Palos of flamenco part 3: Alegría
Alegría means happiness, so the vibe and lyric content of this form is in stark contrast to the heavier cante jondo forms that tend to deal with suffering and death. It probably comes from Cádiz.
The rhythm cycle is more or less like bulería, a 12 beat cycle with the main palmas pattern bolded:
12 & 1
& 2 &
3 & 4
& 5 &
6 &
7 & 8 &
9 & 10 & 11 &
When Alegría is danced there are usually extra sections added:
- The ‘Silencio’ which is about half speed and usually in the tonic minor
- The ‘Escobilla’ or main footwork section
- The final part usually speeds up into a major key version of buleria known as bulería de Cádiz
Here is Paco de Lucia’s famous alegría “La Barrosa”. This alegría is so insanely difficult to play even Paco didn’t always nail it live. Here, however, he is on fire:
Eva “la Yerbabuena” dancing an alegría, including the aforementioned extra sections (silencio, escobilla, bulería de Cádiz). The main guitarist, Paco Jarana, is her husband. (This happens a lot).