Danza en el Camino Festival was born at the intersection of heritage and contemporary creation. An international project that invites dance to engage in dialogue with one of the world’s most important cultural routes: the Camino de Santiago.
Since its inception, Danza en el Camino has been conceived as a space for encounter and dialogue between cultures, using choreographic creation as a tool to reflect on the human, social, and spiritual values embodied by the Camino de Santiago. The journey, the search, the encounter with others, personal transformation, coexistence, and hope are among the themes that inspire the works presented as part of this unique festival.
Each edition brings together creators from different continents to develop original works conceived specifically for the project. The choreographies are performed outdoors, in squares, streets, and heritage sites in towns and cities along the Camino de Santiago, transforming the territory into a stage and bringing contemporary creation closer to thousands of spectators.
An International Artistic Commission
Every year, Danza en el Camino invites three creators or companies from the Americas, Asia, and Europe to develop a new work inspired by the Camino de Santiago. The festival’s artistic direction commissions these choreographers to create an original piece designed exclusively for the project. In this way, each artist contributes their own cultural perspective on the Camino, allowing the route to be reinterpreted through sensibilities, traditions, and experiences from different parts of the world.
This intercultural dialogue is one of the festival’s defining features. An Asian creator, an American creator, and a European creator each observe the same territory and the same history from distinct perspectives, enriching the understanding of the Camino and transforming it into a space for encounter between peoples and cultures.
Come and Experience Creation
We invite you to witness how dance is reinvented through a programme where choreographic creation and the values of the Camino de Santiago come together to shape a festival unique in its artistic vision. Don’t miss the opportunity to experience the evolution of dance along one of the world’s most iconic routes.
18 DAYS OF EXHIBITION
Performances in municipalities across the autonomous communities of Aragón, La Rioja, Castile and León, Galicia, and Biscay.
28,000 EUROS IN FEES AND CONTRACTS
Freestyle
(open air dance)
JACOBEAN ROUTE
1 JUL Jaca (Huesca)
20:00 h · Cathedral of Saint Peter Square
2 JUL Canfranc (Huesca)
20:00 h · Canfranc Estación Hotel
3 JUL Alfaro (La Rioja)
21:00 h · Collegiate Church of Saint Michael Square
4 JUL Logroño (La Rioja)
21:00 h · Goose Game Square, next to Santiago Church
5 JUL Navarrete (La Rioja)
21:00 h · Blood Donors Square
6 JUL Quintanaortuño (Burgos)
21:00 h · Saint John of Ortega Hermitage
7 JUL Cardeñajimeno (Burgos)
21:00 h · Main Square
8 JUL Burgos
21:00 h · CAB Stairway (Subida a Saldaña Street)
9 JUL Palencia
21:00 h · Saint Francis Square
10 JUL Villalcázar de Sirga (Palencia)
21:00 h · Square of the Church of Saint Mary the White
11 JUL Mansilla de las Mulas (León)
20:00 h · Museum of the Peoples of León
12 JUL La Bañeza (León)
21:00 h · Main Square, next to Saint Mary Church
13 JUL León
21:00 h · Saint Marcelo Square, opposite Casa Botines
14 JUL Bembibre (León)
21:00 h · Main Square, next to Saint Peter Church
15 JUL Ourense
20:30 h · Forecourt of the Provincial Historical Archive of Ourense
16 JUL Portomarín (Lugo)
20:00 h · Church Square
17 JUL Muxía (A Coruña)
20:00 h · Port of Muxía
19 JUL Bilbao (Biscay)
13:00 h · Main Atrium of the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao.
Invitations to participate in Danza en el Camino arise directly from the Burgos & New York International Choreography Competition. Each year, the organization selects three choreographers from among the participants of the previous edition of the Competition. In this way, Danza en el Camino has become one of the most prestigious recognitions associated with the international competition and an exceptional opportunity for emerging creators.
Selection represents a genuine professional commission. Each of the three chosen choreographers receives an initial contribution of €3,000 to support the creation of a new work. This funding provides artists with the time and resources necessary to research, develop, and produce a proposal conceived specifically for the festival. The creators are thus given almost a full year to develop their work before embarking on the tour of the different stages along the Camino de Santiago.
At the same time, Danza en el Camino retains an essential part of its origins: the spirit of competition and public participation that characterized its early editions. Throughout the festival tour, the works are evaluated by audiences attending the performances. This particularly distinctive audience is made up of local residents, pilgrims, visitors, and spectators who are often not regular attendees of contemporary dance performances. This aspect makes the festival an extraordinary artistic experience. Choreographers must not only create a high-quality work; they must also be able to move, surprise, and connect with people of different ages, backgrounds, and sensibilities.
At the end of the tour, audience evaluations determine the distribution of additional financial contributions. As a result, the three participating creators ultimately receive a total of €7,000, €9,000, or €12,000, including the initial creation grant. This model makes Danza en el Camino much more than a financial award. It is an opportunity to create over an extended period, develop an original work, tour a unique international circuit, and discover how dance can engage with diverse audiences across hundreds of kilometers of heritage, history, and shared experience.
A BRIDGE BETWEEN CONTINENTS
Beyond artistic presentation, Danza en el Camino has established itself as an international platform for cultural exchange. The festival fosters collaboration among artists from different backgrounds, generates new professional relationships, and promotes the exchange of ideas, artistic languages, and approaches to contemporary choreographic creation.
Spanish choreographers share experiences with creators from Asia, the Americas, and Europe, transforming the Camino de Santiago into a genuine meeting point for the global dance community. It is a space where collaborations emerge, new professional networks are formed, and projects are developed that transcend geographical borders. For all these reasons, Danza en el Camino is not merely a festival. It is a creative platform, a laboratory of ideas, a space for intercultural dialogue, and a unique opportunity for artists to project their work internationally from one of Europe’s most iconic cultural landscapes.
The true essence of Danza en el Camino lies not only in rewarding artistic excellence. Its mission is also to bring dance to new audiences, inspire emotions in places where performing arts programming is not always present, and demonstrate that the language of movement can be understood and enjoyed by everyone. Ultimately, it is a project that brings together heritage and contemporary creation to build bridges between cultures through art, transforming the Camino de Santiago into a living stage for dance from around the world.
COMMITMENT TO THE TERRITORY
Danza en el Camino engages not only with cultural heritage but also with natural heritage. For this reason, the festival delivers its activities using state-of-the-art sound and lighting systems powered by autonomous low-impact energy units, eliminating the need for cabling, generators, and other invasive infrastructure.
This commitment to innovation makes it possible to minimize the project’s environmental footprint while preserving the beauty of the spaces in which it takes place. It is a production model that respects the environment and positions Danza en el Camino among contemporary arts festivals committed to sustainability and the stewardship of local territories. Because protecting the Camino de Santiago also means caring for the landscapes, squares, and places that make possible the encounter between dance, heritage, and people.
Location
Contact
DIRECTOR: Alberto Esbébanez
PRODUCTION: Sara Sáiz y Leticia Bernardo
TECHNICAL TEAM: Miguel Tena, Alejandra Miñón y Eva Merchán
DANCE ON CAMINO DE SANTIAGO CONSULTANT: Alfonso Ordóñez
MUSICAL ATMOSPHERE: Samuel Peñas
HOST: Andrea Santamaría
COMMUNICATION: Eduardo Vielba
AUDIOVISUALS: Carlos Herrera
PHOTOGRAPHY: Gerardo Sanz y Ana Yñañez
