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Algorta, Bizkaia.  Twenty six members of the dance group Itxartu, from Algorta/Gexo, traveled to Argentina last month, invited by members of the Zazpirak Bat Basque club in Rosario to participate in the National Basque Week 2012.  Before arriving in Rosario the group was in Concordia, as guests of the Ibaiko Izarra dancers.  Itxartu performed Basque dances in front of the town hall and were very well received by those in attendance.  After, they went to Iguazú to get to see the famous waterfalls.

[Itxartu performing Basque dance in the streets of Concordia (photo Itxartu)]

[Members of Itxartu at the Iguazú waterfalls (photo Itxartu)]

After three days in Iguazú, the group traveled to Rosario to join in the last hurrah of the Semana Vasca.  The Zazpirak Bat Basque club welcomed them with open arms, especially since the two dance groups already have a close relationship.  The dancers of Itxartu, Irune Padro and Xabier Fernandez de Labastida have already been to Rosario twice, giving Basque dance classes and last year, dancers from Rosario were in Getxo performing with the group.

[Members of Itxartu in front of the welcome poster of Semana Nacional Vasca 2012 (photo Itxartu)]

“The relationship with the people was wonderful.  We found ourselves among many Basque-Argentineans that we had met in the Basque Country,” Begoña Zuazola explained to EuskalKultura.com.  

One of the most special moments for her was the dance performance by Itxartu along with other artists at the El Circulo Theater on October 26.  “There were more than 400 people and at the end of the performance the audience gave us a standing ovation.”  Along with Itxartu were singers Urko, Naia Robles, and Natxo Knörr, the Argentinean group Maral and the choir from Euskal Etxea of Villa Mercedes.

[Dancing Auritze on the stage at the El Circulo Theater in Rosario (photo Itxartu)]

Even though the group was already familiar with the Diaspora, Zuazola pointed out some things that were still surprising.  “For example, how they live Basque dance.  In Rosario there were 25 dance groups, and even though they confused a few things, in general they were all very good.  Another thing that caught our attention was how nationalist they are, as if they lived in Euskadi.  So far away but yet so near.”

[Itxartu on stage with frineds from Rosario (photo Itxartu)]

-For more information on Itxartu, here