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About this video: Filmed at the Andalucian Horse Show, Jerez, Spain (pronounced Hereth) from the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art - the show "How the Andalusian Horses Dance". History of Jerez Jerez de la Frontera became famous throughout the world for its sweet wines named after the town, which the British pronounced "sherry". It is called "de la Frontera" because it once stood on the frontier between the Moorish and the Christian realms. Jerez is also famous, throughout the world, for its fine horses and brilliant singers and dancers of flamenco. But Jerez is also world famous for its magnificent dancing horses, which you can see at the Real Escuela Andaluza de Arte Equestre – the Royal Andalucian School of Equestrian Art. On Thursday mornings there is a spectacular display of dressage. REAL ESCUELA DE ARTE EQUESTRE (The Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art): Founded in Jerez in 1973. The main aims of this institution range from : The conservation and promotion of the classical and horse breaking, the preservation of the prestige of the local horsemanship to the development of new horsemen. Its headquarters is in El recreo de las Cadenas- elegant and nice palace. This building is surrounded by gardens designed by Garnier in the second half of the XIX century. At 12:00am the you will see the show "THOSE AMAZING DANCING ANDALUSIAN HORSES" (Duration about 1 hr & 30 mins.) The show is a fully fledged equestrian ballet, featuring choreography adapted from the training exercises of classical dressage and doma vaquera, with traditional Spanish music and costumes which date back to the 18th century. You really have to see it to believe it: horses and riders in a celebration of artistic creativity, in an explosion of harmony and colour - all to the evocative beat of music The "How the Andalusian Horses Dance" show is an equestrian ballet accompanied by totally Spanish music and 18th Century style costumes, all put together and choreographed using movements based upon Classic Dressage, Doma Vaquera and the daily chores of traditional equestrian work. Each show consists of between six and eight different choreographies, all of the same degree of difficulty and entertainment value and scheduled by the school. Sitting proudly in the centre of the town of Jerez de la Frontera, the famous Real Escuela Andaluza del Arte Ecuestre draws millions of visitors each year. The spectacle held on Tuesdays and Thursdays (at 12pm noon) "How Andalusian Horses Dance" is very popular, but you can attend training sessions on other days (Mon, Wed, Fri) for a cheap ticket and see the whole complex in all its majesty. The training sessions are between 10am and 1pm. The equestrian centre is built around the Recreo de las Cadenas Palace, itself an amazing 19th century baroque-style building designed by Charles Garnier (he also designed the Paris Opera.) The shows are held in the 1600 seat arena. After a disco style burst with laser lights, the distinctive tones of flamenco guitar take over and some ten riders dressed in 18th century country costume make their entrance. Then the impressive equestrian ballet begins. These choreographed dances are based on both classical (doma clasica) and country dressage (doma vaquera), as well as other specialised riding techniques. For example the horses would gallop around the ring making sudden changes of rhythm and spin tightly pivotting on a circle around their hind legs, all apparently in time with the music. This is the canter pirouette. The most spectacular part was the execution of high leaps with legs kicking out, known as a capriole. The horses at times did resemble dancers, especially with the technique called piaffe, where the horse trots on the spot and picks its legs up in diagonal pairs.
