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This Masters of Ceremonies (M.C.) webpage aims for a dual purpose: (1) to introduce both Basque and non-Basque audiences to our folk dances, and (2) to inform your own group's dancers about the background and significance of our traditional Basque dances. Related link: Dance summaries PLEASE SEND YOUR COMMENTS/ADDITIONS TO info@nabasque.eus
You may choose to highlight only certain portions, but the selections are designed to be read as they are, so that anyone can announce for your group (but be sure to practice the Basque pronunciation). A suggestion is that just as you line up your dancers for each dance they will perform, you can assign one person to announce. Hopefully this will become a regular part of your performance. The introductions can be read either prior to, or even while the dance is being performed. This latter format is especially useful during dances that require a change of equipment or a break for the performers to catch their breath between dances. Alternating both would help to vary your presentation. Also, your M.C. may want to thank the audience in Basque ("Mil esker" or "Eskerrik asko") at the conclusion of a dance if there is applause. If not, tell them to applaud in Basque: "txaloak eman!" This is considered only a preliminary packet. We are aware that there are other Basque dances and that some of your groups dance them. If that is the case, please bring this to our attention and we'll get to work on finding out more. Best of luck to your group in its efforts to preserve and promote our heritage. Please contact us with questions or suggestions at info@nabasque.eus Ondo ibili dantzan! Genevieve & John Ysursa
INTRODUCTION The Basque country or Euskal Herria is geographically small--not more than 100 miles wide in any direction--yet it has succeeded in maintaining one of western Europe's richest and most varied collection of folk dances. From town to town, and province to province, the music, dances and costumes change but the collective reveals the Basques' deep love of dance. This Masters of Ceremonies (M.C.) packet aims for a dual purpose: (1) to introduce both Basque and non-Basque audiences to our folk dances, and (2) to inform your own group's dancers about the background and significance of our traditional Basque dances. Both aims are important. Folk dance is not like other forms of popular dancing: its themes and actions are not always self-evident. An introduction is necessary so that the audience may more fully appreciate your performance. This is obvious when performing before a non-Basque audience who may know little or nothing about the dances or the Basques in general, but it also applies to most of your Basque audiences. Recall that Basque immigrants had no real opportunity to learn about their own history in their European schools; instead, they learned Spanish or French history. They may know something about a particular dance because they learned it as a youth, but they probably know little about dances from other regions or provinces because few of them were able to travel extensively throughout the Basque country to see the wide variety of dances. The second aim is especially important. If your dancers do not know something about a Basque dance's background and significance, how can they fully appreciate and promote what they do? Your group members act as dancing ambassadors, and oftentimes audiences ask them something about your group or dances and they must embarrassingly respond that they do not know, or make up a response on the spot. Finally, without an understanding of Basque folk dance's significance, how can your dancers differentiate between the "txankarrekua," let us say, and doing the "hokey-pokey" except that one uses swords?
EUSKAL DANTZAK The seven historical Basque provinces--four of which are today in the Hegoalde or southern side of the Basque country--Araba, Bizkaia, Gipuzkoa and Nafarroa--and three in the northern part or Iparralde--Lapurdi, Nafarroa Beherra, and Zuberoa--have all spawned a wide variety of dances. Oftentimes, each village or town produced its own unique choreography of dance, and townsfolk preserved and perpetuated them from generation to generation. Unfortunately, some of those dances are lost to us, but many others have survived. One source counts over 400 distinct Basque folk dances, each with its own story and significance.[1] They all fit into two broad categories: the traditional or ritual dances, and the more recent social or recreational dances. Basques created most of these folk dances, and they adapted a few others from their neighbors to pay homage in a ritual performance, to celebrate, and to enjoy. Folk Dance While the costumes and choreographs have endured, the meaning and significance of many dances elude us. This is in part due to the late writing of Basque history, but also because of the nature of folk dance. Some recreational or social dances usually carried no special significance; often serving as forms of entertainment. The ritual or traditional dances, however, celebrate or revere a religious theme or specific person, place or thing. The dance seeks to tell us something--to represent something. The "meaning" of the dance is therefore paramount. Then why does their significance evade us? Part of the answer lies in looking back at the past from the present. Our modern audiences, predominately urbanized and non-agrarian, observe folk dances that developed within another context. Most traditional Basque folk dances emerged in a pre-modern, agrarian world. The explanation in pre-modern times of natural occurrences; e.g., storms, the change of seasons, life and death, differ from our own. Most made their living off the land. Consequently, the lives of country people were ruled by the natural world around them. Each