This analytical history traces representations of flamenco dance in Spain and abroad from the 20th century through to the present day. The book looks at flamenco histories, film appearances of flamenco, accounts of live performances and interviews with practitioners to map the emergence of a global dance phenomenon.

The language of the body is central to the study of flamenco. From the records of the Inquisition, to 16th century literature, to European travel diaries, the Spanish dancer beguiles and fascinates. The word flamenco evokes the image of a sensuous and rebellious woman--the bailaora --whose movements seduce the audience, only to reject their attention with a stomp of defiance. The dancer's body is an agent of ideological resistance, conveying a conflicting desire for subjectivity and autonomy and implying deeply held ideas about history, national identity, femininity and masculinity. This...