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DANZAQ. The dancers of the devil's house./PERU { 81 images } Created 8 Nov 2020

The "dance de tijeras", dance of the scissors, is a singular tradition of the central Peruvian andes, it is a dance that becomes a challenge of skill and courage that culminates in tests bordering on fakirism. A ritual that has no equal throughout the Andean chain
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  • Between the sweet music of the Andean harp and the more shrill music of the violin, Qesqento makes its entry into the cultural space of Curasco in an anonymous point of the epicenter of Lima. Dressed in the singular typical Qesqento costume, he is a "danzaq", as in Quechua the scissors dancer is defined. He is carrying a pair of strange shears with which he produces a nagging tinkle that will never stop throughout the dance. The Dance of the Scissors has special anthropological implications of pre-Columbian roots. The dancers are said to have taken this art from the ancient fortune-tellers. At the time of the Spanish colony they called them "the dancers of the house of the devil". It is still a ritual that has no equal throughout the Andean chain
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  • A dancer's costume and scissors ready for the blessing. The scissors of the dance are two separate segments, specially forged, everything is based on the jingle.
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  • Each dancer has his battle name, in this case Lucerito, in Huancavelica for the anniversary of the immaculate conception. The dancer's skill lies in never putting down his instrument, always in his right hand and for most of the time gloved. The mask behind him is the "coplero", a sort of presenter that every quadrilla of danzantes has. He is an expert in traditions and challenges the other "copler" in play
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  • Outskirts of Lima, the group of people has just arrived from the Apurimac region and is preparing for the celebration of the Feast of Crosses where the two dancers on the right will demonstrate their skills
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  • With cañazo and coca leaves, costumes and tools are blessed to spread the liquor the same scissors are used
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  • Praying after the blessing of the tools, so that everything goes for the best.
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  • Accompanied by people from Mayordomia, the two dancers visit other families in the neighborhood. We are in the poor outskirts of the Peruvian capital, in that area all are immigrants from the Abancay area (Apurimac)
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  • Dance in private spaces on the poor outskirts of the Peruvian capital.
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  • Harpist and  dancer in action in a private space in the poor suburbs of the Peruvian capital.
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  • The dancer in action in front of the cross placed in the cultural house of the Apurimac region, on the outskirts of Lima. The lady performs a universal votive ritual, lighting a candle and leaving it at the foot of the cross
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  • Fiesta at the cultural house of the Apurimac region, on the outskirts of Lima, even when the danzaq are resting harpist and violinist make everyone dance.
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  • Challenge of "danzantes" at the cultural house of the Apurimac region, on the outskirts of Lima on a very hot Sunday afternoon in May.
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  • Detail of the harp of the quadrilla, the Andean harp is always very light and with a large sound box.
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  • Challenge of "danzantes" at the cultural house of the Apurimac region, on the outskirts of Lima on a very hot Sunday afternoon in May.
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  • Blood time during the challenge of the "danzantes" at the cultural house of the Apurimac region, on the outskirts of Lima on a very hot Sunday afternoon in May. The brave danzaq with his tongue nailed to the harp will try to lift it
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  • Blood tests during the challenge of the "danzantes" at the cultural house of the Apurimac region, on the outskirts of Lima on a very hot Sunday afternoon in May. The brave danzaq is running a long wire through his cheek
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  • Feats during the challenge of the "danzantes" at the cultural house of the Apurimac region, on the outskirts of Lima on a very hot Sunday afternoon in May. The brave danzaq, almost personalizing bullfighting, bites a snake, it will eat its entrails
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  • Once the challenge is over everybody's dancing, with lots of alcohol in your body, including the mayordomo of the fiesta, distinguishable by the streak of honor
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  • One of the many summits in the Curasco area, Apurimac region, in the Andean cosmovision the mountains have their own spirit.
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  • Danzaq quadrilla in Curasco, Apurimac
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  • Just outside Curasco, Apurimac.
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  • Dancing in a meadow in Curasco, Apurimac.
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  • Corn and Andean fabric design, in a meadow in Curasco, every family that the dancers visit always offers to eat and above all to drink.
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  • Elements of a quadrilla of danzaq in Curasco, Apurimac.
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  • With the coat of arms of the festival of crosses, celebrated throughout the Peruvian Andes.
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  • Danzaq of Curasco, Apurimac. They called them the dancers of the devil's house, in the days of the colony.
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  • The square of Curasco, with the ancient church of San Sebastian
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  • The square of Curasco, with the ancient church of San Sebastian and the Quadrilla di Danzaq, can dance in front of the church but not enter it
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  • The square of Curasco, with the ancient church of San Sebastian and the Quadrilla di Danzaq, can dance in front of the church but not enter it
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  • Essential trio, violin, harp and dancing with clinking scissors
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  • Typical of the dance costume is the visor that covers the eyes and gives an even more sense of mystery ...