season brought its own set of activities in the house and on the land. These activities were governed by the wather and requirements of the animals and the crops. These elements are firmly imbedded in many folk dances. Dance in the Basque country is closely aligned with the social life of the community. The world that produced our folk dances differed from own, but if we look beneath the surface, we see themes manifested in the dances that remain universal. Our dances represent joy and sorrow; honor and adulation, battle and triumph, and even life and death. These themes were considered self-evident, hence few felt compelled to note the specific significance of the dances. Often is the case that the local community's familiarity with the dance breed complacency. Most early discussion of Basque dance came from outsiders who marvelled at what they saw. The famous French philosopher Voltaire referred to the Basques as the little people who sang and danced at the foot of the Pyrenees. [irigoien, 16.] The work of Violent Alfred, who studied the Maskaradak or Basque Masquerades of Zuberoa, reveals how and why traditional dances endured over the centuries. She believes that to have forsaken them would have meant to alter the precarious balance of nature. In an agrarian world, the changing of the seasons was essential. The performers were obliged to re-create what they had done the year before to ensure that the cycle would continue. The maskaradak could not be changed because "if they changed, then the weather, their food, the sun, and the very universe might change, for it was they themselves who by their magic play ordained the coming-in of summer."[2] Thus many ritual dances have endured because one did not question them; it was understood that the ritual must be repeated to preserve the natural order. People of pre-modern era did not generally employ science as the means of explaining the world around them. Instead, magic and religion vied with each other as the medium employed by people to relate to their surroundings. Magic and religion can be distinguished by the source of power. In magic, the participant believes that the act can directly produce an effect. The act is the source of power. Meanwhile, in religion, the participant does not have the same degree of confidence. Rituals may be performed, but the outcome can not be certain. Therefore the act is not the source of power, but rather only a petition to invoke a desired response. These two have often been blurred in the history of Christianity. Both are elements in Basque folk dance.
Dance has existed throughout time, in all societies. It is both a personal and communal expression. When the innate sense of an individual's rhythm is transformed to harmonic movement, and that person joins with others sharing the same experience, a special experience ensues. In a sense, dance is a form of art in that it fuses space and time as the individual creates new forms with his or her body. It supersedes this definition, however, because of its distinct, active dynamics. It bonds a group of people together while preserving the individual within a group context. Dance is more than art or something spectatacular; it can also be an active, ritual form of religious or social expression. There are various forms of dance, and one must therefore locate defining characteristics by what is meant by folk dance. Iņaki Irigoien, former president of the Euskal Dantzarien Biltzarra or Dancers' Federation in the Basque country offers a four-fold typology. He divides dance into folk, popular, cult and academic categories. Irigoien believes that folk dance is firmly ingrained in the community. They are presented only on special occasions, as they manifest social or religious themes, both joyous and sad. Some continue a ritual whose origin is lost in time. Folk dance is not only the steps or choreography, but also the ambiance. The history of the music and clothing are also intergral. They are representative of the community. They are not isolated, but rather lived and experienced in a community. Each community forges its own traditions, deciding the most appropriate time and place for dance. Consequently, dance is an expression of the times, revealing economic and social influences, as well as a community's beliefs. [Iņaki Irigoien, "La Danza en el Pais Vasco," Dantzariak 50 (December 1993): 15-19.] The second category consists of popular dance which is differentiated by its more transient sense. Popular dance follows the fashion of the times. It lacks continuity and sufficient tradition to be considered folklore. That is not to say that popular dance can not be assimilated. They can, over time, develop to be an expression of folk dance as they are transmitted across the generations. A recent example of this transformation is the fandangoa or jota which originated as a popular dance brought to the Basque country by Aragonese workmen in the late 19th and early 20th century. A third category are cult dances which are the domain of society's higher class and practiced when they assemble at their private gatherings. These are more international in flavor, transcending national boundaries, with fixed instruction by professional instructors. They can incorporate folk dances and transform them; but also the reverse is possible. These dances can be embraced by the other classes community, thereby becoming folk. An example of this transformation are the kontra dantzak or cuadrilles adapted by Basque communities in the Iparralde. The final category are academic dances, and this embraces those dances that include modern ballet and elaborate dance performances. The aim is to package the dancing to elicit a desired response. It also includes Basque ballet companies, and also groups that have developed new Basque dances loosely based on folk steps.
