ESBART SANT MARTÍ DE TORRELLES DE

LLOBREGAT

A Catalan folk dance group

Catalan folkloreSince the folk dance group’s origin, the principal objective of the group has been to show the meaning and the beauty of the Catalan dance like the identity of the Catalan people, regarding the dance as an excellent way of communication and expression among people.

In Torrelles de Llobregat, there was a group of young people very interested in

promoting the Catalan culture,so they created the Esbart Sant Martí in 1966.

During its trajectory, the group (l’esbart) has experimented different stages that have been marked mainly by the places where they have rehearsed and by the different conductors.

In 1991, when it celebrated the 25th anniversary, a new “corps of dansa” was consolidated, just in the time when the group had a lot of activities.

Esbart performancesEsbart performances have been carried out in Euskadi, Balearic islands, Aragón and Valencian country(Spain), in France, Germany, Luxembourg, Denmark, Switzerland, Portugal, Russia (Moscou, Nizhini Nóvgorod and Bor), Sardinia (Alguer), Czech Repubilc (Prague) and Sweden (Malmö).

Groups

To assure the groups future , apart from the “corps of dancers”, at present it has three sections of children and young people from six to fourteen years old.

Small 9-11year old

Youth

The most important traditional dances

The Tal·lara: in Torrelles the Llobregat and in Sant Vicenç dels Horts, the women used to dance the Tal·lara at the vineyard. It’s the Torrelles traditional dance. In the local festivity the Tal·lara has been danced in the park by the local people.

A Danse called “the gypsies” in Rubí

It was considered a traditional show instead of a dance and it is celebrated at the carnival in some Catalan villages every year. It’s an espectacular dance, and it represents a wedding.

Marina

Marina is a dance inspired by the

fishermen.

The moixiganga of Sitges

This dance is one of the few ones that has a religious meaning. It represents the Passion and Jesus’s death.

Dances of new creation“Poble” (village)

“Poble” is a dance created in recognition to all the people that lived and worked in Torrelles of Llobregat at the beginning of the 20th century. The aim is to show us our grandparents and great grandparents' way of life and their social ties. It tries to approach us to the life of the period using the new technologies and the dance of traditional roots.

Llibre Vermell (Red Book)

Llibre Vermell is a show of the dance group, interpreted and danced by the “dance corps” and accompanied by the music of the Electrica Dharma. The show is inspired in the Llibre Vermell of Montserrat, written in the 14th century by the monks of the monastery. It is a collection of stories, songs and dances that meant a way of entertainment for the pilgrims. Llibre Vermell has been represented in the Holy Family (Sagrada Familia church) and in the basilica of Montserrat.