Exhibitions
325 years of beating the sticks of Lleida
An exhibition at the Espai iX of the Institut d'Estudis Ilerdencs recovers more than three centuries of history of one of the most deeply rooted manifestations of Lleida's popular culture.
The Cane Dance has been part of Lleida's cultural memory for more than three centuries. The exhibition 325 years of history of the Cane Dance of Lleida , which can be visited in the Espai iX of the Institut d'Estudis Ilerdencs from September 24 to October 31, offers a journey through this long history, from the first known documentary reference to the vitality of the tradition today.
The history dates back to 1701, when the Ball de Bastons was part of the festive events organized in Lleida on the occasion of the visit of King Philip V. That reference, which has today become one of the main starting points for reconstructing the history of this dance, opens an itinerary that crosses different eras, generations and forms of organization.
Over the centuries, various groups and associations have contributed to keeping this tradition alive. Among them are the children of the Casa de la Maternitat and the Llar de Sant Josep, the Lleidatà Cultural Centre of Dansaires and, more recently, the Colla Bastonera del Pla de l'Aigua. These are different names and protagonists that allow us to understand the Ball de Bastons not as an immobile practice, but as a cultural expression capable of adapting to social changes and finding new generations willing to take on its legacy.
The exhibition recovers this memory through a set of images, documents, historical materials and costumes corresponding to different moments in its trajectory. The objects and testimonies on display allow us to get closer to both the festive dimension of the dance and the people and groups that have made its continuity possible. A timeline articulates the journey and locates the main episodes that have marked the evolution of the Ball de Bastons in Lleida.
One of the most unique spaces in the exhibition is dedicated to the three traditional dances linked to the city: the Titiritero , the Pastora Galana and the Cusidoreta . The exhibition recovers their choreographies and historical scores, allowing us to discover the musical and choreographic elements that have shaped this repertoire and that form part of the intangible heritage of Lleida.
More than a retrospective look, 325 years of history of the Ball de Bastons de Lleida thus raises a reflection on the capacity of popular culture to preserve memory and, at the same time, remain active in the present. Three centuries after the first documented news, the bastons continue to set the pace of a tradition that has crossed generations and that is still part of the festive and cultural identity of Lleida today.
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