Deuna agate is a co-production of Arriaga Theater and the MDVdanza company of the Bilbao dancer Mikel del Valle. It premiered in 2019 and is now moving to Euskalduna, where it sIt can be seen on February 4 as part of the Bizi Euskalduna festival that opens the doors of the Palacio de Congresos y de la Música to the public. The Palace will fill ten of its spaces for 12 hours without interruption, in which more than 15 activities will be carried out.
In addition, different shows will be held – theater, dance, music – at special prices, among which is Agate Deuna, the choreography by Mikel del Valle that has been inspired by the tradition of the songs of Santa Águeda, the martyr whose breasts were cut off, to create a work in which he also pays homage to women with breast cancer. The show will continue with Geraldine Ramirez, jazz vocalist, who gives voice to several songs from his repertoire and Pello Reparaz and the Zetak group with their electronic music in Basque. “There are going to be several changes with respect to the work that was presented in 2019”, announces Mikel del Valle, who explains that there will also be a txalaparta, a soprano, a pianist and a bertsolari on stage.
It was the third century when Agatha of Catania, who had offered her virginity to Christ, rejected Quintianus, preconsul of Sicily. The diplomat cut off her breasts and then burned her alive. It is said that before the eruption of Etna, the year after her martyrdom, the inhabitants begged her to save them and then the lava that entered the city stopped.
Patron Saint of Sicily, Santa Águeda is credited with the regenerative power of ashes and has been invoked in the face of fire tragedies or chest ailments such as lactation problems. “If it happened today, it would be invoked for breast cancer”, explains the Bilbao dancer Mikel del Valle, who carried out a research process on this Basque-Sicialian belief a few years ago.
“Since we were little, we have enjoyed this tradition, so telluric, we went out to sing in the street, hitting the makilas, singing the Basque songs… But many people do not know what its origin is ”, assures Del Valle. But Agate Deuna goes much further.: “During the creation of the work, I also met with women who have gone through or who were going through breast cancer. For me it has been the most difficult part, trying to make visible and capture this disease from respect on stage ”.
positivism, hope
Through contemporary dance, Del Valle brings to light the suffering that many women go through once they are diagnosed with this ailment. “I have tried to maintain balance and make a production full of positivism, hope, life, illusion.” For this, he also uses other artistic disciplines such as music, bertsolarismo… “This merger makes it interesting for different audiences, not just the world of dance. Sometimes it is difficult to compete with other disciplines, with the theater, with concerts… ”, exposes the dancer.
Mikel del Valle began his training in classical dance with Ion Beitia and Carmen Roche. He then moved towards contemporary dance at the Andalusian dance center directed by Blanca Li and graduated from the Antonio Ruiz Soler professional dance conservatory in Seville.
“After winning some choreographic competitions, Emilio Sagi and Dani Bianco from the Arriaga theater called me and they offered me to do some Cuartitos at the Bilbao theater”explains the dancer and choreographer. Since then, he has been chaining one production after another.
“Last year I did the choreography for the third season of Red Sky, which can already be seen on the platforms. and i’ve been too choreographing Berlin, the sequel to Money Heist, which addresses what happened before the series. It has nothing to do with working with dancers than with actors, but it is true that I also work closely with them so that they feel as comfortable as possible.. I am fascinated by the world of cinema, of platforms. In addition, there are actresses and actors who move very well”. Tickets are already on sale and are priced at 17 euros.
