Dance in Peru is an art form primarily of native origin. There are also dances that are related to agricultural work,

hunting Hunting is the human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, or killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to harvest food (i.e. meat) and useful animal products ( fur/ hide, bone/ tusks, horn/ a ...

and

war War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular o ...

. In Peru dancing bears an important cultural significance. Some

choreographies Choreography is the art or practice of designing sequences of movements of physical bodies (or their depictions) in which motion or form or both are specified. ''Choreography'' may also refer to the design itself. A choreographer is one who ...

show certain Christian influence.

Types of dances

* The most internationally known dance in Peru is the

Marinera Norteña Marinera is a courtship dance that originated along the coastal regions of Peru, using handkerchiefs as props. The dance is a mix of Spanish contradanza and Andean zamacueca, and is a stylized reenactment of a courtship, showing a blend of th ...

. This dance represents a man's courting of a young woman. There are local variants of this dance in the

Lima Region The Department of Lima () is a department and region located in the central coast of Peru, the ''seat of the Regional Government'' is Huacho. Lima Province, which contains the city of Lima, the country's capital, is located west of the Depar ...

and the other regions of the country. * Ancash is a dance performed in Piscobamba (

Ancash Region Ancash ( qu, Anqash; es, Áncash ) is a department and region in northern Peru. It is bordered by the departments of La Libertad on the north, Huánuco and Pasco on the east, Lima on the south, and the Pacific Ocean on the west. Its capital ...

), on the occasion of the feast of the Virgin of Mercy, on the 25th, 26th and 27 September. *

Apu Inka Apu Inka ( Quechua '' apu'' an Andean deity, ''Inka'' Inca)Teofilo Laime Ajacopa, Diccionario Bilingüe Iskay simipi yuyayk'ancha, La Paz, 2007 (Quechua-Spanish dictionary) is a folk dance in Peru. The dance re-enacts the capture of the Inca by the ...

is a dance which re-enacts the capture of the Inca by the Spanish invaders. * Ch'unchu is a dance performed at festivals of the

Cusco Cusco, often spelled Cuzco (; qu, Qusqu ()), is a city in Southeastern Peru near the Urubamba Valley of the Andes mountain range. It is the capital of the Cusco Region and of the Cusco Province. The city is the seventh most populous in Peru ...

Region. *

Danzantes de Levanto Los Danzantes de Levanto is a typical dance from the Amazonas Region, Peru. Levanto is a little town that is approximately from Chachapoyas, whose "dancers" form a showy group of thirteen cholos, very well trained, that are guided by a "pifador ...

, a typical dance from the

Amazonas Region Amazonas () is a department and region in northern Peru bordered by Ecuador on the north and west, Cajamarca on the west, La Libertad on the south, and Loreto and San Martín on the east. Its capital is the city of Chachapoyas. With a lands ...

. * El Vals Criollo (Vals peruano) is a subgenre and musical adaptation of the original European waltz, originated in Peru or also called a genre of Afro-Peruvian Creole music. *

Huaconada Huaconada () is a ritual dance performed in the village of Mito in the province of Concepción in the central Peruvian Andes. It has been inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2010. On t ...

(Wanka) is a ritual dance that is represented in the town of Mito, Concepción Province,

Junín Region Junín may refer to: Places Argentina * Junín Partido ** Junín, Buenos Aires ***Junín Airport * Junín Department, Mendoza ** Junín, Mendoza *Junín Department, San Luis Junín is a Departments of Argentina, Department of San Luis Provinc ...

, located in the Central Andes of Peru. *

Qhapaq Qulla Qhapaq Qulla (Quechua ''qhapaq'' noble, principal, mighty;Teofilo Laime Ajacopa, ''Diccionario Bilingüe Iskay simipi yuyayk'ancha,'' La Paz, 2007 (Quechua-Spanish dictionary) ''Qulla'' an indigenous people) is a folk dance in Peru. It is performed ...

is a dance performed at festivals of the Cusco Region. * Supaypa wasin tusuq (

Quechua Quechua may refer to: *Quechua people, several indigenous ethnic groups in South America, especially in Peru *Quechuan languages, a Native South American language family spoken primarily in the Andes, derived from a common ancestral language **So ...

for "dancer of the devil's house") or Danza de tijeras (

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: ** Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Ca ...

for "dance of scissors") is an indigenous dance native to the region of

Ayacucho Ayacucho (, qu, Ayak'uchu) is the capital city of Ayacucho Region and of Huamanga Province, Ayacucho Region, Peru. During the Inca Empire and Viceroyalty of Peru periods the city was known by the name of Huamanga (Quechua: Wamanga), and it ...

