- From traditional local dance to state-of-the-art physical theatre, Basque dances have a broad range of identity. This overview of the Basque dances has been included in the brochure Euskal Dantza, written by Oier Araolaza and edited by the Etxepare Institute.
This is the second edition of the book Euskal Dantza. The Instituto Vasco Etxepare has been promoting a collection dedicated to twelve cultural expressions for eight years. In this work on dance, the main axis is the body language of the Basques, the Basque dance. "Today's Basque dancer has at his disposal a rich choreographic heritage and a contemporary dance language for creation," said Araolaza.
From the traditions of the dance of the winter parties and carnivals to the summer swords dances and the trolley dances, not to mention the soka-dantzak and aurresku dancing here during all the seasons of the year, the work focuses on the form and functions of the Basque dance, but also on the groups and protagonists that make up it.
The book can be purchased online (pdf) with three language options, all with main text in Basque and variants with translations in English, French and Spanish can be selected:
- Basque Dance / Basque Dance (2021 eu-eng) (pdf)
- Euskal Dantza / La Danse Basque (2021 eu-fr) (pdf)
- Basque Dance (2021 eu-es) (pdf)
Sections
- Basque dance, the body language of the Basques
- Pas de Basque
- Winter holidays, carnivals dancing
- Winter went away, summer approached and dancing again
- Flowering of traditional dance
- Guided Dancers and Dance Lovers
- Diaspora of Basque dancers
- Dance lovers
- Glocal generators
- Dances calendar
- Brief bibliography
Sheet
Editing the Basque Cultural Programme: Etxepare Institute
Text: Oier Araolaza Arrieta CC-BY-SA
Translations: Cameron Watson (eng), Joana Pochelu (fr) and Ibon Plazaola (es)
Editing: Miriam Luki Albisua
Layout: Infotres
Design: Mito.eus
Cover photo: Ekaitz Zilarmendi
Basque Dance
Oier Araolaza Arrieta
Etxepare Institute, 2021