Alegrias
The Alegrias is a cante/dance usually performed in A major (in E major, it is called Alegrias por Rosas). The dance is highly structured, and similar to the Soleares, with a sequence in the minor key (A minor) called the silencio and a traditional section called the Paseo Castellano (a step also used in Soleares).
Like the Soleares, the Alegrias dance often includes a taconeo section (which can be without guitar accompaniment, as with Carmen Amaya's version). The old style of Alegrias included a section called the Ida, as a transition between the buildup of the taconeo solo and the transition to the Bulerias finale.
A typical dance sequence might be the following:
- Guitar Intro
- Cante Intro ("tiniti tran", etc.)
- Cante (dancer marks compas)
- Llamada transition to Paseos (12-count dance steps)
- Paseos
- Desplante (similar to that of Bulerias)
- Paseos
- Llamada (finale to section)
- Silencio (section in harmonic minor)
- Llamada transition to Paseo Castellano
- Paseo Castellano
- Llamada
- Taconeo Solo
- Build up to Bulerias Transition
- Llamada (or Ida)
- Bulerias (Jaleo Form)
- Desplante
- Bulerias
- Desplante
- (repeat Bulerias/Desplante to taste)
- Final Desplante
The use of the bata de cola (a train on the dress of the female costume) is traditional with Alegrias.