, no relation to the highlands, whose musical framework provided by

violin The violin, sometimes known as a ''fiddle'', is a wooden chordophone (string instrument) in the violin family. Most violins have a hollow wooden body. It is the smallest and thus highest-pitched instrument (soprano) in the family in regular ...

and harp, and was subsequently diffused in the

Huancavelica Huancavelica () or Wankawillka in Quechua is a city in Peru. It is the capital of the department of Huancavelica and according to the 2017 census had a population of 49,570 people. The city was established on August 5, 1572 by the Vicer ...

and Apurímac Regions. * Tarkada is a dance performed during the carnival festival in the

Tacna Region Tacna (; Aymara & Quechua: Taqna) is the southernmost department and region in Peru. The Chilean Army occupied the present-day Tacna Department during the War of the Pacific from 1885 to 1929 when it was reincorporated into Peruvian soil. Geo ...

in Peru. * Tondero also known as Marinera of Alto Piura, Piura yunga or (Morropón). It predates the zamacueca, and very gypsy influence in its beat, singing tragic and repetitive guitar tundete, or black African influence in its choir (choir) and rhythmic (the use of Czech, instrument made of dried gourd) and Andean in its shrill or whiny. * Wari, a traditional dance of the Ancash Region. * Waylas (Huaylarsh) is a dance from the central andean part of

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal , national_motto = "Fi ...

in the

Mantaro Valley The Mantaro Valley, also known as Jauja Valley, is a fluvial inter-Andean valley of Junin region, east of Lima, the capital of Peru. The Mantaro River flows through the fertile valley which produces potatoes, maize, and vegetables among othe ...

located in the department of Junin. Is a dance very lively and cheerful, characterized by the energy and jumping of the dancers. It is a couples dance group whose origin is of harvesting potatoes. * Wititi is a native Peruvian folk dance Tapay district, Province of Caylloma, Arequipa region in southern Peru. This dance has now spread and danced in the festivities of many villages the Colca Canyon. Witi Witi in

means "making love" *

Zamacueca The Zamacueca is an ancient colonial dance and music that originated in the Viceroyalty of Peru, taking its roots from Spanish, and Andean rhythms. Although currently the dance is not widely popular, several dance institutions in places such as Per ...

is an ancient colonial dance and music that originated in the Viceroyalty of Peru, taking its roots from African, Spanish, and Andean rhythms.

Amazonas Region

La Chumaichada

La Chumaichada is "the dance of Chachapoyas" because it was born in this area and it was widely practised until becoming institutionalized. No holiday or celebration is complete if it is not danced. The

music Music is generally defined as the The arts, art of arranging sound to create some combination of Musical form, form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise Musical expression, expressive content. Exact definition of music, definitions of mu ...

has probably an Indian origin, but the

choreography Choreography is the art or practice of designing sequences of movements of physical bodies (or their depictions) in which motion or form or both are specified. ''Choreography'' may also refer to the design itself. A choreographer is one who c ...

has a French origin stemming from "Los Lanceros" (The

lancer A lancer was a type of cavalryman who fought with a lance. Lances were used for mounted warfare in Assyria as early as and subsequently by Persia, India, Egypt, China, Greece, and Rome. The weapon was widely used throughout Eurasia during the ...

s) - dance inserted in Chachapoyas by the

bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ...

of the

diocese In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associat ...

at that time,

monsignor Monsignor (; it, monsignore ) is an honorific form of address or title for certain male clergy members, usually members of the Roman Catholic Church. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian ''monsignore'', meaning "my lord". "Monsignor" ca ...

Emilio Lissón, of French origin. It has been said that he had so much influence that the city became Frenchified during his time.

Los Danzantes de Levanto

Levanto is a little town that is approximately 10 km away from Chachapoyas, whose "dancers" form a very well trained showy group of thirteen

cholo ''Cholo'' () is a loosely defined Spanish term that has had various meanings. Its origin is a somewhat derogatory term for people of mixed-blood heritage in the Spanish Empire in Latin America and its successor states as part of ''castas ...

s, that are guided by a "pifador" (a person who whistles) that plays the ''antara'' and a small drum called the ''

tinya The tinya (Quechua)Diccionario Quechua - Español - Quechua, Academía Mayor de la Lengua Quechua, Gobierno Regional Cusco, Cusco 2005 (Quechua-Spanish dictionary) or kirki (Quechua) is a percussion instrument, a small handmade drum of leather whic ...

