El Es Dios!

This article outlines a brief historical sketch of the Danza Azteca-Chichimeca, or danza for short, which is becoming ubiquitous in areas of the United States with a significant Mexican American population. It looks at its origins during the early colonial period of Mexico, especially its mythological beginnings, to help elucidate the deep foundation of the dance tradition. This sketch also addresses the evolution of danza after it spread from its place of origin in the Bajío into major urban areas like Mexico City, where, once there, it changed due to ideological and political trends that circulated in the post-revolution period. The article also looks at danza’s pseudo-militaristic undertones to suggest that it might have contributed to the growing discontent among peasants and indigenous people, leading to Mexican independence. Some scholars have suggested that it, as a revitalizationist tradition, belongs in the “crisis cult” category. This analysis became evident when danza encountered neo-Aztec philosophies that promoted nationalistic and restorationist ideologies. In sum, the article touches on the popularity of danza in the United States despite the current climate of xenophobia and anti-migration, and nods at its growing international and global appeal.

Olga Lidia Olivas Hernández. Danzar la frontera

Este libro es el fruto de un largo camino personal e intelectual de la autora, como danzante y como antropóloga. En él se da cuenta de cómo se experimenta la danza azteca en la frontera entre México y Estados Unidos. Se trata de una etnografía multisituada de grupos de danzantes aztecas en las Californias: grupos de danzantes que siguen esta tradición y la recrean en las ciudades fronterizas de San Diego, Los Ángeles y Tijuana.

Music and Identity in Danza Azteca

This piece considers how music contributes to identities within Aztec dance communities. It explores how different identities are created and sus- tained through music and dance practices.

La expresión cósmica de la danza azteca

Entre los aztecas la danza tenía un profundo significado ritual y simbólico. Junto con la música y la poesía, era un aspecto inseparable de las creencias religiosas que perseguían una relación más estrecha con el cosmos.