Folk Dance in the Basque Country The town's main square or plaza serves an important purpose; the symbolic heart of the community around which are usually clusted the city hall and main church, and oftentimes a handball court. It is the central gathering place for all the inhabitants; consequently Basque folk dance evolved in this social context. It endures in the Basque country without the impetus of creating special shows or gathering an audience; they are still danced because tradition calls for it. We dance because it is ours, and of our ancestors. In general, the origin of present dance groups in the Basque country divide into three types. Some communities have preserved their direct tradition of dance, passing from one generation to the next their collection of folk dance. Towns in and around the Bizkaia city of Durango have pressured the Dantzari dantza or sword dances for at least four centuries. Oftentimes some of these groups traveled to perform at neighboring towns. A variant of this are groups formed for a specific festival or occassion. Examples of this include the Korpus dantzak from the Gipuzkoan town of Oņati; the dance cycle from Lesaka, Nafarroa performed on the feast of St. Fermin; or the Zanpantzar or Joaldunak of Ituren and Zubieta for the carnival celebration. Only a handful of groups in the Basque country fit in these two categories, while the third category is comprisied of most all groups in the Basque country--and all of our groups here in the America's. The origin of these groups is more recent. They are groups in general formed in this century with the intent of pressuring the tradition of folk dance in communities that possessed no native heritage. Many groups arose in the context of a new-found Basque consciencness. The emergence of a nationalist movement at the beginning of this century produced a desire among Basques to perserve their heritage. Efforts included the promotion of Euskara, the Basque language, song and dance. The Basque Nationalist Party [Partido Nacionalista Vasca or PNV] founded by the creator of modern Basque nationalism, Sabino Arana, encouraged the formation of new groups to preserve the heritage of Basque folk dance. The party's center being in the province of Bizkaia, this produced a slanted promotion of dances from Bizkaia, and new groups primarily performed the Dantzari Dantza of Bizkaia.[3] New groups emerged in the new urban centers. Meanwhile, rural groups struggled to sustain their traditions. More urban groups emerged in the 1940s in an effort to recuperate lost dance traditions or to create new presentations. By the next decade, a handful of groups had emerged that demonstrated a strong foundation in technical points, but without an indepth knowledge of folkdance; e.g., Oldarra, Duguna, Ayto. Pamplona, Dindirri, and Goizaldi. They embarked on presenting a wide variety of dances, freely borrowing from the rural folk tradition, that aimed to dazzle their new audiences. Their dances often had little correlation with the traditional forms. The objective was not to re-create the tradition dance. Directors partook of extensive artistic license to re-arrange dances to produce what they considered to be a "better, more exciting" rendition. Some groups transformed folk dances into ballet form. [iri 33] Workshops organized in urban areas popularized these new adapations. Other groups sought to imitate the pattern of "suites" and dances presented with little or no regard for authentic steps, costumes or music. It was, however, a creative period in Basque dance. Beginning the 1970s, a gradual change in perspective began in some urban groups. Rather than perpetuating the recently created dances , a handful of groups now aimed to recuperate the traditional forms. They returned to the source of folk dance, the various local festivals and rural celebration, and they commenced a more informed study. The group Argia, under the direction of Juan Antonio Urbeltz, was in the forefront of this renaissance. They broke with the contemporary patterns of presenting Basque folkdance and instead offer audiences--after detailed study of the dances--complete folkdances as they had been performed for centuries in small localities throughout the Basque country. [iri 34] The investigation of dances in their native locale and genuine form took on greater importance. Various books explored the Basque folkdance tradition.[4] A leading force in the effort to re-establish the dominance of traditional forms of dance is the Euskal Dantzarien Biltzarra. They publish Dantzariak, a periodic journal of Basque dance and music; organize workshops, talks, and exhibitions; issue recordings and video tapes;, and they sponsor the annual Dantzari Eguna which gathers dozens of groups from throughout the Basque country for a day.[iri 35]
