Offbeat Spanish Dance

I enjoyed the Gloria L. Charnes article, “Montserrat Visit Is Obligation in Catalonia” (Dec. 6), but missed any mention of an important aspect of the Sunday Catalan pilgrimage I experienced a few years ago. All afternoon, almost continuously, the pilgrims danced the sardona to more than one group of musicians, until Sunday evening vespers were sung.

The sardona is a line dance in a circle to an offbeat rhythm unlike typical Spanish music, perhaps suggestive of Moorish origin, exemplifying Catalan separatist nationalism. On another Spanish sojourn, we danced the sardona similarly in the plaza before the cathedral in the barrio of Barcelona.

ANTHONY BAZDARICH

Santa Barbara