Sardana

The sardana is danced in a circle with hands joined and raised, to music played by a cobla, an eleven-piece band of wind instruments including the tenora and tible, double bass and the flabiol, a small flute played with one hand while the same player strikes a small drum with the other. The steps alternate between short and long sequences, and the counting matters, so dancers place someone reliable in the ring. Anyone may join by opening the circle at the right moment. It took its modern form in the nineteenth century and became a symbol of Catalan identity, suppressed under Franco. Circles form outside Barcelona cathedral on Sunday mornings and in squares across Catalonia through the year.

What you actually see

• The joined circle - dancers with hands raised, open to newcomers.
• The cobla - an eleven-piece wind band with tenora and flabiol.
• The counted steps - alternating short and long sequences.
• The Sunday gatherings - circles outside Barcelona cathedral and in town squares.

When to go

Sunday mornings outside Barcelona cathedral is the reliable slot, with more sessions through summer and during local festivals. Times shift and are posted by the cathedral and the sardana federations.

Honest expectations

Joining a circle is genuinely open but the counting is harder than it looks and beginners are best joining beside experienced dancers, who will usually help. Bags are placed in the middle of the ring. Sessions are short and weather-dependent.

Nearby

Barcelona cathedral square is the best-known venue; town squares across Catalonia hold their own.