San Sebastian Firework competition (Basque Country – Spain)

During the week of the 15th of August, the Virgin’s Day, this festivity is held combining the International Firework Competition right in the middle of La Concha Bay.

The traditional cannon shot fired is the starting point of the festivity and takes place at the Alderdi Eder gardens at 19.00 hours

One of the most important elements of the Semana Grande is, without a doubt, the International Fireworks Contest, which includes the participation of companies from different parts of the world.

Also, music has an important place in the festival. Great musical stars gather in the capital of Gipuzkoa.

As far as sports is concerned, it is worth mentioning the classic swimming crossing from Getaria to San Sebastian, horse races, the beach-volleyball tournament and «herri-kirolak» exhibitions (Basque rural sports).

Furthermore, and like in previous years, children will have at their disposal workshops, games, gigantes and cabezudos parades, disco, toros de fuego (fire bulls), and so on.

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Schottisch in Madrid (Spain)

Chotis is a music and dance originating in Bohemia. Its name derives from the German term Schottisch («Scottish»), a Central European social dance to which in Vienna was wanted to attribute origin in a Scottish dance. Several variants of the schottisch survive in the Argentine tradition (schotis), Austrian, Brazilian (xote), Scandinavian (schottis), Spanish, Finnish (Sottiisi), French (Scottish), Italian (chotis), English (scottische), Mexican ), Paraguayan, Portuguese (choutiça or choke), Swiss and Uruguayan. It became fashionable in most of Europe during the nineteenth century and spread to America.

Madrid Chotis
The chotis arrived in the Spanish capital in 1850 and it was reported that the first night was danced in the Royal Palace on the night of November 3 of that year, under the name of Polca Alemana. Popular and dance castizo by antonomasia of the town of Madrid.

It dances in couple face to face, to the sound of a organillo, note 1 and during the dance the woman revolves around the man, who in turn turns on its own axis, hence the popular saying that » It does not take more than a tile «to dance it. It is typical to see him dance, in the summer festivals of Madrid: the women dressed in a Manila shawl and half-head covering, and the men, always looking at the front and dressed in vest, striped pants and a visor or visor.

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