In the towns of
the Baztan region every year this carnival time dance is
performed. Its origins are uncertain, but it appears to be
a pre-Christian and thus a dance of magic--where the assumption
that the ritual will produce a natural and/or supernatural
effect.
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< Our workshop (Oct. 2009) for the
"mutil
dantzak" of the Baztan region of Nafarroa was
conducted by our visiting Basque country instructor
Patxi Larralde who has developed a system for the teaching of
these dances. These workshops are sponsored by
N.A.B.O. and hosted by various Basque clubs.
NOTE: The women's
version of this was a variation developed in the 1920s.
