For a long time, in addition to the social dances interpreted by both sexes, the Basque country has developed a choreographic art reserved for men. Performed for certain occasions, this ritual repertoire, developed by demanding ballet masters, is often of a high technical level. Each of these rituals, some of them very ancient, gathers the whole community around the dancers.

In a work of invaluable quality, La Tradition de Danse en Béarn et Pays Basque Français, Jean-Michel Guilcher analyses the originality of this choreographic heritage; « In order to understand this extremely rich popular art, right from the beginning, one mustn’t underestimate the ability of ‘borrowing’. Being aware of this by no means weakens the obvious preservation instincts of Basque tradition, nor that it can include elements of great age. One must simply understand that the ability to conserve is paired with the ability to acquire, each as important as the other… Few rural societies have shown themselves to be as innovative at the same time as remaining faithful to their heritage and own traditional values. »