Danza de los Viejitos began in Purepecha, Mexico before spreading to other parts of the country. It is performed by men who are donned in tops and bottoms made out of white blankets and topped with a Sarape- a blanket worn as a cloak in the Latin American region. The Sarape has different colors and designs. The dancers wear a straw made hat, each one hanging loosely about 10 cm on the sides (Murio Tata Gervasio, Creador de la traditional Danza de Los Viejitos). The dancers ‘shoes are sandals with a wooden sole to make a tapping noise when they stomp the ground. The dancers wear a mask made of cornstalk paste, wood or clay. The mask has the face of an elderly man painted on it. The dancers also have sticks which they use to support themselves and act like senior men. The sticks are at some point incorporated into the dance, making it even more interesting. The dance is performed by four men each of whom represents earth, air, water, and fire. Based on the Purepecha culture four is regarded the best number for the dances because of the four seasons of the year. The Danza de los Viejitos dates back to the pre-colonial times but has since become a heartthrob to most Mexicans. The dance has a rich cultural and historical context surrounding it.
Historical and Cultural Context
Danza Los Viejitos has a rich religious history having been danced originally by four indigenous priests as a means of thanksgiving and honor to the ‘Old God' and his elements. It is believed that during the dance the priests could communicate with spirits, predict the future and ask God for a good harvest (Danza de Los Viejitos de Michoacan). The dance was considered a sacrifice of energy to God. In an interview with my grandfather, he narrated," The steps we would use was technically walking like an "old man, and then we would pretend we were "old" and had trouble with our backs. Constantly walking grabbing our backs like they hurt to walk and using the walking stick. Then we would "zapatear" (stomp) with a choreography."