Bermeo was the venue for the 45th edition of the Bizkaiko Dantzari Eguna today, which kicked off early in the morning with good weather, filling the municipality with color, music, and dancers from various regions of Bizkaia.
Organized by the Bizkaiko Dantzarien Biltzarra, a total of 72 groups and nearly 4,000 dancers gathered from all over the territory. Bermeo took over the baton from last year's host, Lekeitio, and served as the host for this large-scale event for the third time, following the editions in 1994 and 2009. This year, however, the exhibition took place for the first time in the central Parque Lamera.
A highlight of the day was the massive street parade that began at 10:30 AM. Divided into different routes, the dancers and music traversed the Old Town and the entire municipality. Witnessing over a thousand dancers performing simultaneously on the Lamera square was a moving and powerful spectacle.
This year's edition held special significance thanks to the anniversaries of several participating groups. Bermeo's Alkartasuna Dantza Taldea celebrates its golden jubilee, fifty years of tradition, acting as the main driving force of the gathering. Fifty adults and 80 children performed with the pride of playing at home and the unconditional support of their neighbors.
Meanwhile, the Ibarra-Kaldu group from Barakaldo commemorated its 60th anniversary, and the Zerutxu group from Markina-Xemein marks six decades of existence. A delegation of 22 young dancers from Zerutxu expressed their emotion, stating they have attended almost every Dantzari Eguna since the group's inception.
The Gorantzaileak group from Sondika also celebrated its long trajectory, with members ranging from 4 to over 70 years old. The expedition, comprising 83 dancers and a total of 130 people including collaborators, has faithfully attended all 45 editions of the event.
The Harrigorria Dantza Taldea from Meatzaldea participated with 60 dancers aged between 8 and 70, having attended 39 out of the 45 editions. The historic group Elai Alai from Gernika-Lumo brought 43 dancers and is preparing to celebrate its centenary next year.
The Mikel Deuna group from Iurreta arrived from Durangaldea with 16 dancers, the oldest being 27 and the youngest between 15 and 17. They highlighted their uninterrupted commitment to the Bizkaiko Dantzarien Biltzarra since the festival's beginnings.
The Bizkaiko Dantzari Eguna bids farewell to Bermeo, leaving behind spectacular images of traditional dances such as Agintariena, Agurra, Uztai Haundi dantza, Gorulariak, and Kaixarranka, demonstrating that Bizkaia's identity and folkloric tradition remain vibrant and have a solid generational succession.
