The goal of this text is to provide pianists who are interested in the Spanish repertoire with a reference manual that offers a brief history of twenty Spanish dances that serve as a basis for the piano works of Albéniz, Granados, Falla, Turina, and Mompou. Information about the origins, character, meter, steps, and typical rhythmic patterns of the dances is provided. Although the focus is on the regional, rhythmic, and choreographic elements of the different songs and dances, musical examples are provided to show how composers used the forms as a basis for their piano works. This text also attempts to help pianists understand that the piano music of Spanish composers is stylized and shows many non-Spanish influences, including late Romanticism, Impressionism, and early twentieth-century musical trends. Included in this text is a Historical Perspective which contains information about Spanish folk and art music and offers short biographies of Spanish composers. Also included are some interpretive considerations, suggestions for further study, a glossary of related terms, an index of dances by location, and an index of piano works cited in examples.