ABSTRACT
The Arab dances that are linked to flamenco are described in this chapter. The history of the Moor in Spain is entwined with the Romani. The Moors and the Romani exchanged dance and music, and an example of this is the Zambra. This dance and its cultural roots are analyzed in this chapter. Also, the semblances of belly dance to flamenco are studied. The Houara tribe and its dance tradition are examined because of the striking similarities to flamenco. The dance challenges the claim the Arab dance and flamenco assimilated in Spain. The dance of the Houaras could explain the highly debated theory that some Romani tribes traveled through the Middle East before arriving in Spain.
