dancers | View From Casita Colibrí

Posts Tagged ‘dancers’

Up close at Guelaguetza in Etla

Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Protests, Transportation, Travel & Tourism, tagged blockade, bloqueo, dancers, Danza de la Pluma, danzantes, Flor de piña, Guelaguetza, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, pineapple dancers, Seccion 22, Villa de Etla on July 29, 2014| 8 Comments »

Last Monday, L and I had a leisurely hike up the hill from my apartment to the Guelaguetza Auditorium, sat in stadium seats almost 20 rows up, looking down on the enormous circular concrete stage with the city and mountains providing a picturesque backdrop.

Yesterday, I hopped on a bus, heading for another Guelaguetza performance, this time in Villa de Etla. However, a bloqueo (blockade) by Sección 22 of the teachers’ union had the bus turning around, doubling back, and taking a circuitous route that eventually wound its way through the narrow streets of Santa Rosa. Once we got back on the main road, I transferred to a colectivo and arrived in Etla just as the dancing was about to begin — this time on a small temporary wood-plank stage, that seemed to shake with every dance step. The setting wasn’t quite as spectacular, but, there I was, within an arm’s reach of the dancers!

Danza de la Pluma

Flor de Piña

With the exception of the Danza de la Pluma, these dancers are from a folkloric group that performs each of the traditional regional dances. As you can see from their faces, they dance with as much joy and pride as the delegations from the villages at the big Guelaguetza.

Returning home was its own adventure. Last week, L and I only had to navigate sidewalks, pathways, and stairs along with the other 11,000 attendees. Yesterday, Chris (see his Guelaguetza in Etla – 2014 post) gave me a ride to a bus stop where, after about 10 minutes, I caught the bus that would deposit me a half block from Casita Colibrí. Alas, the best laid plans… Just before the intersection up to Cerro Fortín, masked maestros (teachers) surrounded the bus, our driver shrugged, opened the doors, and off we passengers got. It was hot, I was tired, but what else was there to do? I hoofed it to halfway between the Museo del Ferrocarril (Railroad Museum) and Morelos Park, when another bus materialized, I climbed aboard, giving my feet a much-needed rest, and let the driver navigate the clogged streets that took me back to home sweet home.

It was a fun and frustrating AND exhilarating and exhausting kind of day.

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Danzantes on the Plaza

Posted in Culture, Music, Travel & Tourism, tagged dancers, Danza de la Pluma, danzantes, Feather dance, folk dancing, Mexico, Muestra Internacional de Danza Oaxaca, Oaxaca, video on April 6, 2014| 2 Comments »

Do you remember the Danzantes in training from two weeks ago? All that practice by folkloric dancers from eight villages in the valleys of Oaxaca, was for last night’s “monumental” opening of the Muestra Internacional de Danza Oaxaca.

The dance festival lasts through next Saturday (April 12, 2014), with events taking place at venues throughout the city, AND all are free!

By the way, I’d received an email notice of the dance festival, but it was the comment, “Hope to see us this coming Saturday” from “the danzante with the orange penacho and green shirt” seen in a photo from my blog post, Speaking of Danzantes, that had me making a special point to attend. Muchisimas gracias a Abdiel for the tip. I hope you see this post!

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Speaking of danzantes

Posted in Creativity, Culture, Politics, Protests, Travel & Tourism, tagged dancers, Danza de la Pluma, danzantes, demonstrations, Mexico, Oaxaca, penachos, photographs, photos, protests, San Bartolo Coyotepec on March 24, 2014| 8 Comments »

Reason number 579 why I love Oaxaca…

Today was the first day of a way-too-short first time visit to Oaxaca by a couple of California gal pals — an orientation walk through El Centro was the order of the day. And what did we stumble upon in front of the Government Palace? Danzantes waiting to perform a couple of the dances from the Danza de la Pluma.

They began dancing and I flashed on Saturdays’ blog post, Danzantes in training. However, these guys definitely weren’t apprentices — they had the steps and jumps down WITH those heavy and seemingly unwieldy penachos on their heads — and the crowd cheered.

The danzantes and most of their gathered audience were from San Bartolo Coyotepec, about 15 km south of the city. It’s a village known for the artisans who make black pottery. However, along with the band and dancers, there were banners and protestors.

