What is the Sevillanas?

Andalusian folk couple dance of the Seville fair, danced in four set coplas—related to but distinct from flamenco.

Where did the Sevillanas originate?

The Sevillanas originated in Andalusia, Spain in the 1700s.

What time signature is the Sevillanas danced in?

The Sevillanas is danced in Sevillanas coplas (3/4).

What tempo is the Sevillanas danced at?

The Sevillanas is typically danced at Moderate.

What is the character of the Sevillanas?

The Sevillanas is characterized as festive, social, graceful.

Dance History›Regional Folk Traditions›Sevillanas

Concurso de Sevillana Nîmes 2019 primer premio Lisa carmen y Joao Espiga · Lisa Carmen La Carmencika

Regional Folk TraditionsRFK-SEV

Sevillanas

Also known as: Seguidillas sevillanas

OriginAndalusia, Spain

Era1700–Present

RhythmSevillanas coplas (3/4)

TempoModerate

CharacterFestive, social, graceful

Origin: Andalusia, Spain
Era: 1700–Present
Rhythm: Sevillanas coplas (3/4)
Tempo: Moderate
Character: Festive, social, graceful

History & Cultural Context

Sevillanas is a folk couple dance from Andalusia, Spain, strongly associated with the Feria de Abril and other ferias in Seville. It is danced to its own coplas (verses) in a fixed structure of four parts, with couples performing set passes, turns, and arm movements. Though often performed in flamenco contexts and sometimes mislabeled 'flamenco,' sevillanas is a distinct, accessible social folk dance with a set choreography.

Cultural Significance

A communal folk dance central to Andalusian feria culture, danced socially by people of all ages.

Characteristic Movement & Technique

Four fixed coplas of set passes, turns, and arm and hand movement between partners.

Partnering Dynamics

Couple; social.

Competitive Context

Primarily social at ferias; also taught and performed.

Regional Variations

Regional and personal styling within the fixed form.

Common Misconceptions

Sevillanas is not flamenco—it is a separate Andalusian folk couple dance with a set four-part structure, even though the two share settings and styling.

Sevillanas Playlists

Curated collections on the LODance YouTube channel — performances to watch, lessons to learn from, and the right music to practice with. Tap a collection to play.

▶ Lessons · Open on YouTube →

Sevillanas Music & Tempo

Drawn from 20 Sevillanas tracks in the LODance music library.

Example tracks at practice tempo

Cosas de la vida — Amigos De Gines95 BPM
Que digan lo que quieran (Sevillanas) — Manué Jiménez100 BPM
Sevillanas de la Manuela — Pepe Roca147 BPM
Vaya un mes de mayo — Amigos De Gines96 BPM
Ya huele a feria — Amigos De Gines104 BPM
Noches de primavera — Amigos De Gines172 BPM

Browse & play all 20 Sevillanastracks in the Music Library →

Sevillanas on screen

Films and television where Sevillanas appears, with the sequences worth watching for.

Sevillanas (1992)10 sequences indexedSevillanas bíblicas: “La vio el Rey David” · chor. Matilde CoralSevillanas rocieras de pito y tamboril · chor. Lola Flores (improvised in performance)De Lebrija: “La liebre”+ 7 more on the title page

Iberia (2005)1 sequence indexedSevilla — rain-soaked sevillanas finale

Poster artwork from TMDB.

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Sources & Further Reading

Where This Dance Is Documented

José Manuel Gil Buiza (dir.); Manuel Linares Ríos (dir.) – Historia de las sevillanas (5 vols.)

An editor's note on where the technique for this dance is actually written down — sometimes a named book, sometimes the fact that no such book exists. A judgment, not a count of what we hold.

Cultural & Historical Context

Sevillanas emerged from Andalusia, Spain during the 1700s—present day. Understanding the cultural roots, musical traditions, and social circumstances of this era enriches appreciation for the dance's characteristics and significance.

Primary Source Documents

The Library of Dance contains public-domain primary sources for dance history. Copyrighted modern syllabi are indexed with purchase links to their respective copyright owners. Search by dance name or codifier to discover primary source documents.

Last reviewed: November 2026 — This dance profile synthesizes historical research, cultural documentation, and contemporary practice knowledge to provide authoritative context.

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