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The Euskaldunak Denak Bat Basque club in Arrecifes is getting ready for this Sunday October 5th when it will celebrate the 70th anniversary of Itxarkundia, the club’s first dance group, and the first 25 years of Ugarritzak, the group that replaced the former.  The celebration will gather dantzaris of all ages at a big luncheon.  Along with this invitation from the club they also let us know about the Choral Gathering organized in September by its choir Iruki Alaiak. 

Arrecifes, Argentina.  On Sunday October 5th the Basque club in Arrecifes will honor their dantzaris of all ages, celebrating the 70th anniversary of the creation of the club’s first dance group, the legendary Itxarkundia, along with the 25th anniversary of the club’s current group, Ugarritzak.

Itxarkundia was founded in 1944 and gathered more than 20 youth that took upon themselves to conserve the most entrenched expressions of the Basque culture, music and dance, for the city and the area, without discarding the typical elements of the country that had welcomed them and their parents.  But as club sources say, "time passed and those youth began leaving dance behind for other obligations.  For four years silence reigned until 1989, when the seed planted by Itxarkundia resulted in Ugarritzak (reefs, arrecifes).  Under the direction of Teresa de Zavaleta, 25 children and adolescents gathered to publish an informative newsletter on the club’s activity all the while learning dances, Basque and music thanks to txistulari Potxolo Loyola, who became great ambassadors for our club.”

The anniversary lunch will take place at the clubhouse this Sunday starting at 1pm.  Tickets cost $120 for a menu of chorizo, stuffed chicken, salad, dessert and beverages.  To make a reservation email: centrovascoarrecifes@gmail.com.

Iruki Alaiak, Host and Guest

In hopes of creating spaces to present and share the result of months of work, the Iruki Alaiak choir, as part of the Euskaldunak Denak Bat Basque club organized a Choir Gathering with the participation of the Polyphonic Choir “Guillermo Farabollini,” from San Pedro and the Polyphonic Choir “Rodolfo M. Alleva", from Junin.  The event took place on September 13th and included a varied repertoire with works in Basque, as well as from Latin-America, popular and academic songs (photos here). At the end of the event there was a dinner where the choir members shared experiences and songs.  Directed by Professor Martin Aguilar, Iruki Alaiak will also participate in October in events in the cities of Ascension and Junin.