Mexico celebrates with music and dance that blends traditions. Among the wide array of regional folk dances performed only in its states, the Dance of the Old Men (La Danza de los Viejitos) is one of the most unique in the state of Michoacán.
The dancers dress colorfully as elderly men, wearing bright hats adorned with ribbons and pink masks, creating a humorous dance.
The men begin hunched over, seemingly in pain, as they walk with their canes in slow motion. Suddenly, the dance transforms into a vigorous, agile, and rhythmic performance.
They are accompanied by violins and guitar melodies that aim to capture the folkloric characteristics and move the audience. There are moments in the dance when the old men revert to their “elderly” state, coughing and falling.
Where did the Dance of the Old Men originate?
The dance dates back to pre-Hispanic times, to the Purépecha indigenous group of Michoacán, and was originally intended to honor the “Old God.” Later, after colonization by Spain, it became a parody of the Spanish Old Men.
The Dance of the Old Men began as a dance in the Purépecha region. The Purépecha dancers initially represented fire, water, earth, and air, so there were originally only four.
It is also believed that four dancers is traditional because there are four colors in corn: red, yellow, white, and blue. The dancers ask the Old God for a good harvest, communication with the spirits, and to learn about the past or predict the future.
The dancers wear white blankets and serapes, as well as straw hats adorned with long, decorated ribbons, each a different color. They wear sandals with wooden soles to create a clacking sound throughout the dance, and they also use a wooden staff.
The mask, made of wood, cornstalk paste, or clay, with the painted face of an old man, is the most distinctive and characteristic element of the entire dance. The dancers always arrive smiling and enthusiastic.
Here you can see the complete dance.
Dance of the Old Men
Where: Jarácuaro, Pátzcuaro, Michoacán
When: Year-round
Free admission
Source: mxc