'' simultaneously. They wear a

white White is the lightness, lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully diffuse reflection, reflect and scattering, scatter all the ...

shirt A shirt is a cloth garment for the upper body (from the neck to the waist). Originally an undergarment worn exclusively by men, it has become, in American English, a catch-all term for a broad variety of upper-body garments and undergarments. I ...

of wide and long

sleeve A sleeve ( ang, slīef, a word allied to '' slip'', cf. Dutch ) is the part of a garment that covers the arm, or through which the arm passes or slips. The sleeve is a characteristic of fashion seen in almost every country and time period, ...

s, a

black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...

vest A waistcoat ( UK and Commonwealth, or ; colloquially called a weskit), or vest ( US and Canada), is a sleeveless upper-body garment. It is usually worn over a dress shirt and necktie and below a coat as a part of most men's formal wea ...

adorned with

red Red is the color at the long wavelength end of the visible spectrum of light, next to orange and opposite violet. It has a dominant wavelength of approximately 625–740 nanometres. It is a primary color in the RGB color model and a seconda ...

ribbon A ribbon or riband is a thin band of material, typically cloth but also plastic or sometimes metal, used primarily as decorative binding and tying. Cloth ribbons are made of natural materials such as silk, cotton, and jute and of synthetic mater ...

s and

trousers Trousers (British English), slacks, or pants are an item of clothing worn from the waist to anywhere between the knees and the ankles, covering both legs separately (rather than with cloth extending across both legs as in robes, skirts, and ...

. They also wear a crown of showy

peacock Peafowl is a common name for three bird species in the genera ''Pavo (genus), Pavo'' and ''Afropavo'' within the tribe Pavonini of the family Phasianidae, the pheasants and their allies. Male peafowl are referred to as peacocks, and female pea ...

's feathers. Their presence is important in all the big celebrations of the region. Other well-known dances that are performed in diverse localities are: * The " Conchiperla", in which the man gives a

handkerchief A handkerchief (; also called a hankie or, historically, a handkercher or a ) is a form of a kerchief or bandanna, typically a hemmed square of thin fabric which can be carried in the pocket or handbag for personal hygiene purposes such as ...

to his partner keeping a

knee In humans and other primates, the knee joins the thigh with the human leg, leg and consists of two joints: one between the femur and tibia (tibiofemoral joint), and one between the femur and patella (patellofemoral joint). It is the largest join ...

in the ground and if he doesn't do it, a glass of

liqueur A liqueur (; ; ) is an alcoholic drink composed of spirits (often rectified spirit) and additional flavorings such as sugar, fruits, herbs, and spices. Often served with or after dessert, they are typically heavily sweetened and un-aged bey ...

must be drunk in punishment. * The " Trapichillo", danced by four couples grabbed by the right hands and turning around from right to left side * The " Quinsamana", in which

insult An insult is an expression or statement (or sometimes behavior) which is disrespectful or scornful. Insults may be intentional or accidental. An insult may be factual, but at the same time pejorative, such as the word " inbred". Jocular e ...

compliments are mixed.

Carnaval in Amazonas

The "carnival

" that is played in of real euphoria. It is similar to the

huayno Huayno (Waynu in Quechua)Teofilo Laime Ajacopa, Diccionario Bilingüe Iskay simipi yuyayk'ancha, La Paz, 2007 (Quechua-Spanish dictionary) is a genre of popular Andean music and dance. It is especially common in Peru, Bolivia, Northern Argentina ...

. At its times, couples dance forming the ''pandilla'' (a kind of dance) around the ''humishas'' - trees adorned with quitasueños, small mirrors, ornamental chain stitches and pennants. These trees are filled with gifts, including live

animal Animals are multicellular, eukaryotic organisms in the Kingdom (biology), biological kingdom Animalia. With few exceptions, animals Heterotroph, consume organic material, Cellular respiration#Aerobic respiration, breathe oxygen, are Motilit ...

s, which the guests take when these trees are knocked down at the end of the celebration. The couple that makes the ''humisha'' fall down in a

Mardi gras Mardi Gras (, ) refers to events of the Carnival celebration, beginning on or after the Christian feasts of the Epiphany (Three Kings Day) and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday, which is known as Shrove Tuesday. is French for "F ...

celebration has the commitment to make a new ''humisha'' from the following year onward.

References