Category: Albistea

5 NOMINATIONS AT THE 29TH MAX AWARDS

The 29th Max Awards have announced the nominations for the 2025-2026 edition, and OTS, by Haatik Dantza Konpainia, has received five nominations.

In OTS, we did not want to simply remember the past, but to work with it in the present. The sound is not a document left behind; it is something that happens between bodies and listening. On stage, the past is used again, here and now.

The nominations have been received in the following categories:

• Best Dance Production

• Best Choreography

• Best Original Score

• Best Male Dance Performer – Jon Arsuaga

• Best Dance Ensemble

These five nominations recognise different artistic aspects of the work: creation, choreography, music and performance. Throughout its journey, OTS has received a strong reception and recognition within the Basque contemporary scene, and this acknowledgement now extends to the national context.

February 27 · €38 · Performance + bertso dinner · Limited capacity (reservation required)

On February 27, we will present the final performance of the dance piece “Errimak bi oinetan” at Petritegi Sagardotegia, as part of a double celebration: Petritegi’s 500th anniversary and Haatik Dantza’s 15th anniversary. It will be a special evening—an encounter where cider culture, the universal language of dance, and the power of live bertso come together.

Everyone attending will be part of the celebration.

After the performance, guests will be able to enjoy a bertso dinner with cider in the warm atmosphere of Petritegi. During dinner, Sustrai Colina and Maddalen Arzallus will bring words and rhythm to the moment, adding another layer to the celebration: community, humor, emotion, and connection.

During dinner, Sustrai Colina and Maddalen Arzallus will bring words and rhythm to the moment.

This event is more than a performance: it is an excuse to celebrate an anniversary and, above all, an invitation to share table and space. Tradition and contemporaneity will meet in the same night, and everyone attending will be part of the celebration.

Practical information

• 📅 Date: 2026/02/27
• 📍 Venue: Petritegi Sagardotegia (Astigarraga)
• 🕗 Schedule: Doors open 18:30 · Performance 19:00 · Bertso dinner 20:30
• 💶 Price: €38 (performance + dinner + cider)
• 🎟️ Reservations: petritegi.eus
• ⚠️ Limited capacity / Reservation required

Pasaiako dantza festibalaren 8.edizioan parte hartzeko proposamenak jasotzeko deialdia zabalik dago. Deialdia euskal sortzaile eta dantza konpainiei zabaltzen diegu.

The Pasaiako Dantza Festibala has become a major event within the network of street performing arts festivals in the Basque Country, and once again we are launching this new edition with great enthusiasm and the desire to make it unforgettable.

Since its beginnings, the main goal of the PDF has been to bring dance and the performing arts closer to the citizens of Pasaia and its surroundings, attracting new audiences and creating new ways to promote and strengthen our community. At the same time, the festival aims to boost local creativity, making it once again a showcase and a home for Basque dance companies.

We therefore invite creators and companies from the seven provinces of the Basque Country to submit their short and medium-length pieces, ready to be performed next June. As this is a street festival, the pieces must be created or adapted to be performed in public spaces or non-conventional venues.

In addition, as the PDF aims to be a participatory, equal and inclusive festival, if you wish to propose any complementary activities (workshops, talks, exhibitions, etc.), we would be delighted to hear your ideas and consider them.

Deadline: You have until November 14th to submit your proposals through the form available on our website: www.pasaiakodantzafestibala.info

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to help us write the next chapter of the Pasaiako Dantza Festibala. We can’t wait to hear from you!

J.A.

The spirit of Herri Gogoa, an icon of Basque experimental music, travels to the Fira Mediterrània of Manresa, in tribute to the cultural support received in Catalonia. Through dance and music, a new dialogue opens between the Basque Country and Catalonia.

In the world of music, record labels have historically acted as guardians of culture, promoting artists and songs capable of defining entire eras. In that context, Herri Gogoa (1967–1980) became the jewel of modern Basque discography.

It is no coincidence that a record label that never officially existed found allies in movements such as the Nova Cançó catalana; both were sisters in cultural resistance during Franco’s dictatorship. While the Basque Country sang in Euskera, Catalonia sang in Catalan, and EDIGSA, the Barcelona label distributing both, became their lifeline. Under the Edigsa/HG brand, Herri Gogoa drew an exceptional portrait of the experimental and vibrant music created in the Basque Country.

We travel to the Fira Mediterrània of Manresa with the desire to bring this spirit to where it once found refuge, returning the favor received.

It is not a circle closing, but a dialogue reopening — between music and dance, between the Basque Country and Catalonia, between past and present, between body and sound.

A.B. 2025

We carried out IOI’s first creation week at Juanba Berasategi in Pasaia, in collaboration with Jone San Martin. The dance performance, designed for the street and unconventional spaces, is underway, and its premiere will take place in May.

IOI has begun its first creation week at Juanba Berasategi in Pasaia. Once again, we are collaborating with Jone San Martin, this time to develop a new dance performance designed for the street and unconventional spaces.

During this residency, the team’s strong connection was evident, generating a very productive dynamic. Significant progress was also made in production: after months of work, Ikerne Jiménez presented her scenography proposal, and Ramon García unveiled an attractive wardrobe based on a solid concept.

In terms of dance, Jone San Martin built on the lines developed in the OTS work. She focused especially on exploring new relationships between dancers and the audience, aiming to place the piece in the street or unconventional spaces.

