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“Agur(t)ango” debuted at the last “Buenos Aires Celebrates the Basque Country,” with the participation of dantzaris from the Ekin Dantzari Taldea and the Laurak Bat Basque Club dance groups.  Directed by Aitor Alava, choreographer, the debut was a novelty, even though it isn’t the first time that this dancer based in Buenos Aires linked typical movements of Basque dance with the Argentine folklore. 

Buenos Aires, Argentina.   “Agur(t)ango,” contraction of the names of the dances “Agurra” and “Tango,” is an idea that, according to its creator, came to him long time ago.  “I just needed to find a couple who could dance both Tango and Agurra,” the dantzari said, “and we didn’t find them until this year’s BAC.”

Director of the Ekin Dantzari Taldea (EDT) explained that putting this on the festival’s main stage was “especially attractive for the balance between the narrative, the musical anchor and the dancers’ kinetic language.”  “In reality, when something “new” is presented it usually has one of these three axes that are part of any choreography; we balanced these three and the audience celebrated it,” he said.

Two histories that intertwine

In “Agur(t)ango,” it isn’t just the fusion of two dances, “ but it is also the fusion of two histories; that of an European country that came with their children to seek new possibilities and the birth of a South American country that welcomed them with open arms.”  Basque musicians were also part of the birth of this music and dance and Aitor Alava's choreography wants to tell this story.

[“Agur(t)ango.”  The tango dancers are Professor Silvina Susa and Aitor Alava.  Costumes by Maria Ceclia Rato]

This isn’t the first time that Aitor Alava has included classics from the Argentine folklore in his repertoire.  This is also evident in the chacareras, gatos, and zambas performed at Semana Vasca 2015 in Macachin, as well as the chacarera performed at Semana Vasca 2016, in Necochea.  “The focus of EDT isn’t to have 50% of the performance be local and the other half Basque, but yes that the identity and idiosyncrasy of the group be genuine,” the director explains.

But, “Agur(t)ango” isn’t the first dance either in what “some call fusion.”  In his words, “at the last Basque festival at the Euskal Echea School in Llavallol, the largest gathering of dantzaris in Argentina, the student in my Basque dance workshop debuted 'Cueca-Fandango.'  In this case, to the surprise of many, it was the same dance.  Seeing them together, resulted in much admiration and surprise,” he said.

Looking forward, the master dantzari did not rule out including more of these pieces in the repertoire that include steps form here and there.  “Some are already underway.  By the end of the year with Portusalda by Korrontzi, we are delving into this idea of Basque and Argentine folklore.  After we work on various choreographies of this kind, we are not opposed, sooner or later, to put a show together with everything that this implies,” Alava anticipates.

The group is currently in rehearsal, giving classes at other clubs, like in San Nicolas.  Soon they will travel to Pergamino for a Dantza Plazan.

Facebook, Ekin Dantzari Taldea
Aitor Alava's blog, Dantz-ango