Perhaps one of the most varied and spectacular of Basque traditions, dancing is one of the oldest and easily recognized. As old as the Basques themselves, dancing has been an integral part of Basque life. Dancing was performed for both religious and secular events throughout Basque history, first in the pagan times then changing the meanings of the dance to fit in their Catholicism. Some of the dances and traditions go back more than a thousand years, although surely the tradition of dance goes back to the stone ages. The dances and costumes vary as one travels through the different provinces. They also vary form village to village. From the rugged Ezpata Dantzak (sword dances) of Bizkaia and Guipuzkoa, to the Baso Dantza (wine glass dance) of Ziberua, seen here. There are undoubtedly as many styles of dancing as there are Basque dancers.

Verse Giving a medieval tradition...