Zapateado (Spain)

Zapateado is a style of dance and traditional music of Andalusian origins in metre 6/8, with lively movement, marked on two beats, the second being very stressed. The dance shows a gracious tapping. Humanists of 16th century affirmed that zapateado derived from the lactisma of the Roman dancers in times of the Empire.

Among the composers who write Spanish Zapateados is Paco de Lucía, whose Percusión Flamenca is a very popular piece for guitar and orchestra. Also Pablo de Sarasate, whose opus 23, no. 2 is a version of the dance scored for violin and piano. The piece is replete with harmonics, double stops, left hand pizzicatos, and is often performed by young virtuosos.

References

Enciclopedia universal ilustrada europeo-americana. Vol.70. ISBN 9788423945580