My high school celebrated their anniversary the first week
of July. They celebrated it the week
after my town’s anniversary, which meant that school was canceled for two
weeks. No comment. The anniversary was celebrated by having a
high school from another state come to visit Huantar (which meant there were
two schools missing a week of school.
Again, no comment) and having the two schools dance. This is how all school anniversaries are
celebrated in Perú. Every grade
practices for weeks beforehand (not after school, but in place of their normal
classes. Say it with me, no comment) and
then on the day in question the students’ parents and family members, along
with the odd drunk who wanders in, sit on the bleachers and watch the students
perform. Most of the dances are
traditional dances from either the sierra, Peru, or the Peru/Ecuador/Bolivia
region, and I like that the kids are learning and maintaining the customs of
the region. I just really wish it didn’t
come at the expense of their other classes.
That said, here are some of the highlights of the
dances. The costumes, if nothing else,
were pretty spectacular.
Besos!
The visiting school's dance involved the teachers in classic Peruvian sierra blackface. They strutted their stuff around Huantar's plaza for a good portion of the morning
The ringleader/bandleader/just-leader was decked out in a purple tailcoat
And they waved ribbons on a stick
Primero grado shows up their hauyno dancing. This is the dance that involves the woman fake slapping the man at a certain point
Tercero went for a selva theme. The costumes were INCREDIBLE as you will soon see
These three girls (and four of the other dancers) are in my Pasos class. Represent.
Segundo grado (my host sister Lesslye's grade) gets ready to dance saiya
Quinto grade waits on the sidelines
Segundo after the dance
My host sister Lesslye is on the left
Close up of one of the palla dancers
Quinto after they danced. Sidenotes: the teacher in the orange shirt is really drunk in this photo and the boy three from the left is currently blind in his right eye after a splinter of wood shot into it.
This costume is traditionally worn by men, but for some reason this day it was worn by the ladies of cuarto grado
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