Flamenco is a form of Spanish folk music and dance from the region of Andalusia in southern Spain. First mentioned in literature in 1774, the genre grew out of Andalusian and Romani music and dance styles. Flamenco is often associated with the gitanos (Romani people of Spain) and a number of famous flamenco artists are of this ethnicity. Gitanos coming from India, have kept large segments of their culture of origin, including music and dance. A comparative study of Indian dance with Bharata Natyam, Kathak Mudras frees exact similarities (eg Carmen Amaya). Flamenco is known for its emotional intensity, proud carriage, expressive use of the arms and rhythmic stamping of the feet (cf. tap dance). Different styles of flamenco:

-Flamenco, Córdoba, ” puro” is considered the form of performance flamenco closest to its gitano influences. In this style, the dance is always performed solo, and is improvised rather than choreographed. Some purists frown on castanets.

-Classical flamenco is the style most frequently performed by Spanish flamenco dance companies, tending to exhibit more clearly the characteristics derived from the Seguidilla, a traditional Spanish dance. Flamenco has undergone an evolution by fusion with classical ballet to created by 'La Argentinita' around 1920 and later on by Joaquín Cortés. In the 1950s Jose Greco Flamenco dancers, reviving the art almost singlehandedly.

-Flamenco nuevo is a recent style in flamenco, characterized by pared-down costumes (the men often dance bare-chested, and the women in plain jersey dresses). 

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