Fire and Tradition in Alaró: Sant Pere with Els Tretze de na Pola

This Friday, the Los Damunt neighborhood in Alaró dresses up to celebrate the Sant Pere festivities with a very local highlight: the performance of Els Tretze de na Pola. This group of devils only performs on that day of the year, offering a show of fire and light with artistic costumes and the accompaniment of glosas (improvised verses). For neighbors and visitors, it is an opportunity to access a free, family-friendly cultural tradition that reinforces the town's identity.

group of devils Els Tretze de na Pola performing on a cobblestone street in Alaró, demons in red and black artistic costumes twirling fire sticks while throwing sparks and smoke, family audience watching in the background under twilight light, glosador reciting alongside a drummer, ritual dance process with flames tracing bright arcs, cinematic realistic style, dramatic bonfire lighting, ancient stone texture, dense smoke and orange flashes, high-contrast night photography technique

The pyrotechnic design behind the group of devils 🔥

The staging of Els Tretze de na Pola is no coincidence. Behind the fire and light lies a design effort for pyrotechnic effects that aims to synchronize explosions with the dancers' movements. The costumes incorporate heat-resistant materials and controlled ignition points, while the glosas set the rhythm of the show. This technical approach allows the tradition to stay alive with a level of safety and spectacle that attracts a diverse audience.

When fire is free and the devil only comes out one day 😈

The best part is that these devils only work one night a year. They don't have to deal with bosses, schedules, or team meetings. Meanwhile, the rest of us mortals pay bills, and they take eleven months of vacation to prepare their big show. That said, on Friday they earn their keep: between the heat of the fire and that of the audience, you'd think they're already in their element.