|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
 Juan Antonio Iztueta did not include any reference to the uztai handiena (Dance of Long Arches) in his book, Gipuzkoako dantza gogoangarrien kondaira edo historia. No dance with arches was included in the list of dances included in the brokel-dantza cycle that Iztueta published in his book, even though he acknowledged that he had expanded the number of dances, citing the contradanzas that were learnt in the seminaries as the source of the additional dances: “When I was young, these nine variations or moves were performed when this danza was danced. However, many young men and distinguished gentlemen of Guipuzcoa have nowadays learnt the contradanza and many other types of movements and have introduced them into the brokel-dantza with great propriety and notable success.”
Thus, according to Iztueta, these new dances were introduced into the brokel-dantza "with great propriety". Iztueta does not explain what these new dances are, but there are two dances that are constantly mentioned from then onwards every time reference is made to the brokel-dantza: the uztai handiena (dance with long arches) and thea uztai txikiena (dances of small arches).
One of these “contradanzas” that the Zaldibitarra dance master refers to may be the danza that is danced with long arches. Researchers have unearthed data that shows that dances with arches existed even before the date when Iztueta's book was published. For example, Angel Murua has gathered old documents where references are made to dances with arches performed in Gipuzkoa. Thus, the aforementioned researcher has found texts which refer to twelve new arches that were used in Segura in 1648 during the St. John’s Day festivities, together with allusions to the arches that the dantzaris used during the festivities organised in the same town of Segura in 1704 to celebrate the King’s birthday. Finally, Angel Murua has discovered a text where reference is made to 12 new arches that were used in the town of Segura in 1806 to dance the "contradanza".  |  | Juan Antonio Urbeltz has unearthed a document that describes the dance with decorated arches which was performed in Irún to welcome Queen Amalie of Saxony in 1819. The text states: “…For the ceremony to welcome the Queen to Irún, the Provincial Council ordered: that a charming dance company comprising 40 girl and boys from Pasages elegantly dressed in Asian costume with the music group be brought here, as the handsome variety of steps and their skill will delight Her Majesty, and also the two welcoming committees, as well as the general public (…) The boys and girls from Pasages with its music group conducted by Salvador de Urigoita, who at the request of the Province, had come (…) immediately from Pasages, began to play its sonatas on the stage. The dance then began and the dancers used elegantly decorated arches, and other such ingenious implements. The Queen was delighted with this innocent and gracious gift. Her Majesty spent nearly an hour in the balcony of the town hall and this dance pleased her greatly…”.
Based on this description, Juan Antonio Urbeltz deduced that if the dantzaris performed for an hour, they had to dance around a dozen dances. According to Urbeltz, Iztueta was aware of this dance group under Urigoita and clearly knew the dances of arches. However, there is no reference to the Pasaia dance group or the dances with arches. Urbeltz suggests that such an omission could possibly be the result of Iztueta's Fuerista ideology, which made him an opponent of the people running that dance group in particular.
The brokel-dantza programme performed by José Antonio Olano's dance group in Bilbao in 1858, which was unearthed by Iñaki Irigoin, reveals that the performance ended with the following number: “11. The Contrepas forming arches and the contradanza with different movements”. On the other hand, the description of the brokel-dantza also dating back to 1858, José Antonio Azpiazu says the following: “Long arches. The placing and passing under the triumphal or long arches to the sweet and joyful sound of a contrepas in the force of the skirmish, indicate the taking of the enemy’s positions and their complete destruction, and it signals triumph, which is clear from their excitement, merriment and rejoicing”.
It is reasonable to think that the dances with arches were more or less known during the period when Iztueta wrote his book and if the master from Zaldibitarra decided not to include them in his book, it must be for some private reason of which we are not aware. Olano’s successors, the Pujanas, taught dances with arches as a standard part of the brokel-dantza cycle. The uztai handiena (dance of the long arches) that is performed nowadays is the one preserved by Añorga’s “Arkaitz” dance group. Not in vain did José Lorenzo Pujana train various Añorga dantzari groups between 1927 and 1946.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
