Today I will show you the last of our pictures from the trip to Sucre at Christmastime. The first night we were there, we went to a place called Los Origenes ("The Origins"). It was like a dinner theater except that instead of a play, we saw folk dances from all the different regions of Bolivia. This place is a non-profit and they use the money they make to take school supplies and other necessities to a village on the Rio Mamore. Before the dancing began, they showed us a rather grainy film of their trip to the village last year and it is evident that they really do make a difference in the lives of the villagers, especially the children. Unfortunately, the narration during the show - when they said something about which Indian tribes or periods of history were represented - was absolutely unintelligible because (I think) it was too loud and it made the words too muddy. I couldn't understand a word they said, hence my pictures are labeled "Dance 1", "Dance 2", etc. instead of telling you more specifically what part of Bolivian culture they represent. Nevertheless, we enjoyed the performance tremendously and I hope you will like the pictures. There were about 16 young men and women in the dance troupe and they were GOOD! They did 12 very active dances - can you imagine how much strength, stamina, and lung power that requires? Dancing is not for wimps! See what you think . . .
This was the sign above the stage: Origenes - espacio cultural.
(Origins - a cultural space.)
This mask greeted us as we entered. Ugly, don't you think?
This was taken standing beside the mask, looking down into the dining area/theater.
This is a better view of the mural on the back wall.
We had (or I had) one of the best seats in the house for taking pictures.
The stage was about 3 feet in front of me, with nothing and no one in between.
Of course we were on the far left (as you look at the stage), but I still felt really lucky.
Dance #1 - the opening, and four more pictures.
Sometimes what seemed to start "normally" would change drastically, as strange looking figures entered the stage. I do wish we had been given a program explaining what some of these "demon-looking" characters were and what story they were telling.
Here you see the girls in quite traditional dress, but the demons are still on stage at the back.
And this was the finale of Dance #1.
Dance #2 - obviously a different tribe or part of the culture.
Notice the long streamers on the girls' hats.
This was the finale of Dance #2. The men's costumes look quite Incan to me, not sure why.
In one of the dances (and for the life of me I can't remember which one), some of the men were wearing these WOODEN shoes. Can you see how they are shaped? There is absolutely no bend at all. I can't imagine dancing with my feet on wooden blocks, but that's what they did - and very well, too.
Dance #3 - this looks sort of "Spanish Hacienda" setting to me.
Dance #4 - here come the demon-guys again; different costumes but same feeling.
The king of the demons?
I think this is the bad guy winning.
Dance #5 began with this one man on stage.
I really like this dance and took more pictures of it than I realized.
This was halfway through.
Another good action shot, or so I think.
And the finale.
Dance #6 - the costumes seem more what real people would wear.
I'm sure I've seen pictures of peasant farmers dressed like these men.
Didn't get the finale of this one, but this gives you a good shot of the dancers in action.
There was an intermission and this man came on stage.
He is playing a tambourine-type instrument with his right hand,
and blowing that horn (which looks like it came right off the steer)
and sort of dancing at the same time.
I wish someone had explained his costume, the instruments, and so on.
Dance #7 - another peasant-type costume. Notice the beautiful long streamers on the girls' hats.
This was the finale of #7.
Dance #8 - especially notice the cholita hat that the girls are wearing.
ALL the cholitas (in real life) wear these hats and how they keep them on, I do not know!
No matter how much they twirled and jumped, the hats stayed secure.
And no, the real cholitas do NOT use any kind of hatpin.
We asked one of them here at the temple. She couldn't explain how it stayed on.
Dance #9 - these are VERY Indian costumes, especially the hats.
Unfortunately I have no idea what part of Bolivia they represent.
The finale of #9 - beautifully colorful costumes.
For some reason, this is the only picture I have of #10 - and it's the finale.
I like the men's costumes (especially the hats and sashes.
Dance #11 - another peasant-type costume and feeling.
And this is the finale of #11.
This was the beginning of Dance #12 - my favorite as far as the men were concerned, though I would have been happy had the girls been less scantily-clothed. To be truthful, I can't believe their costumes represent any kind of reality - rather a "giving in" to modern tastes. The men's costumes are obviously the ornate vaquero costumes from several hundred years in the past, perhaps the colonial days of Spain's rule.
And the finale of Dance #12.
After the above shot, they all came down into the audience and each one asked someone to go up on stage and dance with them. They picked Diana Crayk from our table, and she is such a good sport she didn't hesitate. Unfortunately, she and her partner got up to the stage before most of the others (because our table was so close) and everyone else as they came on stage crowded in front of Diana and her partner so I couldn't get a single picture of her dancing!
We really did enjoy the evening, long as it was. I think we got there at 7:00 and didn't leave until about 10:30 -- that's a late night for us old folks. But it was something I will never see again or anywhere else and I am very grateful we had the opportunity to enjoy it.
That's all for today. Have a happy, healthy, safe week . . . y vayan con Dios!
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