This morning, as I was getting ready to go to my local mercado, I heard the unmistakable sounds of the Danza de la Pluma (feather dance). I’ve seen it often enough in Teotitlán del Valle to know the music. While it is performed throughout the valley and is always one of the big hits during July’s Guelaguetza, Teotitlán del Valle is one of only two villages where it is performed as a religious ritual during their three major yearly festivals.
As I approached the Plaza de la Danza, the music got louder and louder. Once there, I looked down to see 75 – 100 dancers in jeans and t-shirts practicing one of the (forty-one) dances of the Danza de la Pluma. They were danzantes in training from various folkloric groups in the valley of Oaxaca.
As you can see from the video, the footwork is complex and the steps require a lot of stamina. And, just wait until they put on the penachos (headdresses)!
I often wonder and worry that the traditional dances will eventually be lost. Today’s encounter with these young dancers gave me hope.
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