This group of dancers from Teotitlan del Valle has retired after three years. It is an honor to be one of the dancers and much time, effort and money go into the endeavor. Plus, they work hard. The many appearances, the many long days of dancing, the confites, the wind blowing those headdresses. They looked happy, but tired as they basked in the respect and appreciation of the the entire village when they danced for the last time.
I was lucky to see them many times. So I thought I would go back through the years and pull up shots for comparison. All of them have gone through changes. Some gained weight, some of the young boys sprouted up like weeds. Men grew beards or shaved them off. Cortez, Carlos Antonio Gutierrez Mendoza, and some of the boys started moustaches... sorta.
I was lucky to see them many times. So I thought I would go back through the years and pull up shots for comparison. All of them have gone through changes. Some gained weight, some of the young boys sprouted up like weeds. Men grew beards or shaved them off. Cortez, Carlos Antonio Gutierrez Mendoza, and some of the boys started moustaches... sorta.
But what better place to start than with Malinche and Doña Marina, Rosa Angelica Hernandez Mendez and Leticia Martinez Gonzalez. I think this is the earliest shot I have of them, dancing with Monctezuma. Look how small they are.
Along came Rosa Angelica.
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The shots continue chronologically right through to 2012.
4 comments:
Beautiful, mi amigo. The song, "I Hope You Dance" keeps coming to mind. To paraphrase:
I hope they never lose their sense of wonder... never fear those mountains in the distance... and still feel small when they stand beside the ocean...
And when they get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope they dance.
It was such a privilege to watch the grow.
These dancers don't retire. They completed the end of their promesa. Teotitlán del Valle is the only community in all of Oaxaca where the dancers make a three year promesa to dance for all of the saints in the village.
Beautiful chronicle, Chris. I'm glad you've been there to archive this experience for them. I love watching children grow, too. I hope they have access to this when they are all grown up and look back on this very special time of their lives.
Beautiful documentation of the dancers. I also hope they have access to this for their future of past memories.
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