The Patacades return to Cadaqués with first contest to reclaim local identity

The CREA Cadaqués organization promotes the competition of the traditional satirical sung dance to preserve heritage and the local 'salat' dialect.

Grup de persones ballant una dansa tradicional en rotllana en una plaça d'un poble costaner.

Grup de persones ballant una dansa tradicional en rotllana en una plaça d'un poble costaner.

The cultural organization CREA Cadaqués hosted the first Patacades contest in Cadaqués, reviving the traditional satirical sung dance during the celebration of the Sant Sebastià festival.

The Patacades of Cadaqués is a popular corranda dance where participants hold hands in a circle. A main singer performs rhymed, satirical songs commenting on local events. Dancers repeat the chorus and traditional steps, concluding with the “garrotades,” where they exchange friendly taps.

"We want to reclaim the identity of the 'salat' language, the culture, and the idiosyncrasy of Cadaqués heritage, as it is fading away."

Eva Daniel · President of CREA Cadaqués
The competition, held on Tuesday, was organized in collaboration with the “Llops de mar solidaris” project, a charity calendar featuring photos by José Ignacio Piris, benefiting the Cadaqués Residence Hospital. A jury, including Dionís Baró, evaluated the proposals submitted via social media to select the three winning entries.
President Eva Daniel emphasized that the initiative aims for diffusion and involvement of younger generations. The Patacades are defined as “the voice of the people, expressed satirically and humorously,” allowing for local criticism “always with grace.”
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