International Flamenco Day

While flamenco has its roots deep in Spain, it has become a universal art form and is danced and played from Japan to Latin America and the United States.

To mark International Flamenco Day (Saturday, November 16), a Madrid dance school has released a special video.

Under the motto "Flamenco doesn't make distinctions, it distinguishes us", it features artists from all origins and sexual orientations.

As artists like Rosalía keep reinventing this genre, the music used is a fusion of traditional flamenco and electronic music, further underlining its diversity.

"The video tries to reflect that in Flamenco everything has a place, regardless of gender, race, physical complexion or age," said the Fortea dance school in a statement.

"The students dance in front of changing backgrounds that symbolise diversity, and that come together at the end to form a single picture.

"In the choreographies there are high, low dancers of different races, they dance in mixed couples or of the same sex and have very different ages, as a sign of inclusion in an art that 'does not distinguish'."

Virginia Domínguez, the director of the Fortea dance school, said: "Our message this year has changed; in the social moment in which we live, we thought it was appropriate to highlight one of the values of Flamenco beyond its art and culture or what it means for us, the students and professionals who live it day by day.

"The capacity of Flamenco to welcome everyone, whatever their social, physical, sexual or cultural condition, can be "pulled up" in a dance, a few hand claps or a "cante" (singing), is one of its great things. It is, for us, a pride and privilege that Flamenco is part of our culture. And this is what we wanted to express, that Flamenco does NOT make distinctions, it distinguishes US."

The International Flamenco Day is held on November 16 to mark the day it was included in UNESCO's World Heritage list.