Preserving the wild gypsy spirit of flamenco

(15 Jul 2011)
AP Television
Granada, Spain - May 9, 2011
1. Various of flamenco performance
2. Various of Granada showing the Alhambra
3. Various of terrace above Granada, San Nicolas square, man playing guitar and singing flamenco
4. Various of exterior of flamenco bar
5. Various of hillside with cave houses in Sacromonte quarter in Granada
6. Tilt down to courtyard of cave house
7. Various of woman at kitchen inside cave house
8. Various of flamenco artist Salvadora Maya, watching TV
9. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Salvadora Maya, flamenco artist:
"I don't think the neighbourhood is disappearing. The Sacromonte remains as it once was. In the old days it was different because there were a lot more residents. Nowadays we have fewer neighbours, but when it comes to gathering and dancing flamenco in any place and at any time, things are still the same."
++ Night Shot ++
10. Wide of the Alhambra
11. Pan from street to flamenco cave "Cueva de la Rocio"
12. Various of flamenco performances inside "Cueva de la Rocio"
13. Various of alleys in Sacromonte
14. Various of tourists entering cave house museum complex "Cuadra"
15. Various of museum curator with tourists inside old gypsy cave house, showing photographs, furniture
16. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Miguel Berbel, Museum Curator:
"The pressure that Sacromonte faces, owing to its beauty, is a 'Sword of Damocles' that has been threatening this neighbourhood for a long time. There was a project to tear this down this very museum and develop modern housing overlooking the Alhambra."
17. Various set ups of Jose Torres Hurtado, Mayor of Granada
18. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Jose Torres Hurtado, Mayor of Granada:
"This is a neighbourhood that consists of narrow alleys that were arranged that way in the old times to avoid the excessive heat. The area is in permanent rehabilitation because it has been declared a world patrimony site (by UNESCO). As a consequence we are forced to work around the clock to keep it in good condition."
19. Various of interior cave with flamenco artists rehearsing show
20. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Juan Andres Maya, flamenco dancer and choreographer (beside chair inscribed "Michelle Obama":
"It is clear that when you receive the First Lady of the United States or (former US president) Bill Clinton, such famous people, then people come here asking for these specific venues. We've always had a good clientele. But people like the ones I mentioned, have enriched our reputation and that is good for the neighbourhood."
21. Various of photograph showing wife of US president Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, with flamenco performers
LEAD IN:
The spiritual home of flamenco is the Spanish city of Granada.
In the shadow of the ancient Alhambra Palace, locals are fighting to maintain the historic gypsy spirit of the area, under threat from the pressures of tourism and developers.
STORYLINE:
Flamenco!
The seductively rhythmic music, dance and song of this gypsy tradition has it's home in the streets, alleyways and bars of Granada.
The Spanish region of Andalucia is famed for flamenco, but Granada is it's beating heart.
The spectacular historic highlight of the city is the Moorish Alhambra fortress that still stands above the modern town at the top of the valley.
On the other side, clinging to the hillside, are the Albaycin and Sacromonte neighbourhoods, the home of flamenco.
Both these quarters as well as the Alhambra have been listed as World Heritage sites by UNESCO.
By the 19th century Sacromonte already had a significant gypsy community, who built their homes in caves carved from the soft limestone of the hillsides.
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