Mexican Dances

Mexico is a country which is still rooted in its traditions. People of this amazing country are religious, have full faith in family values and hold on to their beliefs and traditions which were created centuries ago. Creative forms of expression such as dance and music are a way of life for Mexicans. Be it any festival or event, Mexicans perform their traditional folk dances, accompanied by melodious traditional Mexican music to express their joy. There are two types of Mexican dances, which are very popular among the people of this country, namely, La Danza del Venado and The Jarabe Tapatio. Before learning about these two dance styles, here's some interesting trivia on the history of Mexican dance.

History of Mexican Dances

If you look at the Mexican history, you will find that for the people of Mexico, dances are performed not just for pleasure but to express one's feelings, thoughts and passions. Mexican dance history is divided into three eras i.e. pre-Hispanic period dances, period of conquest dances, and dances of modern Mexico.

In the pre-Hispanic period, dance was taught by the parents to their children and was considered an important part of education. During this era, dances were performed on all religious functions and continued for several days. The dances were performed to appease the God and to praise the nature. Sometimes, dances involved human sacrifices as well.

The period of conquest saw a great influence of Christian values and beliefs on the Mexican culture. There were some very noticeable changes in the way the traditional Mexican dances were performed during this era. The natives adapted the dance forms in accordance with the ideologies, customs, language and religion of the Christians.

The dances of modern Mexico were a mix of the traditional Mexican style and the Spanish style. There were intermarriages between the Spanish and the Mexicans, and the children from these marriages began following customs of both Mexico and Spain. This reflected in the music and dance of the region as well. European dances such as ballet, waltz and Flamenco dance, began influencing the Mexican dance styles.

List of Mexican Dances

Mexican folk dances, their styles, costumes, mannerisms, etc., vary from one geographical region to another. For example, dances belonging to the Jalisco region, depict courtship, while dances belonging to Veracruz region are a mix of the Spanish, Caribbean and African regions. Out of all the Mexican dances, there are two dance forms which are revered and most widely performed throughout Mexico, irrespective of the region. Lets know a bit about these dances.

La Danza del Venado
Also commonly known as the deer dance, this dance form depicts a confrontation between the evil forces and the good. In this dance form the dancers play the dying deer as well as the hunters. The dancer who plays a deer wears a very elaborate headdress. The performers who play hunters wear masks and bells made from wood. This dance is performed on various instruments such as flute, rattle and drum. La Danza del Venado, is one of the few dance forms of Mexico which has still not lost its authenticity. The Yaqui Indians belonging to the regions "Sinaloa" and "Sonora" still perform this dance in its original form.

The Jarabe Tapatio
Also known as the Mexican hat dance, Jarabe Tapatio is the Mexican national dance and always finds the first place among the Mexican dance names. This dance depicts how a man tries to woo a woman and after many struggles is finally successful in his romantic endeavor. This dance form is not very old and was created in the last century, especially to be performed at a party which was thrown to mark the end of the Mexican revolution. Till today, Mexicans perform this dance at any of their special events or parties to express their joy. The music that accompanies this dance is the Mexican folk music from the nineteenth century.

Although the dancing styles may be different in different geographical regions, still one thing is common to all Mexican dances and that is their colorful costumes and the flamboyance of the dancers. Participating in these Mexican folk dances or even watching them as an audience is a good way to truly understand Mexican customs and traditions and to experience the Mexican spirit.