(July 2015 – April 2017)
One of the central elements that Basque immigrants brought with them to their new home in the United States was the love of dance. It’s that proud tradition that continues today. Without a doubt, Basque dance has been an important factor in keeping Basque culture alive in many communities. It often has been the glue that gave clubs a reason to continue and has certainly been a source for new, young members, who then grow into adults, many of them continuing to be active in their Basque clubs because of the friendships and the interest in their culture they have derived from dance.
A part of the exhibit, Dantza: Perspectives on Basque Dance, was presented with permission from the Basque Cultural Institute – ICB, an organization responsible for encouraging the development and dissemination of Basque culture – located in the North Basque Country. It included photographs reflecting the many distinguishing features of dance in Basque culture. From spontaneous festive dance to folks groups and ancient rituals as well as contemporary creations. An interactive video allowed the visitor to view segments of twenty different clips on dance.
Content taken from the “Soka – Outlook on Basque Dance” travelling exhibition (inauguration: September 2015 – Biarritz) produced by the ICB in partnership with the Provincial Government of Gipuzkoa and disseminated with the help of the Etxepare Institute and the Provincial Government of Bizkaia. Further details: www.soka.eus