The soka-dantza described here is the one usually danced in Elgoibar on August 24th, on San Bartolomé’s Day. After high mass at 11.00, the dance procession is formed in the town hall and the mayor leads it out. The Elgoibar soka-dantza is made up as follows:

The dantzaris join hands and form the dance procession inside the town hall. When the txistularis play the introductory melody, the mayor takes his place at the head of the procession and leads the group to the square. Once in the square, the group makes its way anti-clockwise around the perimeter of the square. Then, the mayor and the rest of the councillors sit down and the group goes halfway round the square until it is facing the town hall.

The aurreskulari approaches the dignitaries until he is standing in front of them and performs the aurresku looking at the mayor and the councillors. He dances the first part of the aurresku alone.

The aurreskulari returns to the procession and it goes half way round the square until the town hall is behind it. The aurreskulari then performs the second aurresku for the town’s folk. However, this time he does not dance the full aurresku but only half.

The procession then turns towards the town hall and then begins the danced challenge between the aurresku and the atzesku. The whole aurresku is then danced.

The first bridges are then performed. The aurreskulari stands at the head of the procession and follows the rhythm of the melody with his feet. In order to make the first bridge, the aurreskulari begins to turn to the right while the second dantzari turns to the left. They then raise their joined hands and the third dantzari goes under followed by the rest of the procession. In order to make the second bridge, the aurreskulari goes under the arch that the atzesku and the last dantzari forms with their joined hands, followed by the rest of the procession.

All the dantzaris individually perform the dance known as the eskua aldatzeko doinua (hand change melody), azeri-dantza (fox dance) or abarketak (rope-soled shoes). Once the dantzari located at the head of the procession finishes his performance, he moves to the last position in the procession and the second dantzari in the procession begins to dance. All the dantzaris will thus perform this danza.

When the music to call the women starts, the servants (the dantzaris that are in the second, third, last but two and last but one positions) leave the procession and set off to look for the first girl, who they accompany to a corner of the square where the aurreskulari is waiting.

The servants surround the girl on four sides and the aurreskulari performs the greeting or bow. He then takes out the white handkerchief, offers it to the girl and accompanies her to the procession. The girl joins the procession behind the aurreskulari and the second dantzari offers her his handkerchief.

When the music to call the women starts, the servants set off to find the second girl, who they accompany to a corner of the square where the atzesku is waiting.

The servants surround the girl on four sides and the atzesku performs the greeting or bow. He then takes out the white handkerchief, offers it to the girl and accompanies her to the procession. The girl joins the procession behind the atzesku and the second dantzari offers her his handkerchief.

The servants lead the rest of the girls to the square and introduce them into the dance procession. The dantzaris in the procession take out their handkerchiefs and hold out them to the women. They are positioned in such a way that men and women alternate in the procession.

Once all the girls have joined the procession, all the dancers are standing with their backs to the town hall and the aurresku and the atzesku dance their second challenge.

The aurreskulari stands at the head of the procession and follows the rhythm of the melody with his feet. In order to make the first bridge, the aurreskulari begins to turn to the right while the second girl behind him turns to the left. They then raise their joined hands and the third dantzari goes under followed by the rest of the procession. In order to make the second bridge, the aurreskulari goes under the arch that the atzesku and the last dantzari forms with their joined hands, followed by the rest of the procession.

Without leaving the procession, the aurresku and the atzesku perform fragment of the zortziko looking towards their respective girls and still holding on to the headscarf. The aurresku starts the dance, followed by the atzesku and then the aurresku dances again. Both dantzaris conclude their performance by performing the call facing each other.

The procession forms a circle, the handkerchiefs are put away and the dantzaris begin to dance the orripekoa, with the girls standing inside the circle, the dantzaris outside in such a way that they form couples that dance facing each other.

The men and women change places: the men go inside the circle and the women go to the outside and then they dance the arin-arin.

After taking their handkerchiefs out again and reforming the procession, the group begins the passacaglia that ends when they are all back in the town hall.