Among the typical dances of Ica, the short cut of blacks stands out. Chincha, Ica province, is the cradle of this characteristic manifestation. In general, the dances of Ica are religious and feature traditional African cultural displays.
Where traditional dances stand out the most is in the district of El Carmen, an authentic center of folklore and black music in Peru.
Here the black race predominates and the place is always bustling, lively and with a certain romanticism.
The costumes used in the dances are characterized by the large number of colors and ornaments.
Much of the costumes used in the typical dances of this region are made up of significant accessories.
The bands and the turbans used are usually adorned with frets, stars, bells, mirrors, sequins and ribbons.
The bells offer a typical Christmas touch, especially in the typical dance of the negritos.
The 5 main typical dances of Ica
one-
This dance is practiced in the district of El Carmen on Christmas dates (December 24, 26 and 27) and at the Bajada de Reyes on January 6.
It is an agricultural-religious dance, whose clothing consists of navy blue or black pants with a white shirt, bands, bells and chicotillos. This dance is accompanied by music where the violin and songs predominate.
The mosquito dance simulates the bite of a mosquito and the bite of a salamanqueja in agricultural work. Her steps are made up of the characteristic brushed, counterpoint or roll.
two-
This dance is also typical of the El Carmen district, although it also extends to other districts such as Sunampe or Grocio Prado.
It is practiced on Christmas dates and the clothing is similar to that of the zancudito dance. The difference is in the religious character of the dance.
The arrival of the King is a dance related to the devotion to the Child Jesus. In this case, the violin remains the only instrument used for music and singing accompaniment.
3-
The whole family can participate in this dance, from children to adults. The shortcut of negritos is the most typical dance in the area.
The costume used is white, and is accompanied by a hat, turban, band and colored contraband.
After twelve weeks of preparation and rehearsals, these groups walk the streets of the city singing Christmas carols on Christmas dates.
These songs are accompanied by instruments such as the violin, in addition to the typical Christmas bells.
4-
The dance of the pallas is practiced only by women at Christmas and on Three Kings Day. The dress that is used can be white and very ornate.
It is also possible that they wear dresses in other very bright colors. They always wear some kind of headdress on their heads.
Some carry guitars and others carry lilies (rhythm sticks). The dance consists of making stomping passes, alternating with carol songs.
5-
This type of dance is very unique and different from the rest. The alcatraz dance is practiced in festivities and is danced in loose pairs.
It consists of a courtship dance in which the man, with a candle, tries to light a handkerchief or cloth that the woman wears hanging around her waist.
In the case of women, she tries to avoid him by dancing with a lot of hip movement. Nowadays, the woman can also set fire to the man's handkerchief, something that was not done in the past.
The music that accompanies the dance is composed of a choir, a soloist, percussion and guitars.
References
- Dances of Ica (2009). Recovered in 2017 from Dances and customs performed in the department of Ica enperu.org
- 2. Dances of Peru Festive Religious Genre (2014). Recovered in 2017 from resenasdanzasperu.com
- 3. Dances of Ica and Peru (2013). Recovered in 2017 from yachachic.com
- 4. Folklore of Ica (2016). Recovered in 2017 from the department of Ica. Folklore and dance information in Rap Travel Peru
- 5. Dances of Ica (2007). Recovered in 2017 by the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos. Article website esmiperú.com