A little after 3pm on weekday afternoon, the footsteps and voices that echoed along the hallowed halls of the Prado were silenced by an unexpected series of percussive sounds.
The source was not vandalism or protest; rather, it was a performance by flamenco dancer El Yiyo in front of the eight muses for whom the Madrid museum's Sala de las Musas is named. Accompanied by guitarist Rafael Andújar, who had joined him shortly before, El Yiyo captivated his audience with clicks, claps, stomps and pirouettes.
Following the performance, which was part of a new cultural initiative aimed at encouraging visitors to seek refuge in air-conditioned venues during Madrid's sweltering summer months, El Yiyo expressed satisfaction with his audience's response: "The audiences really get into it and we connect."
Madrid's culture councillor Marta Rivera de la Cruz acknowledged the challenges faced by visitors in navigating the city during these hot periods, emphasizing that this initiative offers a unique opportunity to experience exceptional art forms within well-cooled spaces.
Read next
Over 1 million people gather in Madrid for outdoor mass with Pope Leo
Over one million people gathered in Madrid for an open-air mass led by Pope Leo. During the service, the American pontiff highlighted the contradiction between Christian principles and far-right ideology, stating, “No one can kneel before the Lord and despise their brother.”
Crowds began forming hours before dawn on Sunday
Xi Jinping visits Pyongyang to strengthen China-North Korea relations
Xi Jinping has begun a two-day visit to North Korea, marking his first trip to the country in nearly seven years as he seeks to strengthen relations with the ally.
Footage from the Xinhua state news agency showed the Chinese leader and his wife, Peng Liyuan, arriving at Sunan international
Denmark's mullet championship celebrates the 'beautifully ugly' and divisive hairstyle
Copenhagen recently hosted the 2026 Mullet Championship, where more than 1,000 spectators gathered on an outdoor stage to celebrate the enduring hairstyle characterized by short hair in the front and length in the back.
Twelve participants competed in the event, which was organized by 37-year-old electrician Steffen Stiw Weber.