Fil d'Arena's contemporary dance turns the Puerto de Sagunto jetty into a stage
This Friday, 8 August, as part of Sagunt a Escena's Off Romà series, Valencian company Fil d'Arena performs 'Públic' on the Puerto de Sagunto jetty, combining dance, industrial heritage and live music.
The jetty (pantalán) at Puerto de Sagunto, Sagunto's coastal district, becomes an open-air stage this Friday, 8 August, as part of Off Romà, a side programme of the Sagunt a Escena festival. Valencian dance company Fil d'Arena performs 'Públic' there, a contemporary dance piece that plays off the jetty's industrial architecture and sea views instead of using a conventional theatre. The dancers move through the space and interact directly with the public, aiming to show the connection between the human body and its surroundings.
The show adds an unusual sound element: a DJ plays live music throughout the performance, while two dancers carry portable speakers that shift the soundscape as the piece moves along the jetty. The result is an immersive show that changes pace and location in step with the performers.
The event is part of the 43rd edition of Sagunt a Escena, a festival running from 1 to 23 August 2026 and organised by the Institut Valencià de Cultura (IVC, the regional cultural institute), together with the Diputació de València (Valencia's provincial council) and Sagunto City Council. That same Friday, the festival's main programme brings back 'The Threepenny Opera' with singer and actor Coque Malla at the Teatro Romano (Roman Theatre). So two very different shows share the same night in two different parts of town: Bertolt Brecht's classic inside the ancient Roman venue, and this dance piece out on the port.
For Camp de Morvedre, staging dance on the jetty offers a new way of looking at the industrial heritage of Puerto de Sagunto, an area more usually linked to the port and the beach than to summer culture. Bringing contemporary dance to that setting fits the festival's push to move beyond the Roman Theatre and bring its programme closer to different parts of the city.
Off Romà shows are generally more affordable than the festival's main performances, and are aimed at reaching people who do not usually attend the theatre. No further details on timing or access have been released, so visitors are advised to check Sagunt a Escena's official channels before heading to the jetty.
According to elperiodicodeaqui.com, with additional details from the Institut Valencià de Cultura.