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Nicaraguan Dances

Traditional Nicaraguan Dances

There is a saying that claims that Nicaraguan people are very fond of parties. This is an unquestionable truth that should not be taken lightly or be confused with a massive egress of residents from their homes to the local dancing establishments every weekend.

You have to understand that it has mostly to do with the rich traditions and cultural attributes that have been passed down from generation to generation of Nicaraguans over the centuries.

Because of these traditions, you will find that there are many dances of all kinds in Nicaragua. You would be amazed to see how diversified are these dances and how proud are the people performing them of their culture and legacy.

In Nicaragua, every town has its own festival, witch celebrated annually with much ardor by its residents. Actually, many of these towns are commemorate several festivals during different times of the year.

Even if most of these " fiestas patronales" have religious origins, there are some that have little to do with religion. Here are some examples of these festivals: Santo Domingo in Managua, San Jerónimo in Masaya, and San Sebastián in Diriamba.

On the other hand, their hidden roots lie in the subliminal resistance the local Native Americans presented to the conquering Europeans during the XV and XVI centuries. A dance like this is the Torovenado Dance.

There are some dances, like "El Güegüense", that are actually a result of the continuous opposition of the native population against the Spanish rulers.

Because the Nicaraguan people had no power over the Spanish rules and they also didn't have any way of opposing them, their only comfort was making fun of the Spanish authorities. This was the only time they felt they had power over the Spanish system.

Another example of this kind of dance is the Torovenado Dance. The costumes used to perform these dances utilize masks representing many of the farm animals that are now so common in the Americas but were in fact imported by the Europeans, such as cattle, horses and pigs.

The traditions of the Torovenado Dances (there are several of them) do not include the use of traditional folkloric costumes or huipiles. Rather, performers dress in costumes representing symbols of imported Spanish power (horses, pigs, mythical creatures) and cover their faces with pink-colored masks to look like Europeans.

The Nicaraguan ancestors decided to use these animals to ridicule the authorities: the bull represents the Spanish Conquistador, all-powerful, aggressive, a master of the herd, with his cross and his sword in hand.

However, the bull can be domesticated and be made docile, as an ox (castrated). This symbol is very powerful and denotes the rebellious feelings the natives still felt, even 200 years after their conquest.

This dance portrays different characters, all representing segments of Nicaraguan colonial society. Originally, the music that accompanied the dances was performed using drums and whistles. Nowadays, the marimba is the focal instrument in the dances.

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