The zapateado — a dance with percussive footwork — has its origins in the pre-flamenco Tanguillo de Cádiz which was originally a style of music with singing that was, and still is, a staple of Spain’s annual Carnaval festival. Traditionally speaking, the main difference between the two styles is that the tanguillo is written for voice and guitar (i.e., no dance) and the zapateado is written for dance and guitar (ie., no singing). That said, dancers no longer perform the zapateado as frequently anymore. Instead, it has become largely a staple of flamenco’s solo guitar repertoire.
Vicente Amigo’s zapateado rhythm is a modern variation of the original rhythm. Whereas the traditional zapateado used a constant 6/8 phrasing with accents on beats 1 & 5, the modern zapateado uses 2 measures of 6/8 with asymmetric phrasing. The first measure of 6/8 accents beats 4 & 6 and the 2nd measure only accents beat 4. You can listen to Vicente’s studio version of Vivencias Imaginadas here.
“Tangos de mi Novia” captures the emotional rhythm at the heart of flamenco guitar music—deep and expressive. Then there’s “Dos Partes de Mí,” which shows off a unique and personal flamenco guitar style that really stands out. If you’re after something more traditional and rooted, “Barrio La Viña” brings out some beautiful flamenco guitar chord work you’ll want to explore.
To keep growing and developing your own sound, my Spanish Guitar Mastery course is a great next step.
