“¡A QUELAR! Cabanyal Project: Flamenco as a Strategy to Promote the Inclusion

Abstract

This research explores the potential of flamenco in its contribution to the social inclusion of children and youth of the vulnerable gypsy community. Through the Cartography of Knowledge, we holistically analyze the experience of the ¡A QUELAR! Cabanyal Project in training, artistic immersion, and research on and through flamenco carried out by Cía. Extremus Danza and the Cultural Association La Calle Baila since 2018 in the Cabanyal neighborhood (Valencia, Spain). This study reveals that the inclusion of the Roma community depends to a large extent on the work that must be done with most of the society, unaware of the Roma culture. In addition, it is necessary to introduce aspects of gypsy culture into the Spanish educational system, as is the case with flamenco. Given the lack of studies on flamenco as a tool for social inclusion, this research is relevant for the analysis of one of the pioneering projects in Spain, enabling the replication and scaling of its model and its methodology in educational centers in the Spanish territory to lessen the existing antigypsyism.