P1020723

According to this article (in Spanish), “they arrived at the presidential palace in the main square of the city to demand the replacement of the elections because the process was considered seedy and does not represent the will of the community.”

Culture and politics… I couldn’t have arranged a more quintessential Oaxaca experience, if I had tried. And my friends, what did they think? They loved it all!

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Danzantes in training

Posted in Culture, Music, Travel & Tourism, tagged dancers, Danza de la Pluma, danzantes, Feather dance, folk dancing, Mexico, Oaxaca, video on March 22, 2014| 8 Comments »

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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Ya just never know…

Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Parks & Plazas, Travel & Tourism, tagged Basilica de la Soledad, celebrations, dancers, Día del Barrendero, garbage collectors, garbage trucks, marmotas, Mexico, monos, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Sindicato Independiente 3 de Marzo, street sweepers, toritos on March 4, 2013| 9 Comments »

Yesterday was another of the “ya just never know…” days. Returning to the city from Xoxocotlán after looking at the house my (soon-to-be-former) neighbor is building, the taxi driver pointed down Independencia and said something that we interpreted as, “day of the garbage collector.” So, instead of going home, my camera and I walked in the direction he pointed and, sure enough, a side street was lined with decorated garbage trucks.

However, this day wasn’t for just any old garbage collectors; being March 3rd, it celebrated the founding of the Sindicato Independiente 3 de Marzo of the municipality of Oaxaca. Depending on which newspaper report one reads, it is either the 34th, 38th, or 39th anniversary.

These are the city workers who keep the state’s capital clean — the garbage collectors, street sweepers, drivers, and laborers. And, the city of Oaxaca IS clean, putting San Francisco to shame! After a Thanksgiving mass, most of the 1,200 “trabajadores de limpia” and their families filled the plaza in front of the Basilica de la Soledad. And, like all good Oaxacan celebrations, there were monos, dancers, marmotas, bands, toritos, and the whistles, whirrs, and booms of fireworks (of the all bang, no bling variety).

So, now you know where to be and what to do next March 3rd!

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A very special Guelaguetza

Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Parks & Plazas, tagged costumes, dance, dancers, Down's Syndrome, Guelaguetza, Los Angeles de Luzy, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, pineapple dancers, traditional dances, traje on August 6, 2012| 5 Comments »

I’ve got to admit that up until yesterday, I was suffering from Guelaguetza burn-out. In fact, I still have 1000+ photos that need to be weeded down to a more manageable number.

However, then yesterday happened — “Una Guelaguetza muy especial” presented by the very special people of Los Angeles de Luzy. Sixteen young people with Down’s Syndrome, from the Yucatan, Campeche, and Oaxaca danced the traditional dances of the eight regions of Oaxaca in the Plaza de la Danza.

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Part of Oaxaca’s first Down’s Syndrome festival, it was an inspiring, moving, and incredibly joyful experience — and I wouldn’t have missed it for the world. ¡Muchisimas gracias a Los Angeles de Luzy!

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It’s in the braiding…

Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged braiding, braids, dancers, Flor de piña, Guelaguetza, hair, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, pineapple dancers, popular travel destinations, Reyes Etla, style, travel, Tuxtepec on August 3, 2012| 7 Comments »

Oh those beautiful braids of many of the dancers in Guelaguetza! How do they do it? In Reyes Etla, trapped between a yellow caution tape barrier and the folding chairs of the Tuxtepec delegation (the pineapple dancers), the answer was revealed…

Number 1: You can’t do it yourself!

Number 2: Hair extensions! (Who knew???)

Number 3: Practiced hands.

Number 4: Patience.

But, it’s well worth the effort!

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This is…

Posted in Celebrations, Churches, Culture, Markets, Music, tagged dance, dancers, Danza de la Pluma, Guelaguetza, Guelaguetza Auditorium, Mexico, music, Oaxaca, Zaachila on December 3, 2011| 2 Comments »

In August 2011, Vive Oaxaca launched a campaign to showcase the best of the state through a series of video shorts. Two have already been released online:

Esto es Zaachila

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGss60-HeNk&feature=youtu.be

and, Esto es Guelaguetza