The leader carried the baton of authority and the rest of the dantzaris long arches in the uztai handiena (dance of the long arches).

The baton carried by the leader or director of the group is the leader's makila.

"N.B.: The director, Mr.José Antonio Olano, will signal the start of each part by dancing at the head of the group with a baton similar to that of the drum major”.

That is what was stated in the hand-written programme published for the performance that the brokel-dantza dantzaris put on in Bilbao in 1858. Therefore, the baton of authority brandished by the leader of the dance group is similar to the one used by the drum major. It is a makila or baton, that is decorated in red and white, with a wooden ball on the bottom and bright ribbons hanging from the top. The batons used today are about 45 centimetres long, but longer ones have also been used. In Beasain, the leader of the Loinaz ezpatadantzaris used a similar baton locally known as “bolea”. As is the case in the brokel-dantza, the baton used in recent years in Beasain is smaller.

The buruzagi-makila or leader’s baton is used as a baton of authority. It is used to identify the leader and occasionally to direct the dancers’ performance. For example, once the leader has finished his individual performance, he proceeds to announce the group's performance by raising the baton to the sound of the "deia" (call) played by the txistularis.