{"id":9292,"date":"2023-04-24T10:05:10","date_gmt":"2023-04-24T08:05:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/flamencomalaga.com\/las-malaguenas-what-does-this-flamenco-dance-consist-of\/"},"modified":"2025-06-26T16:58:52","modified_gmt":"2025-06-26T14:58:52","slug":"las-malaguenas-what-does-this-flamenco-dance-consist-of","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/flamencomalaga.com\/en\/blog\/las-malaguenas-what-does-this-flamenco-dance-consist-of\/","title":{"rendered":"The Malague\u00f1as: What Does this Flamenco Dance Consist of?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The <\/span>malague\u00f1as as a dance<\/b> are a <\/span>traditional flamenco style from Malaga<\/b> that emerged in the early 19th century and has its roots in the ancient fandangos of the area, differing from these because its rhythm is increasingly slow and sustained, achieving exceptional richness.<\/span><\/p>\n

What are the Malague\u00f1as? <\/b><\/h2>\n

The <\/span>typical malague\u00f1as dance from Malaga<\/b> is a type of musical composition similar to the fandango that is normally danced with the typical costumes of the province such as the <\/span>malague\u00f1a de lujo<\/b> or<\/span> bolero<\/b>, the <\/span>verdiales<\/b> and the<\/span> marenga<\/b>. Generally, it is danced in couples and some of the steps are the arm movements, the promenade, and the face-to-face movements.<\/span><\/p>\n

Origin of the Malague\u00f1as <\/b><\/h3>\n

The malague\u00f1a dance <\/span>emerged in the early 19th century<\/b> in the region of Malaga as a sung dance derived from flamenco. Throughout this century, it continued to be performed throughout Andalusia, gaining great popularity and being highly sought after by the public. <\/span><\/p>\n

However, there were already some precedents, such as the Tiranas, the Jabera, the Fandango Ronde\u00f1o and other types of danceable fandangos that accompanied the dances of the <\/span>Bolero Dance School<\/b> since the mid-18th century. It is precisely at this time when the <\/span>Fandango Verdial,<\/b> mother of the \u201cflamenco malague\u00f1as\u201d, which has multiple variants, emerged. <\/span> <\/p>\n

Cultural and Social Importance <\/b><\/h3>\n

The <\/span>Spanish Choirs and Dances Association<\/b> was the one that established the canons that are currently maintained as the foundation of the schematic structure of the malague\u00f1a as a dance. A perfectly defined and explained concept that makes dancing malague\u00f1as a graceful piece with beautiful poetic-folkloric content, most often of a costumbrist nature. <\/span><\/p>\n

One of the main architects of the transformation of malague\u00f1as as a dance is Jos\u00e9 Mar\u00eda Alonso, who in the late 70s and early 80s, created with his work and that of other modern singer-songwriters a canon to follow when composing malague\u00f1as for festive dancing.<\/span><\/p>\n

Currently, we can find different modalities of malague\u00f1as dance, differentiated in their rhythm and compass, which determines whether they can be danced or not. In the late 90s, they began to be sung respecting the rhythm and compass to make them more danceable, giving rise to the \u201cfestive malague\u00f1as\u201d. <\/span><\/p>\n

How are the Malague\u00f1as Danced?<\/b><\/h2>\n

The malague\u00f1a is a flamenco dance that <\/span>is danced collectively,<\/b> usually <\/span>five, six or more couples<\/b>, where the dancers <\/span>form circles, tunnels, figures and braids.<\/b> The music is usually calm and the choreography consists of a circle of couples where the man faces the woman on the left, and both turn their backs to the other couples. <\/span> <\/p>\n