The Dance of Death Stays in Verges: A Sacred Tradition
Following two notable trips to Madrid, offers for the Dance of Death to tour poured in. However, the board made a firm decision: the unique Danse Macabre has no meaning outside its specific context, and there will be no Verges Dance of Death performances held elsewhere.
This principle has been consistently upheld. In 1967, an invitation to the National Choir and Dance Competition in Girona was declined, as was a more recent one for the XI International Theatre Festival in Sitges. The board maintains that **the Dance of Death never performs outside of Verges.**
Verges Dance of Death Performances: The Exceptions
Despite this strict rule, a few rare exceptions have been made. In 1992, the Dance of Death traveled again, but never as a street parade. The performances were confined to reverent presentations inside a church.
The first was another showcase in Madrid, at the church of San Jerónimo del Real, as part of an exhibition of medieval liturgical dramas. The second took place at the Girona Cathedral for the VII International Colloquium of the Société Internationale pour l’étude du Théâtre Médiéval.
An Experience, Not a Show
The official stance remains unwavering. As the procession director publicly stated on a TV3 program in 1995: **”The Dance of Death doesn’t do gigs.”**
This sentiment is repeated by all Vergélitains whenever an offer is made to commercialize one of Catalan culture’s most valuable treasures. Our Dance of Death is **an authentic experience, not a performance for hire.**
To truly understand it, you must come to Verges on the night of Maundy Thursday.
