This article refers to the series of stamps issued by the Spanish Post in 2009, as single or double releases, totaling 12 stamps and picturing Spanish traditional dances from different regions. The stamps are issued as single stamps, stamps with vignettes, or minisheets, and have different sizes and orientation in order to capture the dynamics of the dances. The images combine skillfully photography with computer design, but the ultimate result is quite truthful. Several types of dances from several Spanish regions and dependencies are illustrated in this very nice series.
I recommend this series for beginner stamp collectors as it is quite cheap and not so difficult to collect. The fact the stamps were not issued in one release, but separately, adds to the thrill of collecting, and assembling such a collection of stamps would cement the wish to collect stamps for a beginner collector, in my humble opinion.
Pictured above the traditional dance la mateixa from Mallorca.
Pictured above, the traditional dance from the Canary Islands called la isa or isas.
Pictured above one of the most known Spanish dances, the bolero, hailing from the 18th century and combining elements of contradanza and sevillana (the latter also featured in this stamp series), usually accompanied by the music of castanets and guitars.
Pictured above, the Catalan dance called candil.
Pictured above the Basque dance aurreksu. I like very much the way the format and orientation of the stamp was chosen to illustrate the dynamics of this traditional dance.
Pictured above the very lively Galician dance la muiñeira.
Pictured above a traditional couple dance, el fandango, equally popular in Spain and Portugal.
Pictured above a traditional ring dance, la rueda. Here as well the breaking off of the ring is illustrated very nicely in this landscape oriented stamp.
Another circle dance, la sardana, of Catalan origin, is pictured on the above stamps. It’s my favorite one in the series.
Pictured above las seguidillas, or a sequence dance, of old Castilian origin.
The dance called la jota is hailing from Aragon, but common in all areas of Spain, and is oftentimes accompanied by the music of castanets.
The last entry in the series is a minisheet depicting the traditional dance las sevillanas, as the name says it’s originary from Sevilla and is derived from the dance of seguidillas, also pictured in the series.
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Stamps featured in post: 12; Period: contemporary (2009); Michel Catalog numbers and prices: Spain Mi4414, 4415, 4418, 4419, 4421, 4422, 4436, 4437, 4446, 4447, 4455, 4456 – 10.8EUR Pricing: low; Availability: quite available, makes for an interesting search to assemble a full set.
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