Why are Flamenco dance dresses mostly red?
The science of a color that goes beyond traditions
One of the most traditional colors of flamenco is undoubtedly red. From flamenco dresses to ornaments, skirts, and even nails and makeup. As to ‘why’, it goes a little further than the simple tradition of culture and history of this dance. It is what this color represents.
Flamenco is a dance that screams "passion" everywhere. The “cantaores” (singers) who with love, pain or nostalgia, tell stories on stage or in the streets of Spain. The guitarists who express their enthusiasm for the party or anyone who wishes to dance to their music, leaving all their strength and dramas while making a thousand forms full of aesthetics. This dance embodies the spirit, emotion, and beauty. It means everything from the chosen fabrics to the pieces needed to reflect all those elements. The colors are rich, lively and vibrant, just like the ancestors of Flamenco dance, the energized and passionate gypsies. Robert Vidal (famous classical guitarist) once said: “I love flamenco because it is an art form, which you don’t listen to with your ears but with your intestines. First, you have to feel the music before you can think about it.”
Unlike other dances, it gives the dancer the freedom to express everything they feel. If you have ever seen a Flamenco show, then you know that you can feel the energy of the dancers through their moves and artistic expressions full of raw beauty and sexual energy. Have you seen the seductive and concentrated looks of Joaquín Cortés while dancing flamenco in some other dancer while they perform in a Ballet show, for example? Most likely not. The stomping that intensifies, the dancers giving entrance to the musicians, the skirts that move or go up with the music... all that is simple and raw passion. And what is the color of passion? Red.
(Joaquín Cortés)
There have been studies on the science of colors and they have determined that the color red is linked to images of love, passion, and sex, therefore highlighting attractiveness. It is a warm color linked to physical needs and the will to survive. It is energizing and motivating to take actions because it excites our emotions. Even those who are shy can benefit from this color because it gives confidence.
Another element that is naturally linked to passion (and that is characteristic of Flamenco) is sex appeal. The trumpet silhouette of the dresses is very feminine and flattering, showing a woman’s curves in all the right places. The chosen color is red because it represents bravery, vitality, and strength, thus adding the characteristic sex appeal of this dance form. So much so, that designer brands such as Balenciaga, Dior, Versace, and many others have created dresses inspired in this dance to give the same desirable sensations of it. There was even a trend were Hollywood stars, musicians and models wore red dresses inspired on flamenco.
(Balenciaga 1951)
(Vivienne Westwood flamenco-inspired gown)
(Jenna Dewan’s Instagram)
Red is a color of extremes. Aside from passionate love and seduction, it’s also the color of danger and adventures. No doubt the entire Flamenco fashion is based on this powerful color.
