Danzante de Tijeras

The danzaq, or scissor dancer, from Ayacucho, Huancavelica, or Apurimac, is the only dancer in the Americas into whose body, according to legend, a magical spirit enters: the Wamani, god of the mountains, water, or air. In the counterpoint dances performed at major festivals, it is not two men who confront each other, but rather two earth gods, accompanied by the music of the harp and violin, which represent all the sounds of nature. Its origins date back to the pre-Columbian era, when certain privileged men were chosen by their fellow men to represent them.

• Manuel ChambiDirector