DANCES & MUSIC

 The group performs dances of the different Basque provinces:  

• Fandango and Arin-arin

Very typical dances widely spread along Basque Country. The Fandango is always followed by the Arin-arin.

• The Basque jumps (Jauziak or Mutxikoak)

Most likely one of the oldest traditional basque dances among the "closed chain" dances; participants go into a big circle and they tie the steps following the orders of a "narrator". There is a big variety of jump dances.

The dance of the Basque Flag (Ikurrin dantza or Agintariena)

This is the dance that is performed to make the introduction of the dancers to the audience, hence, it is danced in first place. The more characteristic is the waving of the Basque Flag ( Ikurrina) on top of the heads of the dancers.

• The Labourd Carnival (Lapurdiko Ihauteria)

This is a complete performance that includes various dances: Maska dantza and Kaskarrot martxa, Marmutx, Makil dantza, Xinple, Zapatain dantza, Jauziak, the Polkas and ends up with the Soka. 

The dance is  accompanied by a "Konparsa" formed by dancers dressed with masks and colourful costumes  that represent different characters of the carnival.

• "Zortziko" from Lantz

This is a dance from the small village of Lantz, located in the Baztan Valley where they celebrate a very popular carnival that attracts many visitors.  During the carnival they dance this "Zortziko" that has become a must in the repertoire of every folk dance group in the Basque Country.  

• The bow (Agurra)

The "Agurra" is danced in ceremonies and to bow to important personalities.

• "Jotas"

Among the jotas  Mutxiko performs Jota from Tafalla, Jota from Salinas and Jota from Elciego, all of them typical from the villages that hold their names.

• Ingurutxo

Ingurutxo means "circle" or "petit tour", hence it is danced in couples that go in a circle,  counterclockwise. Couples hold the same  handkerchief from opossite sides and men play castanets.

• Ttun-ttun

   

  

This a variation of an Ingurutxo, also danced in couples  holding handkerchiefs.

• Gorulari
  A dance from Biscay, danced with wooden arches.             

• The Fishmongers (Kaskarotak)

Only danced by women, the dancers hold a basket that symbolises the basket where fishmongers used to place the fish they had to sell.

• Sticks (Makil dantza)

This dance is danced only by men formed in semi-circle holding two wooden long sticks each.

•   Uztai Txiki

Dance from Gipuzkoa, performed by men, who hit energically the arches among
them.

• Axuri-Beltz

This dance is one of the few singing dances that are kept (dancers sing at the same time they dance). It is danced only by women, in a closed circle,  going counterclockwise and wearing the costumes worn in the Salazar valley on the early XX. century.

• Branlea

The dancers dance holding hands, intercalating mane and women, at  "kontrapasa" rythm. It is one of the mosnt elegant dances in the Basque Folklore. 

•  Irradaka

IRRADAKA is a dance, sang and  danced by women. The one danced by Mutxiko Elkartea was created by Juan Antonio Urbeltz specially for the performance Aunitz Urtez.                                                

• Bateleras

During the XIX. century, it was women who rowed in boats, to cross the short distance by water between Pasajes de San Juan and Pasajes de San Pedro (Gipuzkoa). During the festivities, they used to dance with their rows. This is the origin of this dance; Bateleras from Pasaia.  It is a dance performed just by women.

• Sagar Dantza from Arizkun (dance of the apple)

Dance from de Baztan Valley, Navarre. Only for men, this dance is inspired in a rituel of the apple.                                                                                                                                    

DIFFERENT COSTUMES USED BY MUTXIKO

• TRADITIONAL COSTUME

Basque traditional costume. It was used by our ancestors both in village and cities. Nowadays it is used in all basque popular festivals.

• COSTUME OF LAPURDI

Traditional costume of the basque province of Lapurdi, mainly used to dance the "Mutxikoak" and the Carnival of Lapurdi.

• COSTUME OF LANTZ CARNIVAL

  This costume is worn during the carnival in the navarrese village of Lantz.     

• COSTUME OF JAURRIETA

This is only worn by women to dance Axuri-Beltz and other dances.

THE TRADITIONAL MUSIC

Basque dances have always been accompanied by the music of traditional Basque instruments among which we find the txistu, the tamboril, the trikitixa, the pandero and the alboka.

• THE TXISTU and THE TAMBORIL

The txistu is a flat flute with three holes. Even if in its origins we could find a vast variety of of sizes, nowadays we can only find three types: the txistu, the silbote ((lower) and the txirula (the highest). The Txirula is the only one made of a single piece of wood, the other two are articulated and the lower part can be changed according to the tone that wants to be achieved. 

The best friend of the Txistu is a small and closed drum called Tamboril. The txistu -tamboril ensemble is the most characteristic of the Basque traditional music. The txistu is held and played by the left hand. The right hand holds a drum-stick with which to strike the tamboril which is suspended from the left arm.

• THE TRIKITIXA

The trikitixa is a small diatonic accordion. The history of this instrument is closely related to the open-air dances.  Since it arrived in the Basque Country back in 1890, the trikitixa has overcome many changes, since the society has changed as well. One of the main characteristics of this accordion is that it is not necessary to learn music to play it, it is played by listening and repeating. Hence it is vary popular instrument of lively music, that along with the pandero ( tambourine) invited to dance in all popular festivities.

• THE ALBOKA

The alboka is a pastoral origin air instrument made from the horns of oxen and it produces a high pitched sound. It is not difficult to play, it is said, but the musician must always maintain a mouth full of air.