The colourful costumes of the cossiers of Alaró
 


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the 'cossiers' dance in the main Square outside the Town Hall in Alaró
the devil of the 'cossiers'
the Lady of the 'cossiers'
The Cossiers of Alaró

The Alaró cossiers were revived in 1922 and dance on San Roc, the 16th August, their patron saint’s day. They are six in number plus the Lady and the devil. The Lady is always danced by a man. Their dances symbolise the eternal battle between good and evil and although the devil does not take part in them all, he is always vanquished.

Their first dance is outside the Town Hall before they wend their way through the town, following the pipers and musicians playing the tabor pipe and drum. In the evening, after the mass, they dance the Oferta inside the church. Except for the devil. He waits for them outside.

Unlike other cossier groups in Mallorca, the piper plays a long tabor pipe. Obvious differences in dress include the unusual headdress, in the shape of a baroque bishop’s mitre and the colours of the costumes, the bright cerise of one pair contrasting with the pastel blue and pink of the other two pairs.

Their dances are known as Sa processó, Sa gentil senyora, Sa cadena, S'Embull, Es Bergansó, Es Nou and L'Acompanyament



Cossier de Alaró