Farruca
Farruca (Spanish pronunciation: [faˈruka]) is a form of flamenco music. It is a light form typical of cante chico, and is traditionally danced only by men.[1] It is said to have been invented in the 19th century by a dancer named Faico; others who stylized and expanded farruca included Antonio de Bilbao. Ramirez, Manolito la Rosa, El Batato and Rafaela Valverde, and La Tanguera.[1] Other sources indicate that Farruca originated in Galicia, a region in northern Spain.[2]
Although there are female flamenco dancers who exclusively danced farruca too (such as Rafaela Valverde also known as La Tanguera),[3] these female dancers originally danced the farruca wearing male clothing.[1]
Farruca is seldom sung.[4]
The farruca is commonly played in the key of A minor,[4] with each compás equivalent to 2 measures of 4/4 time with emphasis on the 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th beats: [1] 2 [3] 4 [5] 6 [7] 8
The dance often has fast turns, quick intense footwork, held lifts and falls, dramatic poses and bursts of filigrana (often with a flat hand). It can also be danced with a cape.
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Farruca
 Home-made recording traditional farruca. |
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Example Lyrics
Una farruca
en Galicia a una farruca (A girl named Farruca, from Galicia)
amargamente lloraba. (bitterly she cried.)
porque se habia
muerto su farruco (because her lover "Farruco" is dead)
y la gaita le tocaba. (her crying is like bagpipes.)
References
Bibliography
- Madeleine Claus (1990). Claus Schreiner, ed. Flamenco: Gypsy Dance and Music from Andalusia. Molly Comerford Peters (trans.). Portland, OR: Amadeus Press.