The Ésdansa festival, held in Les Preses, presents its 44th edition with a special focus on the 50th anniversary of the Cercle de Cultura Tradicional Marboleny, the organizing entity. In addition to traditional and root dance, this year will feature international troupes from Cuba, Indonesia, Peru, Serbia, and South Africa, alongside a representation from the Basque Country, this year's guest territory.
The event, taking place from August 17 to 23, aims to be a space to experience, rethink, and project root dance into the future. According to Marboleny's president, Roger Casalprim, the goal is to "open windows to other cultures and recognize the cultural richness we have in Catalonia".
Most performances will be held outdoors and will be free, with paid tickets available from July 13. The opening day, Monday, August 17, will be dedicated to Marboleny's 50 years, featuring the show "Allò que som" (What We Are), which will review the entity's trajectory. Throughout the week, the Cultural Center will host a photographic exhibition on Marboleny's history.
One of the highlights is the program linked to the Basque Country. On Friday, there will be a session "Parlem de... el Carnaval al País Basc" (Let's Talk About... Carnival in the Basque Country), followed by a performance by the Col·lectiu Bilaka. The next day, a carnival party open to public participation will feature the group Kemen Dantza Taldea.
The "Nits de concert" (Concert Nights) will feature Nastallat, a project by Laia Rius, on Friday, and the Bisbal-based group Fetus on Saturday. The festival will also introduce cultures from around the world with companies such as Camagua (Cuba), KTF (Indonesia), Jallmay Atlo Folklor (Peru), Dule Milosavljevic (Serbia), and Real African Warriors (South Africa).
New productions will be presented, including "Brida" by Ester Guntín, winner of the Delfí Colomé Award, and "Autoodi" by l'Esbord. Other new projects include "Llavors" by Jaime Poble, "Horabaixa" by Radicel·la, "Veus veïnes" by l'Esbart Dansaire d’Arenys de Munt, and "FARS" by l'Esbart Ciutat Comtal.
The mayor of Les Preses, Albert Danés, has emphasized the significance of celebrating Marboleny's 50th anniversary and the festival's ability to attract thousands of people thanks to local volunteers and entities.
The festival will conclude on Sunday, August 23, at the Parc de Pedra Tosca with performances by international companies. Ésdansa will also include book presentations on root dance and workshops for all ages.
