13th Coast Festival of Dance

Traditional dances mean more than a few hours of amusement to people from the Oaxacan coast. They are an important social event and moreover are infused with profoundly magical and religious meaning. A dancer does not take part for his or the public's entertainment, but as a prayer to the powers above, to seek their approval, to show them devotion and respect.

Many of the region's traditional dances share common characteristics that set them apart. One is that only men can dance even when there are female characters. This is believed to derive from African cultural influences. Another is the recurrent appearance of two characters, a couple, Pancho and Minga. Even though their origins or characteristics may differ they always appear under the same guise, as a rich cattle farmer and his wife.

Although the program for the 13th edition of the festival had not be announced at our press time, you can expect to see the Dance of the Devils (Danza de los Diablos). Originally a ritual dedicated to the African god Ruja, it has come to be associated with Day of the Dead festivities.

The Dance of the Turtle (Danza de la Tortuga), as danced on the coast, ridicules Spanish rule and remembers how black slaves were exploited during the Colonial Period. The Artesa is a percussion instrument, made from the hollowed-out trunk of the Parota tree. It's like an upturned canoe, its extremities fashioned into the head and tail of a bull and it's an essential part of this popular Afro-Mestizo son dance. Couples take turns dancing on the log, their feet beating out a counterpoint rhythm to the music, while the female dancers wait their turn standing to one side.

Most common to the region are the chilenas, lively dances of courtship and wooing. The dancers rarely touch in this boisterous display of playful flirtation as they dance, waving kerchiefs above their heads. The lyrics are about love and generally risque and are greeted with whoops of joy and approval.