Palos de Flamenco: Garrotín

I’ve avoided the palo of Garrotín for YEARS! You know, there are just some palos you don’t vibe with? Garrotín was one of them! I always thought it was rather juvenile seeing adults dancing cutesy with hats to this rhythm. But then the dancers inside my Online Flamenco Studio requested a choreography to this palo…. so I obliged. And it was really fun! I’m a convert now.

This palo is actually a great one for beginners to dance to because it’s a 4 count, the letras (verses) are short and standard and the coletilla (refrain) is quite memorable! Win-win!

Unlike most palos that originate in the Flamenco Land of Andalucía, Garrotín comes from the north in Asturias and is said to have been brought to flamenco by the gitanos of Barcelona.

COMPAS

We know that it’s a four count, just like Tangos. Sometimes we can count it in 8’s, but *really* it’s in 4’s. So, it starts on 1 and ends on 3 for the strong ending.

1-2-3-4-1-2-3-4-

1-2-3-4-1-2-3

BUT *some* guitarists may play this more like Tientos, so a slower double time Tangos. I won’t expand here on it, but it did throw me through a loop when I discovered that! At least it was still all in 4’s!!

LETRA (each line is 1 compás, or 2 counts of 4)

Pregúntale a mi sombrero

[respiro- break]

mi sombrero te dirá

las malas noches que paso

y el relente que me da.

(Then the COLETILLA always follows the letra)

Al garrotín, al garrotan,

de la vera San Juan

Al garrotín, al garrotan,

de la vera San Juan

Enjoy these wonderful Garrotín videos!

I remember seeing a video of María Pagés dancing a rather gothic looking Garrotín. This one isn’t like that, but notice the letra about the sombrero at 1:15.

Rafaela Carrasco with a spicy Garrotín!

Angeles Gabaldón dances an elegant Garrotín with sombrero.

Here is a sample of a Garrotín choreography that I have inside the Online Flamenco Studio for advanced beginners.