Esbart Sant Romà premieres Com pesa la terra in sold-out shows

The Esbart Sant Romà of Encamp opened its 2026 season with the premiere of Com pesa la terra at the hall of the Complex Esportiu i Sociocultural d’Encamp, giving two sold-out performances at 18:00 and 21:00. The newly created work, performed by about twenty dancers, continued the company’s practice of blending traditional and contemporary dance idioms.

The piece reflects on the relationship between people and the land and how that bond changes over a lifetime. Its title, inspired by the song "Pena salada" by Sílvia Pérez Cruz, served as a throughline for an expressive staging that mixed choreographic phrasing with folkloric motifs.

Choreography was signed by Maribel Moreno and the original score by Lluís Cartes incorporated traditional instruments — including the pandero quadrat (square frame drum), pandereta (tambourine), pitos (whistles) and bastons (sticks). At one moment several dancers played these instruments live, producing an intimate stage moment that emphasized the work’s tactile connection to heritage. Costume design was also singled out by the company for giving the production a distinct visual identity.

Joan Sans, Encamp’s councillor for Culture, Childhood and Youth and a member of the esbart, said the show seeks to “express this bond, this call, this invitation to reflect on the weight of the earth,” underlining the work’s concern with identity and communal ties. Olga Moreno, president of the Esbart, highlighted choreography, music and costume as the three elements that give the production its strength.

Local authorities and national officials attended the premiere, including the cònsols Laura Mas and Xavier Fernández, the síndics generals Carles Ensenyat and Sandra Codina, and ministers Mònica Bonell (Culture) and Jordi Torres (Tourism and Commerce). Around 800 people were reported to have attended the two performances.

Sans described the premiere as the start of “an intense year full of challenges” for the Esbart, which this season plans to consolidate collaborations and expand its presence at festivals. He also noted that 2026 marks 37 years since the group’s refounding in 1989, praising its trajectory for respecting tradition while evolving with sensitivity.

Tickets for further performances and the season’s activities are available via the Encamp commune’s website.