- On Aratuste Sunday, the Zerutxu dance group takes the saragi-dantza out to the streets of Markina-Xemein. A group of eight dancers and a platoon of elders walk through the streets, dancing saragi at each stop. The paloteers beat each other's clubs and then beat everyone at once the odre. For the first time women have participated in saragi-dantza and for the first time there have been no geese games in the Markina-Xemein Carnivals.
Once danced by the saragi-dantzaris, it is the turn of the bear that accompanies them. The driver who carries the bear by a chain touches the pandero and the bear dances. But all of a sudden, the bear runs at full speed and jumps on a spectator who looks on the shore. The pointer pulls the chain and discards the bear. The commentator continues with the kalejira and the next stop repeats the saragi-dantza and the game of the bear.
Women for the first time
On 23 February 2020 it has been the first time that women have been part of the saragi-dantzaris group. By the decision of the members of Zerutxu Dantza Taldea, this year they have danced together girls and boys who until now only danced the boys. It was not the only change that took place this year at the Markina-Xemein carnivals. No geese games have been recorded for the first time. The game consisted of trying to take horseback the geese hanging from the rope. In recent years, real geese have ceased to be used, but this year there has been no game.
A total of eight dantzaris and three groups of saragia have participated in the presentation of the work. In the next video, Iraide Antxia, a ballerina of the Zerutxu dance group, has explained the characteristics of this year’s saragi-dantza.