
Ateak Ireki Dantzan - Dancing
Basque culture and dance are excellent instruments for young Basques in the diaspora to get closer to Basque culture and build a network of relationships with young Basques.
Description
Basque dance is an effective instrument to get closer to Basque culture and to structure community within it, but it is even more powerful and effective among Basques in the diaspora. Therefore, body language offers an excellent opportunity to connect both communities and promote Basque culture.
Precisely, because we need a strong Basque Community which has presence in the world, we started in 2023 the Ateak Ireki project (www.ateakireki.eus). This program aims to strengthen relationships between young people from the Basque diaspora and those from Euskal Herria. In 2023 and 2024, about 40 young people of Basque origin moved to Goierri for a three-week stay with their Gipuzkoan host families. Together with Maizpide Euskaltegi, special courses were organized to learn Basque and Basque culture.
These young people from the United States showed their interest in reinforcing the offer of Basque dance courses. For them, Basque dance is one of the most important exponents of their Basque identity. Taking into account this demand, along with the benefits of dance in the training of young people and the possibilities it offers to access Basque culture, Ateak Ireki Dantzan - Dancing Summer Course was organized in 2024. Youngsters from Goierri took also part, and they started establishing relationship among them.
This Summer Course will address the theoretical and practical aspects, and it will mainly use English and Basque. The main sessions will be offered by expert teachers of Basque dance, and participants will also have the chance to live the dance in the ritual context of a Basque festival. The course is organized together with the Dantzan Ikasi program which is devoted to the continuous training of Basque dance teachers. Dantzan Ikasi is a program of the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa with a 15-year history.
Objectives
Contribute to the consolidation of the Basque community in the world through Basque culture and dance.
Increase theoretical and practical knowledge of Basque dance.
Make the role of Basque dance visible in terms of social organization, Basque culture and cohesion of community.
Put into practice the benefits of body language for social progress and improvement.
Contribute to strengthening the identity of young Basques in the diaspora.
Activity directed to
- All public
Methodology
The teaching methodology that will be used is the following:
- Expert presentations
- Practical dance lessons
- Immersion exercises experiencing the festive practice from the inside
- Practical exercises, putting everything learned into practice
Program
30-06-2025
Documentazio banaketa
Registration
Institutional Opening session. Speaking order:
- Joxerramon Bengoetxea Caballero | UPV/EHU - Errektorea
- Eider Mendoza Larrañaga | Gipuzkoako Foru Aldundia - Ahaldun Nagusia
- Leire Artola | Beasaingo Udala - Alkatea
Inaugurazio-ekitaldia. UPV/EHUko Errektore jauna (konfirmatzeke), GFAko Diputatu Nagusi Andrea (konfirmatzeke), Beasaingo Alkate andrea (konfirmatzeke)
“Euskal Dantza eta Euskal Nortasunaren Garapena Diasporan. Basque Dance and Development of Basque Identity in the Diaspora“
- Iñaki Goirizelaia Ordorika | UPV/EHU - Irakaslea
“ Aurreskua eta soka-dantza, herri baten soka“
- Oier Araolaza Arrieta | UPV/EHU - Gizarte Komunikazioan doktorea
Kafea
“Euskal festetako dantzaldietarako dantza ikastaldi praktikoa I: banangoa, jotak eta dantza-jauziak“
- Ander Elordui Somarribia | Dantzaria - Ikus-entzunezko komunikazioa graduatu
Goierriko eta Gipuzkoako ezpata-dantza Hizlari/irakasleak: Aurtzaka dantza taldea
01-07-2025
“Euskal festetako dantzaldietarako dantza ikastaldi praktikoa II: banangoa, jotak eta dantza-jauziak“
- Josu Garate Suinaga | Dantzerti - Euskadiko Arte Dramatiko eta Dantza Goi Mailako Eskolan euskal dantzako irakaslea
Kafea
“ Euskal festetako dantzaldietarako dantza ikastaldi praktikoa III: banangoa, jotak eta dantza-jauziak“
- Ander Elordui Somarribia | Dantzan - Ikus-entzunezko komunikazioa graduatua
Euskal festetako dantzaldietarako dantza ikastaldi praktikoa IV: banangoa, jotak eta dantza-jauziak. Irakasleak: Aurtzaka dantza taldea.
Erromeria
Directors

Iñaki Goirizelaia Ordorika
UPV/EHU, Ingeniería de Comunicaciones
Full professor of Telematics Engineering at the University of the Basque Country(UPV/EHU). He was president of UPV/EHU from 2009 to 2017, Vice-rector for University Enterprise Relations from 1998 to 2000, Vice-rector of the Academic Organization area in 2004 and Vice-rector of the Bizkaia Campus from 2005-2008. He was a Visiting Fellow at Stanford Research Institute in California in 1984 and 1985 and later he spent six months in 2004 as a visiting professor at the MediaLab of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In 2017, he held the Eloise Garmendia Bieter Chair at Boise State University. In his research career, he has worked in three specific areas of focus: AI, artificial vision and security in telecommunications networks. He has authored the textbook "Fundamentals of Programming"(1999), and was co-author of the book "Dancing through networks using Java"(2021). In addition, he is the creator and screenwriter of the documentary “Bai, bagara!” which focuses on Basque values in the diaspora, and he also created the documentary on dance “Lur hau gurea”. He is currently president and co-founder of the PuntuEus foundation and is an honorary member of Jakiunde, the Basque Academy of Science, Art and Letters
Speakers

