 Once
the tragic experience of the Civil War was over, the Sardanistas of
Girona, from the old association of “Foment de la Sardana”
which promoted the dance, asked permission from the civil governor
for recognition of the body, but this was denied. The creation of
the government body “Education and Rest”, with a folklore
section, facilitated the revival of the activity of dancing sardanes,
at first in a discreet fashion. Later auditions were held, and in
1941, the first competition, the “Concurs de Colles Sardanistes
de Fires” was held on All Saints’ Day. Five dancing groups
or “colles” participated in all, one of which split off
from Education and Rest, and which became the colla “Amunt i
Crits” group. In 1977, Education and Rest stopped monitoring
the contest and the colla “Amunt i Crits”, linked to the
GEiEG, has been organising the contest since then.
The bull-ring has been the most frequently visited site for this
event, followed by the GEiEG stadium in La Devesa, “L'estadi
de la Joventut”, and “La Plaça Salvador Espriu”,
“El Parc Central” and “La Plaça de la Constitució”.
This contest is one of the oldest in Catalonia and boasts the best
Catalan colles as well as first class traditional musical groups
or cobles. On the same day, All Saints’ Day, in the afternoon,
a contest, which has been held by the GEiEG for more than 40 years,
the “Concurs Individual de Sardanes Revesses” is held
in the Lluis Bachs pavilion in the Sant Narcís centre.
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