Additionally, Manu Gaigne will once again lead the music during the performance, demonstrating his expertise and ability to guide the scenes. His skill in shaping and defining each scene was particularly notable.

The result was the first presentation at San Pedro’s Lonja: a special rehearsal where the boundaries between stage and audience blurred, and we all completed the experience together.

Our warmest thanks to all the collaborators who joined us — the residency was enriching for everyone. The next work session will take place in March, and the performance’s premiere will be in May.

A.B.2025

On August 16th, in Hondarribia and as part of the San Sebastián Musical Fortnight, we, Haatik, shared the stage for the first time with accordionist Iñaki Alberdi. Like a polyhedron, seen from many angles and reflections, everything came together in a single piece called Uran-zu.

Traditional Basque music and classical music met between the breath of the accordion and the movement of our bodies. The repertoire proposed by Alberdi —Basque folk melodies alongside works by Arriaga, Francisco Escudero and Félix Ibarrondo— brought us both roots and wings: earth and air, past and present, old voices and new ones.

Through dance we gave sound a body, and sound became movement: the atmosphere created on stage immersed the audience in a wave of emotion and imagination. For a moment, we all became part of that story, told without words yet fulfilling the need for all of them.

This collaboration has shown us how much strength lies in encounter, how many possibilities in dialogue, and how much beauty can emerge when two distinct artistic languages unite. The warm welcome in Hondarribia filled us with joy, and we are certain that this path will not end here.

Premieres on March 8 at Donostia’s Gazteszena Theater!

For the first time, you’ll have the chance to see “OTS,” a work created to reinterpret the avant-garde cultural movement reflected in the first Basque record label.

The “Herri Gogoa” label laid the foundation for modern Basque music production, uniting diverse artistic expressions: traditional folk music, classical compositions, political songs, contemporary works, and rock—all driven by a single ethos: passion and desire. From Lourdes Iriondo to Mikel Laboa, and from Karmelo Bernaola to Shegundo Galarza, this label demonstrated an untiring commitment to highlighting the contemporaneity of Basque music.

Haatik Dance Company had the extraordinary fortune of working with Jone San Martin Astigarraga, an internationally renowned dancer and creator, as a guest choreographer in the creation of the work OTS.

Basque dances are unique treasures, and we immersed ourselves in them throughout the creative process for OTS. They became a vital source of inspiration, and by studying and reinterpreting them, we discovered new ways to structure and “write” in space.

The dancers of Haatik have a profound understanding of their roots, and the main challenge has been transforming the mechanisms of Basque dance into tools for expressing the intimate and personal emotions of each performer and the group as a whole.

Don’t miss this opportunity—get your tickets before they sell out!

During the last week of October, we experienced two unforgettable performances that stood out for their ability to evoke emotion and provoke reflection through culture and art. As part of the Loraldia Plaza program, the play LAU EME, presented in Arrigorriaga, offered a profound and moving perspective on the history of women. Simultaneously, at the Manuel Lekuona Kultur Etxea in Lasarte, the piece UR BIZTAN bid farewell to its audience with a blend of documentary and dance.

Both events celebrated the beauty of dance and the power of creativity, leaving indelible emotions and memories in the hearts of the audience.

*Image gallery at the end.

The Magic of Women’s History at Loraldia Plaza

On October 24, we attended the Abusu Kultur Zentroa in Arrigorriaga as part of the cultural project Loraldia Plaza. There, the play LAU EME unfolded its special magic, leaving a profound impression on all in attendance.

Aimed at creating a space for reflection, the play revisited the history of women through words, bodies, and emotions. It offered the audience an opportunity to reflect and open their minds to new perspectives. It did not disappoint: attendees were completely captivated.

Once again, Loraldia Plaza underscored the power and importance of culture, with LAU EME taking center stage as a true highlight of this initiative.

Farewell to UR BIZTAN

Just two days later, on October 26, we presented the final performance of UR BIZTAN at the Manuel Lekuona Kultur Etxea in Lasarte. To open the event, the audience had the chance to enjoy a beautiful documentary exploring the origins and creative process of the piece. This moment offered a unique opportunity to understand the context of the dance and gain deeper insights into the vision of its creators. Together, it was a deeply moving experience.

The performance, like the ones before it, was extraordinary. The warm reception from the audience, the applause, and the emotion-filled silences revealed the impact of the piece. The moments experienced on stage were truly unforgettable, and we are certain they will remain in our memories for a long time to come.

Regarding the music, we are excited to share some excellent news: under the direction of the talented composer Pascal Gaigne, the pieces performed during the play are being recorded in the studio. Very soon, these inspiring melodies will be available on our favorite playlists, allowing us to relive the atmosphere of this dance piece and find daily inspiration.

 Of the 529 enrolled in the XXVI. Max Performing Arts Awards, the highest figure in history, 168 have been selected in the first phase. He received five nominations to the Haatik Dance Company for the shows ‘Ur’ and ‘Ur bizitan’:

UR BIZITAN – Better dance show.

UR – The best show for the street.

IÑIGO ETXEBERRIA – Best dancer by Ur Bizitan.

JON ARSUAGA – Best dancer by Ur Bizitan.

UR BIZITAN – The best productive work.