The Sardana: Catalan Dance and Catalan National Identity

Abstract

The sardana, a circle dance from northeast Spain, emerged in the mid-19th century as a key symbol of Catalonia. A prototypical invented tradition, the sardana represents qualities that Catalans hold dear, such as harmony, democracy, brotherhood, and national identity as an achieved rather than ascribed status. Threats against the sardana are perceived as threats against Catalonia. Hence, Catalan folklorists rewrite history in an attempt to defend the dance's purity and persistence.

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