La Sardana
History
Franco the Spanish dictator who ruled for 30 years until 1975 thought the Catalans' national pride was arrogant and he wanted to remove their language and traditions and make Spain a unified country. He banned the Sardana. Once he resigned the Catalans' pride was stronger than ever and the dance was considered a powerful symbol of national pride.
When natives preform the precise steps of the Sardana in the streets, they get annoyed when tourist try to join and mess up the steps.
Description
This unique dance is a symbol of the Catalans national pride. The people of Catalunya gather together in the streets and dance with small, precise steps with their hands joined together raising them. The dance unties the Catalans together despite their differences and raise their hands in pride. People are advised to just watch and learn rather than jump in and potentially mess everything up.
The Sardana Dance Statue is located in Parc de Montjuïc to honor the dance preformed by the Catalonia community.
The best time to see this dance is at festivals including the Focs de Sant Joan festival on June 24th.
La Sardana