Dance Class

March 16th, 2011
I had a dance recital! My first and only in lovely Peru and dancing traditional dances of course!
I signed up (with a friend) for these dance classes after seeing my friend's dance recital after her course of dance. The way the program works is you pick your schedule which includes two dances which you learn once a week for three hours (12-3pm for me on Saturdays). You take these dance classes for about two and a half months up until your performance where you go on with your class and dance in front of a packed audience in traditional (beautiful) wardrobe which they supply you with.
My class was for Marinera, the dance of Peru which is a beautiful partner dance which has the theme of falling in love as the woman flirts and dances about. It is really incredible when seeing two great dancers perform. It is characterized by the woman in a long and full skirt which is held in one hand and waved and turned about for specific moves and a handkerchief in the other. The men hold hats and handkerchiefs while wearing a more traditional pants and shirt duo. The women dance barefoot and with their hair back in buns, with flowers in their hair, and black chokers adorned with gold pieces on their ears.
Dancing the Marinera has much to do with form and confidence. You are dancing but you are simultaneously holding yourself still, retaining your structured stance. The most difficult part is dealing with the skirt which has to be held and lifted and twirled all while dancing. It is a lot of fun and very pretty, personally it was lots of fun because there is a certain air about the dance that you get to embody.
The other dance of the two was Huaylarsh which is a dance typical of the Sierra. This dance has much more jumping, movement and stomping. Really it is a combination of stomping and jumping and gets to be exhausting when practicing over and over again. it is also lots of fun because it is as I just said jumping and stomping! Our costume included two skirts which have these incredible embroidered work all over them, brightly colored flowers and birds covering each space (I am considering buying one for everyday use back in the states, they are just so colorful and incredible). So two of these awesome skirts, then another which is a see through sort of heavy knit which you are always holding in your hands and moving about during the dance. Then comes a black shirt which covers part of the skirts. On top of that is a colorful waisted belt. Then embroidered sleeves, a hat and the last touch being a shawl sort of cloth which also has heavily embroidered images of flowers, hummingbirds, parrots or peacocks fastened to the chest. This is a very layered wardrobe, to match what is typical in the mountains- very warm and very brightly colored!

I really enjoyed the two dances, though I definitely had a preference towards the Marinera which is why I chose to continue it by taking it at University as well. The performance was really very fun, we did not do as well as we had practiced if I get the video in April like I've been promised and you see our performance, but I had a great time. Getting to use the costume was a highlight. My current host mom and grandma came to watch and two friends as well. Being on the performing side of the show was great :)

I am coming back with a Marinera skirt and blouse because I bought them for practice, which is neat because I can bring back the costume and some dance to go with it!