Dancers in Donostia

Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 533 pixelsFull resolution (3000 × 2000 pixel, file size: 4. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 533 pixelsFull resolution (3000 × 2000 pixel, file size: 4. ... Location Location of Donostia-San Sebastian in Spain Coordinates : 43º 19 17 w. ...

History

A Basque Dancer

Basque Dancers

From one part of the Basque country to another the music, steps and costumes change, but the collective reveals the Basques’ deep love of dance. There are approximately 400 distinct Basque folk dances, each with its own story and significance. Some, the more ancient ritual dances, are performed only for particular events or circumstances and initially were performed by male dancers only. Many include the use of sticks and swords that the dancers strike together as they progress through the movements of the dance. The more recent social dances derive from early celebratory dances but are today devoid of any sacred function. They are characterized by differences in style and function, and allow for dual-gender participation. Some are more complex, while others are simpler. Some are ritual while others are entertaining. Some sacred and other profane. Some are open group dances and others closed. Generally the space in which they are carried out is open, although a few were originally danced in closed quarters. The vast majority are danced only by men, some only by women and others by both sexes. The basic characteristics of Basque dance are seen in the choreography, historical and festive elements, and the universal traits of tradition, entertainment, tourism and especially religious-festive events. You can tell a good dancer by how high they jump, their double clicks, how high they kick, and their gracefulness. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 538 pixelsFull resolution (3294 × 2216 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 538 pixelsFull resolution (3294 × 2216 pixel, file size: 1. ... Download high resolution version (945x530, 56 KB)Ezpata2. ... Download high resolution version (945x530, 56 KB)Ezpata2. ...

Early Observations

Voltaire noted in his observations

"The basque, this people who sings and dances on his mountains"

Strabo's observation in the first century B.C.

"(Basques) danced after drinking, alone or in groups, competing...as to who should leap the highest and fall on his knees with the most grace"

Types of dance

Dantzari Dantza from Durangaldea (Bizkaia) is a well known cycle of dances where on the eve of the local feast day, it is the custom to set up the traditional San Juan or Donianeatxa oak tree (now usually a poplar). The trunk is peeled and the branches limbed, and flowers and a sometime a flag or two are placed at the top. All of the festive activities take place around this symbol, which is set up in the middle of the town square. The nine dances that make up the cycle have remained unchanged since at least the 19th century; the choreography consists of two parallel rows of dancers standing face to face. The dancers, in a show of virility, very skilfully manoeuvre fighting weapons as part of the dance. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 534 pixelsFull resolution (1024 × 683 pixel, file size: 400 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) In Flickr, it is listed as all rights reserved. --Error 02:56, 15 February 2007 (UTC) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 534 pixelsFull resolution (1024 × 683 pixel, file size: 400 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) In Flickr, it is listed as all rights reserved. --Error 02:56, 15 February 2007 (UTC) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file... San Juan, the Spanish for Saint John, is a common toponym in parts of the world where Spanish is or was spoken: Argentina San Juan Province San Juan, Argentina, the capital of that province Cuba San Juan Hill Mexico San Juan, Campeche San Juan, Chihuahua San Juan, Coahuila San Juan... This article is about oaks (Quercus desert-oak is unrelated, and instead belongs to the genus Allocasuarina. ...

