Marinera: The Heart of Peru
A TRADITIONAL PERUVIAN DANCE
The Marinera is Peru’s national dance, with roots in the Spanish fandango, African zamacueca, and indigenous couple dances. The dance portrays a couple’s flirtatious pursuit. The woman, in her embroidered pollera (skirt) and handkerchief, teases the man with her graceful movements. Each region has its own style, punctuated by variations in the tempo, key, clothing, and steps. The Norteña dance from Trujillo is playfully flirtatious and accompanied by a brass band. The Mochera style, also on the north coast, reflects its rural origins in the dress style. The Limeña is considered the oldest. The elegantly dressed couples dance to the rhythms of the guitar and cajón drum. The Marinera is not only a dance but a craft industry for embroiderers, weavers, hat makers, and filigree jewelry artists, among others. Its vitality is expressed in the energy of the dancers, the rhythm of the musicians, and the hands of the artisans.
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