Rhythm or symmetry? What matters more in flamenco footwork?

Background: Music, rhythm, symmetry, and body awareness are important aspects of dancing training. Flamenco dancers not only mark and accentuate the rhythm, but they produce the rhythm through the footwork (zapateado). The main purpose of this study was to determine whether the rhythm tapped by the...

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Main Authors: Wanda Forczek-Karkosz, Robert Michnik, Katarzyna Nowakowska-Lipiec, Alfonso Vargas Macías, Irene Baena Chicón, Sebastián Gómez Lozano, Joanna Gorwa
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Akademia Wychowania Fizycznego im. Bronisława Czecha w Krakowie 2022-09-01
Series:Journal of Kinesiology and Exercise Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:http://jkes.eu/gicid/01.3001.0016.0121
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author Wanda Forczek-Karkosz
Robert Michnik
Katarzyna Nowakowska-Lipiec
Alfonso Vargas Macías
Irene Baena Chicón
Sebastián Gómez Lozano
Joanna Gorwa
author_facet Wanda Forczek-Karkosz
Robert Michnik
Katarzyna Nowakowska-Lipiec
Alfonso Vargas Macías
Irene Baena Chicón
Sebastián Gómez Lozano
Joanna Gorwa
author_sort Wanda Forczek-Karkosz
collection DOAJ
description Background: Music, rhythm, symmetry, and body awareness are important aspects of dancing training. Flamenco dancers not only mark and accentuate the rhythm, but they produce the rhythm through the footwork (zapateado). The main purpose of this study was to determine whether the rhythm tapped by the flamenco dancer’s feet occurs with the symmetry in the lower limb movements. Methods: The zapateado (ZAP-3) technique sequence based on 30 cycles composed of six repeating sequences of taps performed with right and left feet was analyzed. Movement kinematics was recorded using a 3D motion system. The following parameters were analyzed: time of subsequent ZAP-3 cycles, time of successive taps of the feet in the cycle, joint angular changes throughout the cycle, and lower limb joint angles at the time when the tap was performed. Results: Temporal parameters within the cycles of the ZAP-3 test revealed small variability (coefficient of variation up to 5.05% for the right and left lower limbs for a single cycle) and high symmetry (symmetry index did not exceed 3% for a single cycle), which indicates the rhythmicity of the flamenco test. Furthermore,the kinematic analysis revealed a lack of perfect symmetry in the movements performed by both lower limbs. This allows a flamenco dancer to have room for individual interpretation or improvisation so important in flamenco. It seems that rhythm plays a more important role in flamenco footwork than movement symmetry. Conclusion: Rhythm plays a more important role in flamenco footwork than movement symmetry.
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publishDate 2022-09-01
publisher Akademia Wychowania Fizycznego im. Bronisława Czecha w Krakowie
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spelling doaj-art-8ed5fb7f6b3c413ea59e83d11c6f804e2025-08-20T03:44:33ZengAkademia Wychowania Fizycznego im. Bronisława Czecha w KrakowieJournal of Kinesiology and Exercise Sciences2956-45812022-09-013299354610.5604/01.3001.0016.012101.3001.0016.0121Rhythm or symmetry? What matters more in flamenco footwork?Wanda Forczek-Karkosz0Robert Michnik1Katarzyna Nowakowska-Lipiec2Alfonso Vargas Macías3Irene Baena Chicón4Sebastián Gómez Lozano5Joanna Gorwa6Department of Biomechanics, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, University of Physical Education in Krakow, PolandDepartment of Biomechatronics, Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, Silesian University of Technology, Zabrze, PolandDepartment of Biomechatronics, Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, Silesian University of Technology, Zabrze, PolandTelethusa Centre for Flamenco Research, Cádiz, SpainPerforming Arts Research Group, Pepa Flores Professional Dance Conservatory, Málaga, SpainPerforming Arts Research Group, San Antonio Catholic University of Murcia, SpainDepartment of Biomechanics, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Poznan University of Physical Education, PolandBackground: Music, rhythm, symmetry, and body awareness are important aspects of dancing training. Flamenco dancers not only mark and accentuate the rhythm, but they produce the rhythm through the footwork (zapateado). The main purpose of this study was to determine whether the rhythm tapped by the flamenco dancer’s feet occurs with the symmetry in the lower limb movements. Methods: The zapateado (ZAP-3) technique sequence based on 30 cycles composed of six repeating sequences of taps performed with right and left feet was analyzed. Movement kinematics was recorded using a 3D motion system. The following parameters were analyzed: time of subsequent ZAP-3 cycles, time of successive taps of the feet in the cycle, joint angular changes throughout the cycle, and lower limb joint angles at the time when the tap was performed. Results: Temporal parameters within the cycles of the ZAP-3 test revealed small variability (coefficient of variation up to 5.05% for the right and left lower limbs for a single cycle) and high symmetry (symmetry index did not exceed 3% for a single cycle), which indicates the rhythmicity of the flamenco test. Furthermore,the kinematic analysis revealed a lack of perfect symmetry in the movements performed by both lower limbs. This allows a flamenco dancer to have room for individual interpretation or improvisation so important in flamenco. It seems that rhythm plays a more important role in flamenco footwork than movement symmetry. Conclusion: Rhythm plays a more important role in flamenco footwork than movement symmetry.http://jkes.eu/gicid/01.3001.0016.0121flamencozapateadosymmetryrhythm
spellingShingle Wanda Forczek-Karkosz
Robert Michnik
Katarzyna Nowakowska-Lipiec
Alfonso Vargas Macías
Irene Baena Chicón
Sebastián Gómez Lozano
Joanna Gorwa
Rhythm or symmetry? What matters more in flamenco footwork?
Journal of Kinesiology and Exercise Sciences
flamenco
zapateado
symmetry
rhythm
title Rhythm or symmetry? What matters more in flamenco footwork?
title_full Rhythm or symmetry? What matters more in flamenco footwork?
title_fullStr Rhythm or symmetry? What matters more in flamenco footwork?
title_full_unstemmed Rhythm or symmetry? What matters more in flamenco footwork?
title_short Rhythm or symmetry? What matters more in flamenco footwork?
title_sort rhythm or symmetry what matters more in flamenco footwork
topic flamenco
zapateado
symmetry
rhythm
url http://jkes.eu/gicid/01.3001.0016.0121
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AT alfonsovargasmacias rhythmorsymmetrywhatmattersmoreinflamencofootwork
AT irenebaenachicon rhythmorsymmetrywhatmattersmoreinflamencofootwork
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