Masters of Flamenco - Early Television Concerts (2005)

The excitement of flamenco dance is the result of years of arduous training. Difficult to master, and requiring the talents as well of specially trained guitarists and singers, it is not for the amateur or the faint of heart. Before the popularity of motion pictures featuring flamenco dance few people outside of Spain knew flamenco. Yet it has gradually caught on. Flamenco dance troupes are now seen every year in some major US cities , and flamenco techniques are even taught occasionally in university dance courses. However a generation ago flamenco dance was a rare import. This DVD brings together performances from some of the great artists that thrilled audiences in the mid 1960’s. With Pepita and Goyo Reyes, Pepa Reyes and Cruz Luna, Adonis Puertas (guitar), Isabel (singer) and The Alba/Reyes Spanish Dance Company with Maria Alba, Ramon de los Reyes, Carmen Suarez, Pastora de Ronda, Roberto Cartegena, Pedro Cortes (guitarist), Chinin de Triana (singer).

Not what I expected

Masters of Flamenco - Early Television Concerts was worth the price just to see what popular Flamenco looked like in the 1950s-60s. I had hoped to see some traditional dancing, but only got a lot of machine gun tachoneo. This technique, when used for most of the dancing, is strictly for tourists and television. The male dancers were trying too hard to look like Rudolph Valentino. July 30, 2008

Old, out of date

Poor quality video from old TV shows. Not very traditional in an attempt to "update" flamenco in the 1960s. I'd not buy it. All black and white the cover is not part of the show. May 6, 2008

Awesome Tapping & Castanet Performance.

Flamenco is divided into: Cante(song), Guitar, and Dance.

If Cante is your thing, then don't buy this DVD, 1st part has no cante & the recording in the 2nd part is terrible (the sound keeps fading in & out).

If Guitar is your thing, then don't buy this DVD, the camera hardly focus on the guitar player, and as I said, the sound recording keeps fading in & out.

If Dance is your thing, then you should definitely buy this DVD, but keep in mind this is not the Pure Gypsy Flamenco Dance, this is more the Commercialized Flamenco Dance with a lot of Tapping & Castanets which were added to Flamenco Dance for Tourist Attraction. January 14, 2006

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