Flamenco Queer

ANA GONZÁLEZ: When I found out about Manuel Liñán’s cross-dressing interpretation of flamenco, I felt admiration. He managed to connect two worlds that I thought would never mix: Queer and flamenco. These worlds are also my worlds: The most traditional face of Spain – which could be represented by flamenco and bullfighting – and the transgression of these conventions (the queerness, also very present in a country with the largest gay pride in Europe or being one of the first states to legalize same sex marriage). This led me to questioning the identity of the terms: What is flamenco and who said it isn’t queer? The origins of this art actually come from the margins (jews, moors, gypsies and other social outcasts) and there have always been queer people on the flamenco scene; a book called “The Queer History of Flamenco” was actually published recently. Over the past few years, I’ve worked on stories about queer communties in Indonesia, Mexico and Thailand – but the pandemic left me stuck in Europe and that’s how I bumped into Manuel’s story. Spain is now living a historical moment in terms of identity and gender, with an open debate that will determine the near future of queer people.

FREDERICK BERNAS: The most compelling artists always have a knack of subverting established cultural practice, turning conventions upside down – but in such a way that their own mastery and integrity can never be questioned. Manuel Liñán certainly follows that formula: He was a prodigious talent who rose from tiny cuevas (caves) in the hills of Granada to national recognition and a global presence, dancing in a style passed down through generations. He became a household name in the flamenco community. Many others would have been happy to stop there, but Manuel didn’t: He set out to shatter taboos in a largely traditional scene by openly performing dressed as a woman. The prospect of losing fans, gigs – or even his entire career – was a risk he willingly took in order to express his true identity. And today, Manuel and his stunningly personal, introspective “VIVA!!” show have gone on to win countless awards, silencing the critics and breaking new ground for Spanish society as a whole.