THE 8 MOST RELEVANT DANCES AND TYPICAL DANCES OF MICHOACÁN - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The typical dances and dances of Michoacán reflect the culture of its people. For example, the dances with reference to the fishing activity were performed by the natives in honor of their gods to obtain favors in the task.

In the sowing area, the dances corresponded to the tributes made to the gods to request their protection.

When evangelization arrived, the dances were used as an auxiliary method to transmit religious ideas and modify the worship of deities.

This is how the indigenous dance loses its essence of the worship of the gods of the Sun, the rain and a good harvest, and becomes what is known today.

Dances of the mountains, sounds of hot land and the dance of the old men of Jarácuaro are traditional references for the Michoacan culture.

One of the main characteristics of these dances is the difference between the areas of the state.

There is a tradition for the lake area, another for the mountains and a very different one for the area called Tierra Caliente.

You may also be interested in the traditions of Michoacán.

The 8 most popular typical dances and dances of Michoacán

1- Dance of the old men

Its origin is attributed to the town of Jarácuaro, belonging to the so-called lake region of Michoacán.

In this dance four men represented fire, water, earth and air. They danced asking for a good harvest, communicating with spirits or gods.

Over the years it became a burlesque representation of the old colonizers dancing; therefore, it is generally performed by very agile young people who wear masks made to look like wrinkled old men.

In addition to the masks, the artists use walking sticks and stoop to imitate their elders.

2- Dance of tumbis

Originally from the ichupio people, this dance represents the fishing activities of the area. This area is economically dependent on this activity.

The dance is performed by young fishermen with energetic steps, while the women dance in a more submissive way and with vessels. It represents that women are in charge of feeding the young fisherman.

3- Dance of the curpites

The word curpite comes from «kurpite», an indigenous term that means gathering of a group of people.

Originally, young people danced with masks depicting animals. After the evangelization, they left the animal masks and created representations of human beings.

4- The bakers

This dance is performed by reciting couplets that invite the public to dance. In the evangelizing age it was persecuted for considering it inciting and immoral.

The lyrics of the couplets vary depending on the area in which they dance.

5- Dance of the paloteo

The origin of the dance is Purépecha, born in Puruándiro. With the dance they represent an offering to the gods of the Sun and the Moon, to help them in the fight for the defense of their territory.

In the evangelizing era, this dance was performed after the harvest time.

6- Torito de petate

Many characters take part in this dance and the main one is the bull. It is made of a wooden frame and is covered by cardboard, paper or cowhide. He is accompanied by a caporal and, in the city of Morelia, an Apache.

The dancers are accompanied by a music band and by the residents of the neighborhood. It is possible that this dance represents the resistance to Spanish domination.

After the bull runs through the streets of the town, it reaches the atrium of the church and there it burns with fireworks.

7- The pukes

It is a representation of fights between young people, who dance wearing a mask made from the skin of a “deer”. These are similar to the devil masks.

The pukes "fight" with each other, jump and bump the horns of the mask. The music is played by a local wind band and is usually done on December 12.

8- The Moors

The main character in this interpretation is the apostle Santiago, so the origin is Spanish. It is a representation of the fight between Moors and Christians.

The clothing for this typical Michoacan dance is a black velvet vest, white poplin shirt and a large turban.

It also includes a satin cape, black leather ankle boots, steel spurs and a long pole with colored ribbons, among others.

To make the melody of the dance, a violin, harp and sometimes a shawl are used.

In both the Moors and the dance of the old men, the children participate in the organization and execution.

References

1. The hot land of Michoacán (2001). Illustrated edition. Editor El Colegio de Michoacán AC, 2001
2. Amador, A (2015) Michoacán, land of folk diversity. Taken from ntrzacatecas.com
3. Cultural information system of Mexico. Dances from the lake region of the state of Michoacán. Taken from sic.cultura.gob.mx
4. Masera, Mariana. (2005). A persecuted dance of the eighteenth century, a son and a children's game of the twentieth: some texts of the syringe in Mexico. Acta poética, 26 (1-2), 313-349. Retrieved on November 9, 2017, from scielo.org.mx.}
5. The expression, news agency. (2011). Paloteo dance, ambassadors of culture and tradition. Taken from laexpresion.mx