Korcula: Home to the Moreska Sword Dance
The Moreska Sword Dance is a 16th-century tradition that evokes Batman Meets Ballet!
The island of Korcula, which lies just off the Dalmatian coast of Croatia in the Adriatic Sea, is home to the Moreska sword dance. In the 16th century, Moreska arrived in Korcula from Italy and neighboring Dubrovnik, and was embraced as the island’s own. Through the centuries, performances of the dance disappeared from the Mediterranean and today it is only found in Korcula, where it is has been performed for over 400 years. Moreska tells the story of the battle between the forces of the White King (actually dressed in red) and the Black King over Princess Bula, the Red King’s fiancée who has been captured by the Black army.
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