The term “certamen” means competition in Spanish, which exist on a wide scale in Spain as a way to promote artists and push flamenco forward.

In 1922, one of Spain’s greatest writers, Federico García Lorca, and renowned composer Manuel de Falla, organized the Concurso de Cante Jondo, a competition dedicated to the art form. They did this to stimulate interest in styles of flamenco that were endangered by being considered too intense for cafés cantantes (cabarets.) The jury for the Concurso included four famous flamenco performers: Antonio Chacón, Pastora Pavón (La Niña de los Peines), Manuel Torre, and Juana la Macarrona. Winners included a twelve-year-old cantaor named Manolo Ortega, who later became famous by the name El Caracol.

Today, certamenes and concursos continue to introduce us to flamenco greats, bringing new life to the artform while preserving tradition. Flamenco Vivo presents the only flamenco certamen in the United States, supporting emerging artists across the nation!