Encuentro de Quadrillas - El Berro

The sun shone on El Berro for the eighth annual 'Encuentra de Quadrillas' (meeting of the crews), which brings musicians, singers and dancers from Alhama de Murcia and its surrounding villages.
The day started with informal groupings playing in the town square while orange cake and coffee sweetened with aniseed was free to everyone. The Crews then went to the church followed by lunch in the square.

In the afternoon the music and dancing started in earnest.

The music, the songs and the verses are local and not 'Flamenco', but there's lots of twirling and castanet clicking.

The key of A maj is favoured with C maj used when more than 3 chords are required - the singing, however, is passionate and complex.

A big hit was Juan Rita, aged 104, who had the crowd laughing, cheering and clapping with his songs and verses. We think that he tells ribald tales.

Here's cath enjoying the Music!

We're at Camping Sierra Espuna, in El Berro, for the ninth time!