Esbart Santa Anna Kicks Off Andorra Festival with Mosaic de Tradicions Dances
The dance troupe opened Festa Major d'Escaldes-Engordany with a vibrant performance blending classic and new choreographies. Around 30 performers showcased living traditions, earning applause despite youth retention hurdles.
Key Points
- Performed seven dances tracing Països Catalans traditions, including new medieval-themed Temps Medievals.
- Drew large crowd at Sala Prat del Roure, with 30 dancers and 50 support staff.
- Group of 50 core members plus youth sections faces challenges in retaining young dancers amid school and studies.
- Upcoming Monday show in Dilluns de Dansa cycle features all age groups.
The Esbart Santa Anna dance group successfully inaugurated the Festa Major d'Escaldes-Engordany festival on Friday evening with its Mosaic de Tradicions performance at Sala Prat del Roure. The event drew a large crowd of local residents, families and regular supporters, filling much of the venue and marking a vibrant start to the parish celebrations.
The show featured seven dances tracing traditions across the Països Catalans, blending iconic repertoire pieces with fresh choreographies. It opened with Dia de Santa Anna, first premiered last year to mark the group's 75th anniversary. This was followed by Ais de l’Ànima, Aigües d’Escaldes and Marina. A highlight came with the debut of Temps Medievals, a new medieval-themed piece that expanded the troupe's artistic scope and earned strong applause for showcasing dance as a living tradition. The evening closed energetically with Mallorca, prompting an enthusiastic ovation.
Around 30 dancers performed, backed by a team of about 50 handling costumes, technical setup and logistics. Manel Rodríguez, a central figure in the group, had described the programme as a continuation of their practice of reviving and updating dances—some originally staged in places like Plaça Coprínceps—while preserving core essence.
The Esbart Santa Anna maintains about 50 core members, growing to 110-120 with children's, youth and junior sections. It faces ongoing challenges in fostering generational ties, as young dancers aged 10-12 juggle rehearsals with school and sports, and many teens head abroad for studies. Yet family legacies endure, with three-generation involvement common. "This family continuity forms a vital part of our identity," Rodríguez noted.
The group has further engagements, including a Monday appearance in the Dilluns de Dansa cycle under the banner De Festa amb l’Esbart Santa Anna, featuring dancers from all age groups. Through such efforts, the troupe upholds Andorra's traditional dance heritage year after year.
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