A fandango is a lively, energetic Spanish dance performed by couples, often accompanied by guitars and castanets (small percussion instruments that dancers click in their hands). The dancers move with quick, rhythmic footwork and dramatic arm movements, sometimes snapping their fingers or clapping to the beat.

Fandangos became popular in Spain in the 1700s and spread throughout Spanish-speaking regions, with each area developing its own style. In some versions, dancers even compete to see who can perform the most impressive steps. The music has a distinctive rhythm that makes people want to tap their feet or clap along.

You might hear fandango used playfully to mean any complicated or elaborate activity, like when someone says “the whole fandango” to describe a big, involved process. In the famous song “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen, the word appears in the line “Scaramouche, Scaramouche, will you do the Fandango?” where it adds to the song's theatrical, over-the-top feeling. While most people today know the word from that song rather than the actual dance, the real fandango remains an important part of Spanish musical tradition.