A brief account on the international stick-dance festival of Pamplona
Although there was a not good weather, the first international stick-dance festival began in Iruñea (Pamplona) at 17.45 hours in the square of Burgos, after a parade thorough the streets of the old part of the city.
The first ones performing were those of “Duguna dantza taldea“. This group, together with “Kezka dantza taldea” of Eibar has been the organiser of this festival. They, first of all danced the “Berako makil-dantzak“, these kids preceeded to the girls stick-dance of “Gipuzkoako makila-txikiena” and finally, the boys performed the dances of Otsagabia: “Katutxa” and “Modorro”.
Next ones were the “Pauliteiros de Miranda do Douro” from Portugal. They showed us some very heavy but quick stic-dances, even they smashed some sticks!
The dancers of “Larratz dantzari taldea“, Burlada (Navarre) performed some stick-dances of the Corpus Day of the village of Oñati (Guipuscoa) and after these were the turn of “Kezka dantza taldea“, the co-organizer of this festival. Together with the txistu players of the “Usartza” band they performed the short-stick dance on the Lady of Arrate.
From Eibar to England. The Britannia Coco-nut dancers of Bacup was an special group for us due to their blackened faces, hats like turbans, Lancashire clogs and decorated with many coloured feathers. None of them were indifferent to the audience.
Going on with the festival, it was the turn for the group “Aiara dantza taldea” of Amurrio (Álava). They showed us the dances of the village of Villabuena. Next ones were the other local group “Oberena dantza taldea“, giving an exhibition on the dances of Cortes (Navarre).
“Mendianike dantza taldea“, a dance group from Ablitas, Navarre, performed two stick-dances on the Lady of Rosario.
From Navarre to Tauste, Zaragoza. The “Danzantes de Tauste” have many similarities with the stick-dances of Navarre, due to their geograhical neighbouring. The final human tower they made was very amazing.
From Zaragoza to Terrassa, Catalonia. These “Bastoners” (the typical stick-dancers of Catalonia) showed us four stic-dances of their “Ball de Bastons”.
This festival end with the performances of two groups. The first one was “El Todó. Danses guerreres de la Todolella“, from Castellón. This is an special group for us because in the XVIIth century the danzantes of Valencia were the ones who used to come to dance to Iruñea in San Fermin´s day and in the Corpus day. Thus, the final group was the one of “Danzantes de San Lorenzo“, a group which belongs to the XVIIIth century. They performed two stick-dances and one with garlands.
