(La Danza de los Viejitos)
Acrylic on paper
(15” X 18”, unframed)
For this popular and charming dance from Michoacan, young men and boys dress up as old men, complete with white-haired masks. They start out moving slowly, bent over in pain, wielding their canes. Soon, however, they become vigorous, highly skilled dancers – until one of them stumbles and falls. Others come to his rescue, stumble and fall, and the cycle starts over again. Suggested origins of this dance include the pre-Hispanic worship of a Fire God, a portrayal of the gift of old men to the baby Jesus, a token of respect for the elderly, and a dance to mock the Spanish overlords.