Monday, September 24, 2012

La Mercè: La Sardana

La Sardana is the traditional Catalan folk dance that is quite talked up here in the city; simply a "must see"!

       We went to witness the grand production in front of the Barcelona Cathedral by Plaza Sant Jaume, where many of the events of La Mercè were taking place. We were expecting extravagant costumes and exciting music; you don't do it in Barcelona if you don't do it big. Sardana, however, seems to be the exception. The orchestra started to play and suddenly a group of elderly locals joined hands and began dancing in a circle. This video below is about as intense as it got. Apparently, Sardana is a dying art of the previous generations here in Catalonia. My favorite part was the dance shoes they wore!

1 comment:

  1. Video insert is a neat idea.

    Have to admit - that dance seemed pretty subdued compared to everything else.

    No fireworks?! No large creaturs?! No dancing on each others heads?! Odd.

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