TITLE: Danzantes

This series is focused on the "danzantes" ceremony, a cross-over between a pre-hispanic ritual and a catholic tradition which despite the impact of modern life, still remains active and relevant in central Mexico.

New generations are involved in the tradition from a very early age which is passed on from parents to their children. At the same time, breaking away from a male dominant society, women have a strong participation in the dance without any distinction versus their male counterparts.

Each dancer takes center stage to perform while the rest patiently await their turn. It is at this moment that I wanted to photograph them and capture that moment of reflection in their faces and their body postures showing at the same time their determination to maintain the tradition and accurately representing a rich culture mix through their heavily adorned attire.

I also found necessary to photograph this event in black and white to focus attention on the people and their symbols without saturating the scene with the otherwise very colorful display.

AUTHOR: Ivan Aguilar (Spain)