Discovering the Origins
Francisco Carcereny, Raimunda Ferran, Ramon Amigó, Carme Soler and Maria Sans are among the twenty-five dancers who made up the pioneering esbart group in Sant Feliu. According to a historical document, the formation of the dance troupe in the city goes back to the first act in public during the Festa Major in August of 1949. In commemoration of the 75th anniversary of Esbart Sant Feliu, a followed by events and celebrations during the year under the motto “Three quarters of a century, the year of the 75th”.
Celebrating the Anniversary
As part of the celebrations, the exhibition “Esbart Sant Feliu, 75 years of dance” was opened this past Friday, which will be open to the public from Monday to Friday afternoons until April 19. Ateneu Santfeliuenc welcomed during the presentation a wide variety of dancers from different generations, current members of the esbart and citizens interested in visiting the space.
A Route through the History of Esbart
The exhibition is made up of a series of panels that review the trajectory of Esbart Sant Feliu, from its origins as a dance group to the renewal movements of the repertoire and other relevant events such as the 1988 Berguedana Festival at the Parish Centre.
Emotional Moments
The exhibition highlights the role of Esbart Sant Feliu in the staging and music of the Berguedana Festival in 1988. Visitors will be able to admire the original Àliga designed by Josep Cardona “Nona”, as well as the figures of the Turks and Cavallets that they emerged in the late eighties. Reference is also made to the Ribbon Dance, a dance present throughout Europe.
Preserving the Traditions
The Ball de la Soca, recognized as one of the most characteristic dances of Esbart Sant Feliu, was recovered in 1954 and has remained alive thanks to renovation efforts over time. The exhibition also highlights the new costumes designed by Marc Udina and exhibits the costumes of various eras of the group.
Let’s review the highlights
The timeline of the exhibition lists the most relevant milestones of Esbart Sant Feliu, including performances in various national and international locations. The trips to Holland, Bosnia, Slovenia, Portugal, Euskadi, Mallorca, Madrid and even the performance at the opening of the Barcelona Olympic Games in 1992 are reviewed.
Details and Documents
To complete the exhibition, the characteristic accessories of the dancers are shown such as clogs, rattles or castanets. In addition, attendees will be able to watch videos of ballads from previous years and consult compilation books of Esbart Sant Feliu meetings.