Artistic Parameters Many gropus continue to present new creations or re-interpretations of Basque dances. , but they now remain within artistic parameters established by the traditional forms. [iri 34] All the while new dances emerged. Traditional, ritual dances were reserved for male performers. Females did not share the same degree of dance expression. Some directors invented new numbers for women--e.g., Axuri Beltza, Matelota, Kontrapas, Nesken Uztai--while some traditional male dances were now interpreted by women--e.g., Sagar, Uztai Haundi, Makil txiki, Zinta dantza, etc. The preservation of the traditional forms, and the parallel creation of new forms, is an ongoing process that involves the subjective interpretation of the artistic parameters of Basque folk dance. This is to an extent an objective choice. One can now travel to a local traditional festival to see how the local group preserves its folk dance heritage. The choreography has likely remained unchanged, but this is not always the case. Factors of change can include the ability of a particular group: some steps have undoubtedly been simplified to allow for general uniformity. In some instances, two or more locales claim the dance[s]; a director is compelled to select one interpretation. Some dances supported a previous mentality, and now that mentality has been transformed or lost. Many festivals have seized to exist, because the cause of the celebration has been changed or discarded. In this way, many folk dances have been lost. [iri 25] Our folkdance, an expression of a community's social existence, initiated for special moments, that is not merely for "show," but nonetheless is, has recently become the most exportable artitisic element in Basque folklore. There is a danger, however, because communities are gradually ceasing to practice.
The creation of Basque dance groups in the Americas One of the first things produced by our Basque-American communities was the formation of a Basque dance group. --Social or recreational dances
1. GROUP INTRODUCTION TO THE AUDIENCE
Greetings everyone! And in the Basque language, "Agur danori!"
[You may choose some of the following points of discussion (e.g., your group history, Basque history, the Basque language, the general background of Basque folk dance, or perhaps something specific about your own Basque community and its history) to serve as a general introduction. The remainder you may want to intersperse throughout your performance to vary the pace, to give your dancers some time to line up and get organized, and of course to make time for the inevitable shoe that came off or sash that came undone.]
We hope that you will enjoy our ancient folk dances from "Euskal Herria" or the Basque country of Europe.
GROUP HISTORY
[You may wish to discuss some of the following items:]
** Basque name of the group & English translation. ** Year group was founded. ** Introduce your musicians / instructors. ** Ages and number of dancers. ** Rehearsal and performance schedule. ** Relation with your local Basque club(s). ** Recent large performances or group travels.
BASQUE HISTORY: European For those of you who may not be familiar with the Basque people, who call themselves "Euskaldunak," or their European homeland, it is no surprise because they are Western Europe's mystery people. Where the northwestern Pyrennes mountains divide Spain and France, there lies a land known by the Basques as "Euskal Herria." The origin of the "Euskaldunak" or the Basques is still debated by many scholars. One conclusion is certain however: they are western Europes oldest ethnic group. Today there is no Basque nation. Four centuries ago, Spain and France agreed upon their common border (in 1589) that divided the Basque region. They did not ask the Basques about the division, however, because in that age large armies made the rules and the Basques had a comparatively small population. Presently there are only about three million people in the Basque region, a small area that is no wider than one-hundred miles.
Though not a modern nation, the Basques still
preserve their unique language and heritage in Europe, and we,
the descendants of Basque immigrants to America, seek to
maintain the ancient folkdances of our ancestors here in the
United States.
BASQUE HISTORY: North American The Basques manned the ships of Columbus when he made his voyage of discovery five centuries ago, and they have been in America ever since. The next largest surge in Basque immigration to the United States began in the mid-19th century with California as their destination, and from there they moved inland throughout the American West. Many soon became involved in the sheep business, but many Basque immigrants had never herded sheep before their arrival. For most of our parents and grandparents, the sheep business was just a way to secure passage to America. Today there are Basques still in the sheep industry, but most have moved into other businesses, government work , and the professions. It is difficult to say precisely how many Basques there are in America today. Officially, they were listed as either Spanish or French. One estimate puts them at about 50,000. Although widely scattered throughout all the fifty states, many Basques still manage to get together at annual festivals and gatherings, and at functions sponsored by our local Basque club, one of nearly thirty clubs throughout the nation.
