Oral tradition states that at the beginning of the 16th century, this dance was already danced in every northern village of the valley. It is or it has been a traditional way to celebrate the festivities of Sahún, Eriste, Cerler, Anciles or Benasque. Nobody really knows the origins of the dance steps or the music, but everyone agrees in the oldness of its tradition. Each village has its own defining folklore, with a reason, a ritual and an honoured saint.

The one danced in Benasque every 30th June in honour of Saint Marcial is, among all these representations, the most renowned, not only for the undeniable ethnic richness but also for being the dance of the head town, something that increases the participation on it. Being the main event during the festivitites, the dance is celebrated with an active participation of the locals who feel proud about belonging to Benasque. In fact, the dancers themselves recognize that it is difficult to refuse to dance even when they feel old to do so. For them, giving up the dance is always a painful decision.

Performed only by men, still as tradition dictates, the ‘Ball de Benás’ is not only an exhibition of colours, passion or devotion, but an instrumental reason that had kept the festivity alive for centuries; namely, it is a ‘mayordomos’ dance, meaning a ritual for transferring the power between the main dancers. The bachelors that have been exercising the duty of organizing the festivity during the ongoing year hand the responsibility over the ones who will be in charge the following year. To symbolize it, men exchange floral motifs and women do it so with bread.

After the main mass, the church bells start ringing indicating the start of the saint patron procession. The saint is represented by a silver standing statue with the arms opened forming a cross. During the procession, the members of the brotherhood carry the statue on their shoulders and the dancers stand in front of it. They all march through the narrowest streets around the church and the council, playing their box castanets fitted out with colourful long ribbons. They play the castanets with their arms up high, moving straight ahead with their back towards each other and looking directly to the patron saint.

Saint Marcial, the honouree, was a French origin leading figure. Although, it was believed that he was one of the 62 original Disciples of Christ, the fact is that the first documented reference about him is from Saint Gregory of Tours (538-594) in his “Historia Francorum”. On it, he pointed out that Marcial would have arrived to Limoges (France) in the 3th century. He was a member of the missionary group that, sent by the Rome’s bishop Saint Fabian, would have established the Gaul’s local churches. Little is known about the rest of his life. The only documented points are that he was buried outside Limoges and that a church on his behalf was built over his so venerated coffin. Saint Marcial’s worship is widely widespread in the south of France and the north of Spain, although it is unknown if he really managed to arrive to Benasque.

To honour this saint, an easy-to-remember tune is used during the festivities. This tune was the Spanish anthem during the republican periods; the so-called Riego anthem. Whether it was first the icon or the popular dancing sound, there is no evidence that asserts it. Naturally, in Benasque, everybody believes that the very lieutenant colonel Rafael del Riego chose the rhythm that was danced in Saint Marcial festivity to set music to the compounded lyrics of his friend Evaristo San Miguel. It is said that perhaps he met him when he was imprisoned in Jaca or during his years as the general captain of Aragón. Others believe that the former locals decided to add solemnity to the dance by using the national anthem music when the cortège arrives once again to the council’s square, where the saint is placed below the central tree. There, the main moment of the ‘Ball dels Omes’ takes place. It starts with the four main dancers dancing individually in front of the saint. After them, the rest of the men continue dancing in age groups, from the elders to the youngest. Meanwhile, the main dancers have already formed a one-by-one circle, though in pairs, that keeps running around the square several times. Then, the main dancers have to choose their substitutes for the following year. As requested by the tradition, each main dancer hands the rose that he carries in the mouth to whom will be his heir. The heirs, that must be singles, accept the nomination by placing the rose in their mouths in turn.

A musical change indicates the ‘marradetas’ moment, the second part of the traditional dance that is performed with a waltz sound. In this part, dancers perform a zigzag movement, just as the square slabs point out. Those movements are aimed to create smaller circles close to the saint. The rows of dancers become narrower until the music stops and the dancers raise the main one over their shoulders, becoming the final hallmark.

Yet, the following day, the ‘Ball de Benás’ melody resounds again in the streets. Is the ‘Ball de les Dones’ (women dance), a similar ceremony but with women participation.

Together with the current main dancers, the heirs pay tribute to the saint. Women don’t dance in front of the saint, but they join them immediately after. This is how the festivity ends, by considering the dancing ritual as the highlight; an unavoidable meeting with the local traditions.

Information extracted from: Blog Identidad aragonesa