The verbs to learn and to study still carry surprisingly negative connotations in twenty-first-century flamenco circles. It is not uncommon for laughter to erupt the moment these words are mentioned, usually followed by the tired clichés endlessly repeated by the oracles of ignorance who thrive on social media: “Flamenco cannot be learned; it must be felt.” “This is something you’re born with!”
Against such empty rhetoric stands the admirable work of educators and researchers committed to addressing historiographical blind spots and bringing flamenco’s many dimensions closer to students. It is in this spirit that we at ExpoFlamenco turn to José Cenizo Jiménez’s latest book, Enseñar flamenco. Una visión interdisciplinar de las letras del cante, published by Renacimiento.
We would like to point out that the author has dedicated his extensive career not only in research, but also in teaching. He was a secondary school teacher and a professor at the University of Seville. He coordinated the University of Seville's doctoral program, 'Advanced Studies in Flamenco' (2012-2014). Therefore, he is the ideal author for this study, which notably clarifies the landscape of Didactics of Flamenco at different educational levels, especially in secondary school.
One of the book’s greatest strengths is its accessible prose. Cenizo never overwhelms the reader with excessive annotation or opaque academic jargon. This is no small achievement: teachers at virtually any educational level can engage with the book and readily bring its insights into the classroom. That accessibility, however, never comes at the expense of scholarly rigor. The study is grounded in substantial interdisciplinary research, as evidenced by the extensive bibliography accompanying the text.
"This book helps address a long-standing educational debt to the copla flamenca. Despite its richness having been recognized by some of Spain’s finest writers, the educational system has largely failed to give it the value it deserves. Teaching flamenco, then, does not mean domesticating it; it means ensuring that its memory, complexity, and transformative power remain alive for future generations"
Another major strength is the sheer breadth of pedagogical activities proposed throughout the book. These are designed not only for Spanish Literature and Music classes, but also for Philosophy and Ethics, Anthropology and Sociology, Geography and History, Religion, Biology and Natural Sciences, Visual Arts, Photography, Mathematics, and Classical Languages. The seventh chapter is especially useful, offering concrete exercises tailored to several of these subjects.
The book’s interdisciplinary approach also highlights flamenco’s remarkable capacity to engage in dialogue with other artistic traditions. Through lo jondo, students are encouraged to broaden both their intellectual and creative horizons. This vast and inexhaustible universe opens pathways not only to major figures in Spanish literature, but also to masters of jazz, cinema, and painting.
Perhaps it is in the section devoted to music where Cenizo Jiménez could have explored the intersections of this interdisciplinary dialogue in greater depth, particularly to highlight the evolution of flamenco as an art form increasingly understood as urban popular music. For example, what imprint has jazz left on the work of Paco de Lucía? How has electronic music shaped the sonic aesthetics of contemporary flamenco? These are questions whose answers would be particularly worthwhile to explore with students, especially those who feel a strong affinity for electronic music.
Ultimately, Enseñar flamenco. Una visión interdisciplinar de las letras del cante helps address a long-standing educational debt to the copla flamenca. Despite its richness having been recognized by some of Spain’s finest writers, the educational system has largely failed to give it the value it deserves. Teaching flamenco, then, does not mean domesticating it; it means ensuring that its memory, complexity, and transformative power remain alive for future generations. ♦
