Grup Sardanista Maig

The Colla Sardanista Maig, now called Grup Sardanista Maig, was founded in 1965, in the Sant Andreu neighbourhood. After spending a few years at the Cooperativa la Lleialtat in Gràcia, they are now back in the district where they were born and based at the Societat Cultural i Esportiva la Lira, to which they belong.

The group is formed by 4 colles organised according to age: Xamosa, for children aged 5-11; Xàldiga, whose dancers go up to 18; Maig, the adult colla and the main section; and the Dansaires de Maig, a colla  originally set up by young members but which, since 1999 , has been the oldest section, with dancers over 40 years old. For a few years there was another colla as well, Xiroia, set up in 1982 by the younger brothers and sisters of Grup Sardanista Maig members and other children from the Sant Andreu neighbourhood.

The group has taken part in lots of competitions with some excellent results: third in various Catalan lluïment (traditional steps) championships and second and third in the punts lliures (choreographed) championships.

Besides competitions they have also taken part in the opening ceremony for the Barcelona Olympics, a programme on sardanes for a TV channel in South Korea, the FC Barcelona Joan Gamper Trophy, matches played by the Catalan national football team, the Basel Dance Festival and Total Festum, an international festival held in Montpellier. In 2005 they recorded a CD with the music group Marinada to commemorate their 40th anniversary.