DESCRIPTION
The dance of the Cossiers is a popular sight on Mallorca, although its origins are uncertain. A lady and 6 cossiers, men dressed in their flamboyant costumes, and accompanied by a devil, dance to the sound of the tamborino and the flabiol (a drum and one-handed flute played by a single musician). In addition to Algaida, this tradition has also survived in the towns of Montuïri, Manacor, Alaró and Pollença.
The dance features three pairs of men and a lady, dressed in white with a brightly-coloured skirt and a sash decorated with ribbons and small pieces of mirror and carrying a scarf in each hand which they use to make figures as part of the choreography. They are accompanied by the devil, who mischievously tries to interrupt the dance with his tricks, turning him into the performance’s figure of fun and games. This dance can be admired in Algaida on 16th January, the Feast Day of Saint Honoratus, and in July.
