It will be free and will be taught in Fraga on June 22, July 6 and 20
This project aims to revive one of Fraga's most cherished traditions, the ' Ball de Coques '. The three scheduled sessions will cover everything related to this dance: movement, music, and song. There are already 100 registered participants, according to the social media accounts created to promote the activity.
Those interested can find out more details and register for free at this LINK.
The Fraga Town Council, folklore researcher Jordi Florensa, and technician Gustavo Vera are working to revive the Ball de Coques as a popular dance among the residents. This festive dance, a hallmark of the cultural identity of the capital of the Bajo Cinca region, ceased to be performed at the beginning of the 20th century. However, thanks to the efforts of former members of the Rondalla Peña Fragatina, selfless collaborators, and, of course, our beloved 'jaies' (traditional dancers), the Ball de Coques has been revived and continues to be performed on stages.
After an exhaustive period of study led by Jordi Florensa, this project, which was presented on Tuesday night at the Montcada Palace to the city's associations, seeks to bring this tradition back to its popular roots, and that the Ball de Coques not remain just a stage dance, but that the city reclaim it as its own and that it can be danced, played or sung by anyone.
To achieve this, the project has the support of the Somerondón University Association of Aragonese Folklore, which will offer free classes in Fraga on June 22nd and July 6th and 20th. The aim is for residents of Fraga to learn the main steps of this traditional dance from the capital of the Bajo Cinca region. Those interested in participating in these classes can register through the website balldecoques.com, which will be available starting this Thursday.
Finally, on July 26th, the feast of Saint Anne is expected to be celebrated with a Ball de Coques (a traditional Canarian dance) and a potluck dinner followed by festivities. Last year, in honor of this saint, the first workshop for this dance was held.
“In the first phase of this project, we integrated the dissemination and knowledge of what the Ball de Coques is into the identity of Fraga and taught it so that people can dance the jota steps that many have heard from our grandmothers,” explained Jordi Florensa about this project that aims to revive this element of local culture among the population and will include several phases.
For her part, the Councillor for Culture, María José Barrafón, affirmed that “since this project was presented to us, the Fraga City Council has fully supported and believed in it.” “It is a project that seeks to revitalize a Fraga tradition and, above all, to highlight our identity,” said the councillor, who thanked Jordi Florensa and Gustavo Vera “for their research and their work in popularizing the Ball de Coques.”
