Flamenco is built on emotion. Sometimes it is light hearted or naughty but most times it is dark, full of sorrow and anguish. Like the Blues, Flamenco fulfills the need of a people to express their travails, commiserate, and acknowledge a shared past. Flamenco culture has a long and interesting history in southern Spain..

In 2007 a local flamenco instructor met with Susan, suggesting that she write a children’s book about flamenco, re-awakening Susan’s fascination with the gypsy lifestyle. An avid reader, Susan read everything she could find on the Spanish gypsies, flamenco, Andalusian culture, and gypsy folklore. What started as a picture book project quickly grew into a much broader concept; she soon realized that a road trip was in order. So, in the fall of 2007, she and her daughter flew to Seville to experience the roots of flamenco through the exploration of the natural world of Andalusia that dictated how the gypsies lived, the path of their migration, and the art movements that continue to promote flamenco today.

Exploring the Roots of Flamenco provides an excellent introduction to the history of flamenco, to Andalucía, and the people and culture that played a vital role in flamenco’s origins.