The ''ball de diables'' (; Catalan for "Devils' dance") is a dance

tradition A tradition is a system of beliefs or behaviors (folk custom) passed down within a group of people or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past. A component of cultural expressions and folklore, common e ...

originating from

Catalonia Catalonia is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationalities and regions of Spain, nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia of 2006, Statute of Autonomy. Most of its territory (except the Val d'Aran) is situate ...

, though it is also observed in the

Valencian Community The Valencian Community is an Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Spain. It is the fourth most populous Spanish Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community after Andalusia, Catalonia and the Community of Madrid wit ...

and the

Balearic Islands The Balearic Islands are an archipelago in the western Mediterranean Sea, near the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula. The archipelago forms a Provinces of Spain, province and Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Spain, ...

. Over the course of centuries, the ''balls de diables'' have evolved into the modern day ''

correfoc ''Correfocs'' (); literally in English language, English "fire-runs") are among the most striking features present in Valencian Community, Valencian and Catalonia, Catalan festivals. In the ''correfoc'', a group of individuals will dress as d ...

s'' (''fire runs''). Participation in the form of

passacaglia The passacaglia (; ) is a musical form that originated in early seventeenth-century Spain and is still used today by composers. It is usually of a serious character and is typically based on a bass- ostinato and written in triple metre. Origin Th ...

(processions) and ''correfocs'' is an essential part of celebrations in many towns and cities.

History

The origin of the ''ball de diables'' is uncertain, but they are believed to have come from medieval street theater, passed down through the oral tradition, evolving in the process. Though the ''ball de diables'' is popularly known as a dance, it is more appropriately an

entremés In 16th- and 17th-century Spanish drama, an entremés (plural entremeses) was a short, comedy, comic theatrical performance of one act (drama), act, usually played during the interlude of a performance of a long dramatic work. The ''entremés'' form ...

since the performance was presented in between the entrees of the

nobility Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally appointed by and ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. T ...

in the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...

. The theme of ''ball de diables'' is a theatrical representation of the struggle between the

good In most contexts, the concept of good denotes the conduct that should be preferred when posed with a choice between possible actions. Good is generally considered to be the opposite of evil. The specific meaning and etymology of the term and its ...

and the

evil Evil, as a concept, is usually defined as profoundly immoral behavior, and it is related to acts that cause unnecessary pain and suffering to others. Evil is commonly seen as the opposite, or sometimes absence, of good. It can be an extreme ...

. In its scenic context, it has been used mainly for Corpus Christi festivities, in ecclesiastic

procession A procession is an organized body of people walking in a formal or ceremonial manner. History Processions have in all peoples and at all times been a natural form of public celebration, as forming an orderly and impressive ceremony. Religious ...

s as accompaniment to provide a more ceremonious and spectacular aspect. The

demon A demon is a malevolent supernatural entity. Historically, belief in demons, or stories about demons, occurs in folklore, mythology, religion, occultism, and literature; these beliefs are reflected in Media (communication), media including f ...

s used to lead a procession to announce its arrival make a racket. They used loud noise to clear a path through the public for the procession. Correfoc2

The figure of the devil or little devil is in all the spoken dances. It has no relationship with the play represented, but makes the audience laugh with its stunts. At the end of the play satiric verses are recited that are related to the

political Politics () is the set of activities that are associated with decision-making, making decisions in social group, groups, or other forms of power (social and political), power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of Social sta ...

or public life of the local area and that everyone awaits with delight. This could have been the origin of the ''ball de diables''. Starting from a character that each time was taking more prominence and exceeding the importance of the original play, and as a result the devil part became the most popular one. The first written account of a ''ball de diables'', according to

Joan Amades Joan Amades i Gelats (; Barcelona, 23 July 1890 - 17 January 1959), was a Catalan ethnologist and folklorist. An autodidact, he worked at the historical archive of the city of Barcelona and at the Museum of Industry and Popular Arts of the same ci ...

, was in 1150. The act was represented at the banquet of the wedding of the Barcelona count, Ramon Berenguer IV with the princess Petronilla, daughter of the king of

Aragon Aragon ( , ; Spanish and ; ) is an autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. In northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces of Spain, ...

and

. The chronicle tells us that it represented the struggle of some demons, commanded by

Lucifer The most common meaning for Lucifer in English is as a name for the Devil in Christian theology. He appeared in the King James Version of the Bible in Isaiah and before that in the Vulgate (the late-4th-century Latin translation of the Bib ...

, against the Archangel Saint Michael and a squad of

angel An angel is a spiritual (without a physical body), heavenly, or supernatural being, usually humanoid with bird-like wings, often depicted as a messenger or intermediary between God (the transcendent) and humanity (the profane) in variou ...

s. The second written reference, quoted in the book of solemnities of Barcelona, is about the festivities of 1423 commemorating the arrival to

Barcelona Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...

of King

Alfonso V of Aragon Alfonso the Magnanimous (Alfons el Magnànim in Catalan language, Catalan) (139627 June 1458) was King of Aragon and King of Sicily (as Alfons V) and the ruler of the Crown of Aragon from 1416 and King of Naples (as Alfons I) from 1442 until his ...

from

Naples Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...

. Also in

Cervera Cervera () is the capital of the '' comarca'' of Segarra, in the province of Lleida, Autonomous Community of Catalonia, Spain. The title Comte de Cervera is a courtesy title, formerly part of the Crown of Aragon, that has been revived for Leonor ...

, the devils participate for the festivities of Corpus Christi in 1426. In Barcelona, on the occasion of the arrival of the

duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of Royal family, royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and above sovereign princes. As royalty or nobi ...

Calabria Calabria is a Regions of Italy, region in Southern Italy. It is a peninsula bordered by the region Basilicata to the north, the Ionian Sea to the east, the Strait of Messina to the southwest, which separates it from Sicily, and the Tyrrhenian S ...

in September 1467, parties were organized and devils were present. In the beginnings of the 15th century, the processions of Corpus Christi in Barcelona were closed with a short play, formed by one squad of angels and another of devils.

References

{{Culture of Valencian Community Catalan folklore