Oier Araolaza Arrieta
Oier Araolaza Arrieta (Elgoibar, 1972) is a dancer (traditional Basque dancer). He is dancing in the groups Kezka from Eibar and Argia from Donostia. Under the direction of Juan A. Urbeltz he has performed in Argia group shows such as Alakiketan (1991), Kondharian (1997), Axuri Beltza (2008) and Martin Zalakain (2017). He is the founder and editor of the Basque dance portal Dantzan.eus. Degree in Information Sciences (EHU, 1995) and Social and Cultural Anthropology (EHU, 2000), Master in Musicology (EHU, 2008), Certificate of Advanced Studies in Art History (EHU, 2010) and Doctoral Thesis in Social Communication (EHU, 2020) investigating Basque dance and gender in the Mikel Laboa chair. He has been a professor of Basque dance at Dantzerti, the Superior Center of the Basque Country for Dramatic Art and Dance and at the title of Basque Dance at the UPV/EHU (2016-2017). He has written articles on Basque dance in Argia, Berria y Dantzan, and published the books: Gregorio Santa Cruz dantza-maisua (Ego-Ibarra, 1998), Euskal Dantza (Etxepare, 2012) and Genero-identitatea euskal dantza tradizionalaren eraikuntzan (UEU, 2020). From 2012 to 2023 he has been a member of the Basque Council of Culture of the Basque Government.

Ander Elordui Somarribia
Graduated in audio-visual communication, culture and group facilitator, Basque dance teacher and tour guide in the square.

Josu Garate Suinaga
Dantzari, maestro de danza y músico aficionado. Finalizados los estudios de arquitectura, tras una década de actividad profesional, transformé la afición en oficio en la asociación Dantzan, en la promoción y difusión de la danza; hoy día en labores de gestión, y coordinación del programa de formación Dantzan Ikasi. Ha crecido en el grupo de danzas Kezka de Eibar en la técnica y repertorio de danzas vascas. En paralelo participo en el grupo Argia desde 1997 bajo la dirección de Juan Antonio Urbeltz y Marian Arregi en diversos proyectos y espectáculos; entre otros el espectáculo "Martin Zalakain" (2017-2022) junto a Ander Lipus y Arkaitz Cano, y la película "Dantza" (2018) junto a Telmo Esnal y Koldobika Jauregi. Soy docente (2017 - ) en Dantzerti, Escuela Superior de Arte Dramático y Danza, impartiendo clases teórico-prácticas en el itinerario de danza vasca. He colaborado con diversos músicos, formaciones, y grupos de danza. Compagino mi tiempo además con los grupos Aiko y MP5 poniendo en movimiento las plazas de nuestros pueblos como músico y dinamizador.

Iñaki Goirizelaia Ordorika
UPV/EHU, Ingeniería de Comunicaciones
Full professor of Telematics Engineering at the University of the Basque Country(UPV/EHU). He was president of UPV/EHU from 2009 to 2017, Vice-rector for University Enterprise Relations from 1998 to 2000, Vice-rector of the Academic Organization area in 2004 and Vice-rector of the Bizkaia Campus from 2005-2008. He was a Visiting Fellow at Stanford Research Institute in California in 1984 and 1985 and later he spent six months in 2004 as a visiting professor at the MediaLab of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In 2017, he held the Eloise Garmendia Bieter Chair at Boise State University. In his research career, he has worked in three specific areas of focus: AI, artificial vision and security in telecommunications networks. He has authored the textbook "Fundamentals of Programming"(1999), and was co-author of the book "Dancing through networks using Java"(2021). In addition, he is the creator and screenwriter of the documentary “Bai, bagara!” which focuses on Basque values in the diaspora, and he also created the documentary on dance “Lur hau gurea”. He is currently president and co-founder of the PuntuEus foundation and is an honorary member of Jakiunde, the Basque Academy of Science, Art and Letters
Registration fees
Face-to-face | Until 30-06-2025 |
---|---|
87,00 EUR | |
74,00 EUR | |
61,00 EUR | |
25,00 EUR | |
74,00 EUR | |
74,00 EUR |
Venue
Igartzako Jauregian eta Kiroldegian
Beasain Bidea, 20216 Beasain, Gipuzkoa/Igartza Oleta Kalea, 3, 20200 Beasain, Gipuzkoa
Gipuzkoa