Sorgin Dantza from Oria (Gipuzkoa) is a comical or a burlesque dance that reach their peak in the Sorgin Dantza, or dance of the witches. These dances, a combination of wild and sometimes a bit obscene body movements, have managed to remain alive over time in certain towns. The best known of these dances can be seen in the town of Lasarte-Oria. As the story goes, this dance simulates a group of workers who moved here from the town of Bergara. Today this dance is also danced in the town of Antzuola during Carnival, although here, along with the dantzaris and musicians, there are also people dressed up as bears and monkeys.-1... Sorginak (singular sorgin) are the assistants of the goddess Mari in Basque mythology They are likened to witches or pagan priestesses. ... Lasarte-Oria is a town located in the province of Gipuzkoa, in the autonomous community of Basque Country, in the North of Spain. ... Bergara (formerly, Vergara in Spanish) is a town located in the province of Gipuzkoa, in the autonomous community of Basque Country, in the North of Spain. ... Antzuola is a town located in the province of Gipuzkoa, in the autonomous community of Basque Country, in the North of Spain. ... Bearsuit are an indie band from Norwich, UK. They currently release records on the Fantastic Plastic and Fortuna Pop! labels in the UK and Micro Indie in the US. They have also released records under their own Bearslut label, and many of their 7 inch singles were released through the... Tuxedo may refer to: Tuxedo, Winnipeg, Manitoba - Suburb of the Canadian city Winnipeg Tuxedo (electoral district) - Provincial electoral district for the above suburb Tuxedo, New York - Town in Orange County, New York Tuxedo (Metro-North station) - Train station serving the above town Tuxedo (clothing) - A type of semi-formal dress...

Mutxikoak is a popular dance of Basque Ancestors, which comes back stronger these days^{[citation needed]}, as if the tradition could never been forgotten. Mutxikoak which in Basque means that at first "a young boy’s dance", although women dance it more now than young boys. It is danced in circle as around a sun, where the individuality of each other fuse together with the universality of an illimited circle, where each person is unique even if everybody dances the same dance.

Weapon dances

Dancers from Markina, Basque Country.

Some of the Basque dances feature weapons. The ezpatadantza^[1] ("sword dance") comes from the Durango area and is danced for authorities and in the feast of Corpus Christi. After the dance, both opposing rows of dancers raise their weapons and form a corridor for the authorities. The ezpatadantza and the makildantza ("stick dance") ends with the dancers raising one of them, lying as a fallen warrior, over their heads. In the Basque province of Gipuzkoa in Spain, the Okrabario Dantza is performed in Legazpi—a sword dance in which a participant dances atop a grid of crossed swords held aloft. In Tolosa, on Midsummer Day, the Bordon-Dantza ("walking stick dance") is performed withthe figures of the ezpatadantza; some^[2] point its origins to the border fights in the Middle Ages, when the Castilian troops from Gipuzkoa won an important victory over the troops from Navarre at the Battle of Beotibar. Sticks simulate some weapons, and halberds--a combination of a spear and a battle-axe--are also used.^[3]
Markina Sword Dancers (Basque Country) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Markina Sword Dancers (Basque Country) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Handsworth Sword Dancers (England) The weapon dance employs weapons—or stylized versions of weapons—traditionally used in combat in order to simulate, recall, or reenact combat or the moves of combat in the form of dance, usually for some ceremonial purpose. ... Corpus Christi celebrations in Antigua Guatemala, 14 June, 1979 Corpus Christi (Latin: Body of Christ) in Catholicism is a religious feast celebrated by Roman Catholics on the eighth Thursday after Easter, i. ... Pays Basque) see Northern Basque Country. ... Guipuscoa province. ... See: Legazpi, Spain Legazpi City, Albay, Philippines This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Tolosa can mean several things: Tolosa is the Latin and Occitan name for the town of Toulouse, France. ... Capital Pamplona Official language(s) Spanish and Basque Area  â€“ Total  â€“ % of Spain Ranked 11th  10,391 km²  2. ... Beotibar. ... This article or section cites very few or no references or sources. ...

References

Basque Portal

• http://www.basqueclubs.com/Pages/dance.htm
• http://perso.orange.fr/errobat/ballets-a.htm
• http://www.nvbooks.nevada.edu/books.asp?ID=2104
• Studying Basque Dance, Candi deAlaiza, Dance Research Journal, Vol. 14, No. 1/2 (1981 - 1982), pp. 55-59

1. ^ dantza: ezpatadantza and ezpatadantza in the Spanish-language Auñamendi Encyclopedia.
2. ^ Bordon-dantza in the Spanish-language Auñamendi Encyclopedia.
3. ^ Aramberri, Josu (November 2, 1999). Folklore in the province of Gizpukoa. Maquetas colaborativas. Retrieved on 2006-08-31.