is Canto a Cuba, famously recorded by La Niña de la Puebla.
• Colombiana: Surprisingly, it doesn’t come from Colombia. Instead, it was invented by Pepe Marchena, who first recorded it in 1931 as Mi colombiana. Inspired by Mexican folk songs taught to him by Juan Bringas, Marchena fused the melodies with flamenco flavor to appeal to broader audiences. Some say it should have been called “mexicana”, or possibly derived from the Basque zortziko folk dance. According to Núñez, modern interpretations allow greater freedom in structure and rhythm. Two of the most famous are Monasterio de sal by Paco de Lucía and Tiro tire by Enrique Morente and Manolo Sanlúcar.
  

It’s also worth noting that tangos, one of flamenco’s most popular and commercial styles, likely has Cuban origins (as suggested by Gamboa). Flamenco has embraced tangos so deeply that it feels even more native than other round-trip styles. From tangos, other subgenres like rumba, tanguillos, tientos, marianas, farruca, and garrotín have emerged.

Latin American Flamenco Artists in Spain

The cultural exchange between Latin America and Spain has always gone both ways. Just as many Spanish artists built their careers across the Atlantic, many Latin American talents arrive in Spain with a desire to grow within the world of flamenco. Barcelona has become a key destination, as seen in the case of Mexican bailaora Karen Lugo. Or Soleá Gollás, the Mexican-Andalusian singer and dancer who regularly performs at Tablao de Carmen, always moving between both continents. Also from Mexico are Karime and Tati Amaya, a talented flamenco dancer and guitarist, children of Mercedes Amaya—Carmen Amaya’s niece—whose branch of the family has strong roots in Latin America.

Other regular performers on our stage include Betiana Barros, who arrived from Argentina nine years ago, and Venezuelan bailaora Mariana Martínez. At Tablao de Carmen, artists from both sides of the ocean share their flamenco every night, offering a unique, diverse, and deeply rooted experience to all who wish to feel the spirit of this universal art form.