Basques in Edinburgh: DAB takes dance to the Festival Fringe

From 19 to 24 August 2025, the Basque dance company DAB will present its work at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, one of the world´s largest performing arts festivals, held every August in Scotland.

Thanks to the collaboration between the Etxepare Basque Institute and Dance Base, Scotland´s national dance centre for dance, Basque companies are guaranteed a place at the Fringe every year. Building on the Scotland Goes Basque initiative launched in 2019, this collaboration has become a key international platform for Basque performing arts, providing visibility and opportunities to connect with global professionals.

DAB

DAB, directed by Marina Eskisabel and Iker Sanz, will present its latest creation, NŒUD. This piece uses dance as a tool to explore current social and cultural challenges, weaving a bridge between today and the past. The show takes an in-depth look at the shared working methods of Basque artists such as Eduardo Chillida and Cristóbal Balenciaga, as well as their respective historical and cultural contexts. In NŒUD, three dancers represent a journey from oppression to freedom, expressing their struggle for liberation, both individual and collective, through graceful movement.

Promoting the global reach of Basque culture

DAB´s participation in the Edinburgh Fringe is part of the Basque Showcase programme promoted by the Etxepare Basque Institute. The Basque Showcase aims to raise awareness of contemporary Basque creation among international programmers, critics and professionals. This initiative, developed in collaboration with ADDE (Association of Dance Professionals of the Basque Country), offers Basque creators an opportunity for national and international exposure.