The other side of flamenco

When you hear the word flamenco you probably think of a lady dancing in a polka-dot dress, stomping her feet, accompanied by guitars and singing. And in the fair capital of Andalucía, Seville, you would have no problem finding such a sight. All across the old town, around the cathedral and in the lee of its 12-century minaret turned cathedral bell-tower, glamorous flamenco dancers are busy at it, stirring up passion on the cobbled streets and in the city-centre tourist shows. There’s no denying such flamenco demonstrations will raise your pulse and the tourists, not surprisingly, love them.

But if you think that’s good, you need to head south of Seville toward the sherry-growing region around Jerez de la Frontera, and to the likes of San Fernando, just outside the coastal city of Cadiz, where El Camarón – The Shrimp – emerged to become one of flamenco greatest and most tragic sons.