The first floor of the Entrepatios building at Misericordia is hosting the exhibition "50 years of dance and traditions" from today until 31 December. This showcase commemorates the 50th anniversary of the School of Dance of Asunción in Son Espanyolet and invites visitors to explore the costumes, customs, and festive expressions that are part of Mallorca's cultural heritage.
The celebration will culminate on 20 December with a grand gathering of ball de bot, bringing together groups and associations from various parts of Mallorca, highlighting the vitality and diversity of the island's popular culture.
Antònia Roca, the Vice-President of the Consell de Mallorca and Councillor for Culture and Heritage, along with Andreu Ferrer, the island's Director of Culture, visited the exhibition, which is curated by Araceli Almagro Terrassa. The exhibition delves into the historical attire of the island's inhabitants, featuring images of work and festive clothing worn by farmers, artisans, and the affluent, alongside garments for weddings, mourning, and baptisms.
It also showcases traditional jewellery, such as buttons, crosses, reliquaries, and rosaries, as well as everyday household items and characters from the festive bestiary, including giants (Gaietà and Assumpció), big-headed figures (Bernat and Agnès), the Cuca fera, and the Víbria.
“Celebrating fifty years of an organisation like the School of Dance of Asunción recognises the work of many individuals who, generation after generation, have dedicated time and effort to preserving and transmitting our traditions,” said Roca. “This exhibition allows us to better understand our heritage and realise that popular culture remains alive thanks to the people and entities that maintain and share it.”
Roca also emphasised the importance of preserving and promoting traditional clothing as a part of Mallorcan identity. “Every piece of clothing, every piece of jewellery, and every festive element speaks to a way of life and understanding of the world. Knowing this legacy is a way to keep the connection to our history alive and pass it on to new generations,” she added.
Founded in 1976 in the Son Espanyolet neighbourhood to promote and preserve Mallorcan culture, the School of Dance of Asunción aims to study, conserve, and publicise the culture, music, and dances of Mallorca. Throughout its history, it has participated in popular and patronal festivals, giant gatherings, and other celebrations, serving as a meeting and learning space for children, youth, and adults.
The organisation has been a founding member of the Bestiari Festiu de Mallorca since 2000, is part of the Federation of Music and Dance of Mallorca since 2010, and features a group of cossiers who dance for San Cayetano, the patron saint of the neighbourhood, and for the Asunción, the parish's titular saint.
The exhibition will continue on 13 November with the event "A story, a group, and a tradition," which will include a talk and display of costumes and dance, allowing for a deeper understanding of the value of traditional attire and the role of folklore groups in preserving Mallorca's intangible heritage.
