The origin of the Ballets dates back to 1927 when Segundo Olaeta created the Elai-Alai in Gernika. The “happy swallows” would be the first Basque dance group. From Gernika they went to France where they set up the group Oldarra and their performances started to become more professional until in 1949 the “Olaeta Ballets” group was created and would act for the first time at the Liceo Guerniqués, then at Madrid’s Lope de Vega Theatre and afterwards …. another 60 years of performances throughout the world.

We could look at the story lines and the music of the great ballets, like the canon of George Balanchine: Coppelia; Swan Lake; The Sylphs … regular collaborator of the ABAO (Bilbao Friends of the Opera Association), his ballets participate in great operas like The Pearl Fishers, Lucrezia Borgia and the Mona Lisa, amongst others.

The Olaeta Ballets innovate by intertwining and enriching Basque folklore and classical ballet. And this was how Basque Ballet was created.

Segundo Olaeta recovered the aurresku de anteiglesia and the “ereglak” and creates the zortziko de San Miguel de Arretxinaga, its music and its choreography. His natural successor, Víctor Olaeta, who had been steeped in folklore since his childhood, incorporated his knowledge from the Academic School of Paris, London and New York, and a solid musical training, was prepared to launch the creation of the Basque Ballet. Amongst Víctor Olaeta’s choreographic creations, we could highlight “Oinkarin,” with music by Guridi; “Las Cuatro Estaciones” (The Four Seasons) based on a score by José Franco, and “Urbeltzeko Laminak,” by Padre Donosti.