Danza de los Viejitos-Assignment 3b

The Danza de lof Viejitos )was all over the sources I looked at for my assignment on the Purepeches of Michoacan, Mexico. Once I saw the videos, I saw what a unique and entertaining art form the dance is. Literally translated, it means "Dance of the Little Old Men." It was a dance of the Purepeche from before the conquest, but it is still important in Michoacan today, where it is danced several times a year, including for Christmas. This dance has references to the past and present, and embraces the Purepeches. It is strong in culture and the values of the Purepeche and Michoacan. There is a good video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Emk6xHdApNI

There is a lot in la danza that makes it important and appropriate for this assignment. First is all the art that has to be created for the dance. The masks of old men's faces are intricate masks, usually made of wood, with long white hair attached. The faces are joyful and humorous, which goes along with the vibrant dancing. Next, the Purepeche ponchos are long and colorful with Purepeche designs. Sombreros also have long colorful ribbons flowing from the top of the hat. The dance combines the actual dancing with the art that goes into making the costumes and the history of the ancient dance. The dancers use canes to walk hunched over and slowly, but once the music starts, they tap their feet and dance lightheartedly. Everything about the dance is happy, even though the men are extremely old and frail.

I think that the dance is about the sweetness of life, even when everything isn't perfect. While the men are old and cannot even stand up straight, they are able to dance through the night enjoying themselves. Before the music starts, the men hobble and fall, but when the music starts they can dance and dance, always in a lively manner. Their bodies are old, but they still enjoy music and life.

I chose this art because it is so different than anything I had seen before. It is a very unique dance that I think is beautiful and portraying an important message. It is beautiful because of the costumes and vibrant dance that makes people want to laugh from its humor, but also be happy to see old men enjoying themselves so much. It is amazing to see tired and old people transformed into lively and joyful people by something as simple as music. As surprising as it is, just seeing the transformation made me realize that little things like music and dance really can give people more energy and happiness. I am totally a modern person who often forgets to enjoy the simple and little parts of life, which can really make you happy if you take the time to enjoy them. While the original meaning of the dance has been lost from pre-columbian times, I see many messages that could be meaningful for people, just like me and the message that I see. The dance was presented to baby Jesus as a gift that shows the happiness and greatness of life, because the dancers did not have anything else to give him.

The Danza de los Viejitos is filled with color and has a very traditional costume. The ponchos that are worn are the traditional ponchos of the Purepeche, and since they are colorful and traditional, they are perfect for the dance. I would like to know,however, where the sombreros with colorful ribbons come from. They are beautiful and add to the flowing, lively nature of the dance. I can't find how long they have been a part of the costume and what they were originally (and still are) for, which I think would be very interesting.