Flamenco Palos and Compás — Seville Guide

Quick Table of Palos

How to Count a 12‑Beat Cycle

Try this pattern aloud:

1. Count: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
2. Accents: 3, 6, 8, 10, 12
3. Clap soft–soft–strong where accents fall.

The spirit matters more than math — let compás guide your body.

Accent Maps (At a Glance)

• Soleá: accents on 3, 6, 8, 10, 12.
• Alegrías: similar map, slightly brighter articulation.
• Bulerías: faster pulse; feel the phrases over strict counting.

Inline cues with math: in a 12‑beat cycle, the accent set A is $A={3,6,8,10,12}$. You don’t have to count every beat — feel how phrases land on values in $A$.

Listening Tips

• Spot a llamada (call) — a dancer’s signal to shift sections.
• Hear cierres (closures) — musical punctuation marking transitions.
• Expect bulerías to end a set with joy.

Quick Practice

• Put on a tangos track; clap on 2 and 4.
• For alegrías, sway your torso to the 12‑beat waves.
• Whisper ¡Olé! on a remate — time your cheer with the cierre.