On the day of the Santos Inocentes, 28th December, Malaga capital
celebrates the Main Verdiales Festival. In the San Cayetano inn
at Puerto de la Torre lots of pandas (groups of musicians and singers)
gather from surrounding villages and thousands of Malagans go there during
the day to enjoy the festive atmosphere. "Verdiales" are played,
following the tradition of the bands of verdiales who toured to raise money
for people injustly imprisoned.
According to some writers the verdial was the "ancient" predecessor
of flamenco. The origins of the verdial song and dance are unknown although
it is thought it may have been a Phoenician dance later adapted to the rhythms
of Christian rituals.
The songs are happy and the dancers play castanets decorated with long multicoloured
ribbons. They are accompanied by guitars, primitive violins of 2 strings
and tiny metal cymbals. The verdiales are a colourful display of popular
folklore due to the spectacular handicrafted hats, decorated with bright
flowers, pieces of mirrored glass and multicoloured ribbons.
The verse or copla is usually the classical quatrain, sometimes
with an extra line becoming a five-line verse. The dance, generally performed
by partners, is gracious and simple. Its structure is usually made up of
3 verses with different corresponding steps, many of which are jumps. The
movements in between the verses before the exchange of places become those
of the Sevillana dance, slightly simplified and with constant jumping.
The arms are in constant movement. The dancers move towards and away from
each other playfully, turn their backs, watch each other, change places etc.
As a rural dance it is performed wearing alpargatas, a sandal-like
shoe with a sole of plaited hemp, decorated with vibrantly coloured ribbons
attached to the leg.
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