12 DANCES OF THE SIERRA DEL PERU AND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The dances and dances of the mountains of Peru are representative of Peruvian culture in the world and vary according to the region of the Andes where they occur. These dances derive mainly from the Quechua tradition and are danced to the sound of the quena, the charango and the zampoña.

Music in Peru is at the center of culture; Peruvians see music and dance as something to participate in and not simply observe. Some of the most important traditional festivals in the country revolve around them.

Women Dancing in the Festival of the Virgen de la Candelaria.

It is common to find that many people can play musical instruments or sing. Along with music, dance plays an important role in preserving the traditions of culture

The dances of the highlands of Peru are characterized by being a little slower and occur to the sound of higher tones than those that take place in the coastal area. These dances are called Andean, since the Peruvian highlands is the area that is located on the Andean mountain range.

The most distinctive sounds of Peru are those of the mountains. Each of these rhythms is accompanied by a type of dance that varies depending on the region of the sierra where it is located. In this way, the dances in Ancash to the north can be very different from those of the Mantaro Valley, Cuzco, Puno, Ayacucho and Parinacochas.

If you like dances and want to know more about Latin American folklore, you can see the main Guatemalan folk dances.

The main dances of the Peruvian highlands

The Peruvian highlands are immensely rich in music and dance, with more than 200 different types of dances. Each village has its own festival, and each festival has its own communal and religious dances. Comparsas with groups of dancers are generally organized to the delight of the spectators.

Each dance follows a set of movements according to the type of music that accompanies it. Also, a special typical costume based on the long tradition and history of the region is worn. The dances of the mountains have their origin in specific circumstances and contexts, many of them still today make parodies of the Spanish colonizers.

Many couple or group dances are danced spontaneously during the festivities of the Peruvian highlands. These include indigenous dances influenced by the Spanish tradition.

Some of the most common dances of the Peruvian highlands include the Huayno, which is danced between numerous couples who are turning as they descend to the street during the festivities.

1- Dance of the scissors

Image recovered from PeruEtico.

After the Spanish conquest, the Inca priests were rejected and relegated. The Spanish ordered the natives to call their priests sons of the devil.

This indication was not well received by the Incas and the Spanish had to accept the priests again and let them participate in their Catholic rituals, forcing them to dance the traditional dances of Spain (minuets, contradanza and jota).

The Inca priests learned the steps of the Spanish and their dances, in the same way, they saw how new songs were played on violins and harps. It was in this way that the scissors dancers appeared during the 16th century.

Each dancer must hold a pair of scissors in their hands, while the percussion sounds to mark the steps. It is believed that the use of scissors is due to the fact that the ancient Inca dancers were exploited in the mines by the Spanish, in this way, the idea of ​​taking a pair of scissors in each hand to dance arises.

In the Peruvian highlands, this dance takes place from April to December and is celebrated in each of the festivities of the Andean peoples.

2- Huayno

Huayno songs are sung in Quechua, for this reason this dance is considered one of the most authentic in the Peruvian highlands. The Huayno appeared in the year 1586 and since then it has passed from generation to generation as part of the Inca tradition.

Huayñacuni music was traditionally danced by the indigenous people in a clandestine way. The term "Huayñucuni" translates "dancing with a partner with folded arms" in this way and under colonial power, this dance seldom took place in public spaces and in full view of all.

The Huayno is the Andean dance from which the other dances of the Peruvian highlands start. For this reason, it is danced during all Peruvian festivals and is characterized by its cheerful steps.

In the southern part of the sierra, this dance is a little slower, however, in the central region of the Andes, it is lively but its songs have sad lyrics (Cavalier, 1996).

3- Sara Kutipay

The Sara Kutipay is one of the few dances that reflects the community spirit of the Peruvian descendants of the Incas. It is a theatrical representation of the Peruvian peasants while they work the land. It is danced mainly in Awacucho and its name translates as "corn cultivation".

Sara Kutipay reflects the spirit of Ayni, the community work that took place under the command of the Incas. The Incas had three basic principles: hard work, discipline, and community.

For this reason, the Sara Kutipay is believed to be the dance of solidarity, where peasants and their wives must dance in a choreographic manner for eight acts. The main act of this dance recreates the work of the land and the cultivation of the soils in a sequential and coordinated way.

4- The devil

La diablada is considered the bastion of Puno's cultural heritage. It is a dance that shows the most exotic costumes among all the dances of Peru. It is carried out by wearing flashy and fascinating devil costumes and masks.

This type of dance flourished in the Chilean, Bolivian and Peruvian highlands. Each country has its own version of the dance. In the case of Peru, the diablada appeared in Puno in 1576, when the myth of Aymaran de Supay (the devil) became popular in the region, indicating that he wandered at night looking for men to worship him and punishing those who despise them.

Legend has it that, in 1675, the Spanish José Salcedo witnessed an argument between the devil and the Virgin Mary in the mines of Puno. Since then, he decided to be kinder to the indigenous miners and gave them permission to dance the diablada during the Virgen de la Candelaria festival in Puno.

5- Huaconada

Declared by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, this dance is typical of the Huanca ethnic group, which spans the Mito region. It is a ritual dance that is more than 15,000 years old and in which men dance imitating the flight movement of the condor.

6- Chonguinada

Considered the official dance of Muruhuay, its origin is very particular, since it mocked the customs of the Spanish and Europeans. In fact, it is a dance with characteristics similar to the French minuet.

7- Hazelnuts

Declared Cultural Heritage of the Nation in 2008, it is a dance that refers to the fighting troops in the Chilean War. It is characterized by its clothing and animal masks made with skin or cloth.

8- Pachahuara

It is also known as the dance of the negrería, since it referred to the suffering of black slaves. Currently it is a dance of adoration of the child Jesus, dancing on Christmas Day in the squares of Junín and other neighboring towns.

9- Sara Hallmay

Typical of the Cusco region, it takes place during the Andean carnivals or Pukllay. It is danced to the sound of the Andean bandurria and most of the dancers are male. It has an agricultural character.

10- Rogue

Declared Cultural Heritage of the Nation in 2011, it is a very popular dance from the Central Sierra of Peru, specifically from the district of Yauyos (Jauja), in which it is danced on the Feast of the patrons San Sebastián and San Fabián.

11- Allpa Llankay

Agricultural dance performed in honor of Pachamama, Mother Earth. It is typical of the department of Cusco and makes constant references to the work of the field typical of that region of Peru.

12- Añu Tarpuy

It is a dance-ritual in which a request is made for a better production and protection of the crops, especially of añu, which is sown between the months of May and June. This offering is typical of the department of Arequipa.

References

1. Bobbie Kalman, TE (2003). Peru: The People and Culture. Ontario: Crabtree Publishing Group.
2. Cavalier, D. (1996). Huayno. In D. Cavalier, Folk Dances of Latin America (pp. 4-5). Mills Publishing Corp.
3. Handbooks, F. (2017). Footprint. Retrieved from Music and dance: footprinttravelguides.com
4. LLC, GB (2010). Dance in Peru: Peruvian Dances, Diablada, Tondero, Marinera, Cueca, Huayño, Danza de Tijeras, Creole Waltz, Carnavalito, Zamacueca. LLC, General Books.
5. Ulibarrí, N. (2008). Harvard Review of Latin America. Obtained from Sacred Dance in the Peruvian Highlands: revista.drclas.harvard.edu.
6. Vasquez, PM (May 8, 2016). Xpat Nation. Retrieved from 21 Beautiful Peruvian Dances That I Want the World to Know About: xpatnation.com.
7. Weston, M. (2007). My Peru. Obtained from Traditional Dances in Peru: myperu.org.