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  • in a meadow in Curasco, every family that the dancers visit always offers to eat and above all to drink.
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  • Fiesta with the danzaq
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  • The very young Piacaya is concentrated in studying the footsteps of the contender, to make them better
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  • Fiesta with danzaq, despite being the official organizer of the party, the Mayordomo is totally drunk and sings out loud
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  • Fiesta with the danzaq
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  • The crosses in procession
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  • The very young Piacaya and Curasco
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  • Danza de tijeras during a country festival in Puquio, Ayacucho region
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  • The danceq in action at night in front of the old wise men who in the middle of the night will reach the highest springs for the annual sacred homage, propitiatory for the agricultural year that must begin.
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  • People of Puquio
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  • The danceq in action at night in front of the old wise men who in the middle of the night will reach the highest springs for the annual sacred homage, propitiatory for the agricultural year that must begin.
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  • "Acciòn" in action in the very long kermesse of Puquio (Ayacucho) on the day of the Assumption
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  • "Acciòn" in action in the very long kermesse of Puquio (Ayacucho) on the day of the Assumption
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  • "Acciòn" in action in the very long kermesse of Puquio (Ayacucho) on the day of the Assumption
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  • "Acciòn" in action in the very long kermesse of Puquio (Ayacucho) on the day of the Assumption
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  • "Acciòn" in action in the very long kermesse of Puquio (Ayacucho) on the day of the Assumption. One of the many flips with which he will challenge the opponent
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  • "Sata" in the long festival of Puquio (Ayacucho) on the day of the Assumption, swallowing a dozen live frogs.
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  • Calqui-chico, on the outskirts of Huancavelica, the day before the challenge the young damzaq train followed by very little audience
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  • Calqui-chico, on the outskirts of Huancavelica, characteristic of this region is the female dance, the three girls converse next to the point of the lawn where a piece has been removed that will be placed as a vow to the Virgin, on the day of the festival,
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  • Calqui-chico, on the outskirts of Huancavelica, the day before the challenge the young damzaq train followed by very little audience
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  • Calqui-chico, on the outskirts of Huancavelica, the day before the challenge the young balloq train followed by very few audience, they also try the somersaults
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  • On board a mayordomia truck, coplero and Quadrilla visit other Calqui-chico farms bringing the dance
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  • On board a mayordomia truck, coplero and Quadrilla visit other Calqui-chico farms bringing the dance
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  • On board a mayordomia truck, coplero and Quadrilla visit other Calqui-chico farms bringing the dance
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  • Quadrilla on the street to the party area in Calqui-chico
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  • Quadrilla and coplero starting the dances in the party area in Calqui-chico
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  • For the ancestral "diabolic" origins the danceq cannot enter a church, the solution to pay homage to the Virgin was to place her on the door of the church.
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  • Danzaq in action in the party area in Calqui-chico
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  • Danzaq in action in the party area in Calqui-chico
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  • Danzaq in action in the party area in Calqui-chico
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  • The quichca machu s a jester who fills the empty spaces between one rehearsal and another of the dancers
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  • Danzaq in action in the party area in Calqui-chico, ever more complex flips ..
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  • Danzaq in action in the party area in Calqui-chico, ever more complex flips ..
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  • Danzaq in action in the party area in Calqui-chico, ever more complex flips ..
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  • Danzaq in action in the party area in Calqui-chico, ever more complex flips ..
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  • Danzaq in action in the party area in Calqui-chico, more and more complex flips .. despite the effort the scissors continue to rattle.
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  • In the din of the Calqui-chico party the dancing Yawarmina seems absorbed in something else ...
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  • Yawarmina challenges Arañita to Calqui-Chico
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  • Arañita in action at the Calqui-chico challenge
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  • Arañita in action at the Calqui-chico challenge
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  • Despite in action, In the din of the Calqui-chico party the dancing Yawarmina seems absorbed in something else ...
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  • Blood challenge for Arañita who stabs himself
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  • Blood challenge for Arañita who stabs himself
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  • Blood challenge for Arañita who stabs himself for Yawarnina who pierces her mouth and forearms, with which she carries around two plastic chairs
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  • Yawarnina surpasses herself: she lets herself be helped to crucify herself, as an authentic representation of the Passion of Christ !!!!
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  • Yawarnina surpasses herself: she lets herself be helped to crucify herself, as an authentic representation of the Passion of Christ !!!!
    041E__FTV_089.jpg
  • Yawarnina surpasses herself: she lets herself be helped to crucify herself, as an authentic representation of the Passion of Christ !!!!
    041E__FTV_090.jpg
  • Yawarnina surpasses herself: she lets herself be helped to crucify herself, as an authentic representation of the Passion of Christ !!!!
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  • When I find her on the phone and ask her why so much she simply tells me, and refers to dance in general, which she does for her homeland and for the tradition of which she feels deeply part ...
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