BASQUE INSTRUMENTS: Txistu & Accordion Many of our dances make use of a unique instrument. The "txistu" or Basque flute is most likely the oldest musical instrument peculiar to the Basque country. Investigators believe the original txistus to have been constructed of animal bones, most likely the bones of oxen. Later versions were made of wood, and recently metal and plastic have been included. One fossil remain of a txistu has been dated to be over 27,000 years old, so music has been with the Basques for a long, long time. (Playing the "txistu" for our group is ___________________. Basques have also adopted the accordion for much of our music, and playing the accordion for us is ____________________).
EUSKARA: The Basque Language The Basque people are neither French nor Spanish by ethnic origin. What distinguishes them most is their unique language which is unrelated to any other neighboring language in Western Europe. Euskara or the Basque language is believed to be the only surviving remnant of languages spoken in Western Europe before the Roman era.
There are six major dialects of the language, consequently even
Basques have difficulty, sometimes, speaking with one another in
their native language. Though the Basque language makes use of
loan words from Spanish or French, the language is totally
different because it pre-dates the romance languages. For
example, to ask if one speaks French, you would inquire "parlez-vous
francais?" In Spanish, you would inquire: "hablas espanol?"
To ask if one spoke Basque, you would say (choose your preferred
dialect:) 1) "Euskera hitz egiten duzu?" 2) "Euskera berba
egiten dozu?" 3) "Eskuara mintzatzen zira?" COSTUMES [Adapt to what costumes you have for the performance.] One costume: The costumes that we are wearing are traditional Basque outfits. We are only able to wear one of various outfits, but there is almost a different traditional costume for every Basque dance because of its distinct place of origin. Abarkak: The brown shoes we are wearing are made of leather, and held in place by black cord. Made in the Basque country, these were common shoes that many made for themselves at home. Females red/black: The costume that the girls/women are wearing used to be the everyday dress of women in the Basque country until recently. In various colors, the red skirt is the most common. Males white: The traditional festive costume for Basque men is the white shirt and pants, with the "txapela/boneta" or Basque beret atop the head, and the red/green sash around the waist. This outfit may be recognized by some of you who have watched the famous running of the bulls in Pamplona of the Basque country. Dark (blue/black): The dark costumes that we have on are the peasant-wear of our ancestors, with the traditional head gear of the "txapela/boneta" or Basque beret atop the boys/men's head, and the white scarf of the girls/women. Both served the same purpose of blocking out the sun during the long hours in the fields. Txapela/Boneta: The males are wearing "txapelas/bonetas" or Basque berets which are the traditional headgear of Basques. In a land with plentiful rainfall, it helps to keep the head dry, and it also makes people guess about adult male's hairlines. Bells: Some beliefs that might today be dismissed as superstition were very real to pre-modern people. One belief in the world of the Basques was that evil spirits roamed the earth. The bell-pads, worn below the knees, were therefore worn to fend off the evil spirits that might threaten the Basques. [1]Ikerfolk of Donostia, under the direction of Juan Antonio Urbeltz, is involved in the extensive research of Basque folk dance. They compiled the figure of 400 plus dances, and Urbeltz has gone on to write several seminal studies on Basque dance. He remains a leading authority on Basque folk dance. He and the group he directs, Argia of Donostia, are enjoining many to explore new--new in the sense that they have uncovered material thought lost--ideas in Basque folk dance, staging, costuming, equipment, and music. See his Dantzak: Notas sobre las danzas tradicionales de los Vascos. (Bilbao, 1978). [2]Violet Alfred. "The Basque Masquerade," Folklore 39 (1928): 68-90. [3]The cycle of the Dantzari Dantza includes the Agintariena, the original form of the dance we know as "Ikurrina," the four variations of the Banakoa, sword and stick dances, and the txankarrekua in which performers pay tribute to the fallen warrior. [4]Notable are early studies by Gaizka Barandiaran in Gipuzkoa, Fancisco Arraras of Nafarroa, and Joaquin Jimenez in Araba, and J.L. de Etxebaria y Goiri of Bizkaia who extol the efforts of local groups to maintain their time-honored dance traditions.
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