After more than three decades leading the Esbart Maragall, Enric Martínez is stepping aside, leaving a solid legacy based on training and establishing a unique identity. Martínez is handing over the reins to three dancers he knows well: Pere Seda, Andrea del Moral, and Marc Udina, who will assume the directorship aiming to maintain the Maragall style. To celebrate his career, the Casal Catòlic in Sant Andreu will host a tribute performance this Sunday at 5 PM.

Martínez's connection to Catalan dance began early, in 1966, at the age of four, at the Esbart Gaudí. He later joined the Esbart Sant Martí and the Esbart de Rubí, where he participated in international tours with the Generalitat, performing even at the Liceu. Martínez credits his vision to learning from the three great masters of Catalan dance: Albert Sans, Manuel Cubeles, and Salvador Mel·lo.

He took charge of the Esbart Maragall in 1990 with a clear goal: to transform the entity to prevent its demise. His plan focused on creating the first Catalan dance school for children, forming a dance corps with an identifiable style, and establishing a Maragall Spectacle Creation Factory. This vision allowed the group to bring Catalan dance into the 21st Century, focusing on technique, detailed costumes, and communicative dance.