MARY GIUFFRE & PAUL CLARK: Aztec dance celebrates the traditions of the ancients. Performed as ceremonial prayer every dance honours the balance of dualities. Each step is first to the left and then to the right to BALANCE FEMININE and MASCULINE energies and is prayer sent back to the Creator.

According to Sax Lynn Francisco, the only non-Mexican with dance troupe Ollin Citayohaua ~ Night Star in Movement, "We honour how we are moving together in the universe. Every movement has to be made twice to acknowledge the duality. The first, represents the Feminine and second represents the Masculine. We don't have one without the other. We try our best to arrange people female, male, female, male. Even if there are more women than men we try to anchor it so there is balance. The dance must always be balanced with the Feminine and Masculine energies."

The dancers move in circular formation around an altar hosting the Drummer (the heart beat of the dance) and the Four Elements of Air, Fire, Water, and Earth, which are recognized as the basis of all life. The circle represents how the planets and stars move in the heavens. If there are fewer dancers they use a half moon formation.

Brenda Salazar a native of Mexico explained that the dance is a sincere expression of mind and heart handed from generation to generation. "In 1521, Guatemoc (or Cuauhtemoc) the last ruler of Mexico left a message for all the Mexicans, he said that all the knowledge that we had at that moment should be hidden from the Spanish people, from the conquerors and that this knowledge should not be revealed until a new Mexico rose again." says Salazar. "They (the Aztec traditions) were hidden for more than 500 years...We don't have to be afraid anymore so that's why every time someone says, 'Do you want to go somewhere to show your dance, to share your culture?' I do! I like it because most people hear the message. Not just because I tell them. You feel it in your blood, because everybody is mixed. In the world there is no pure blood. That's why we wanted to share a small part of our culture in this movie right now."

The Aztecs dance many different dances in reverence and gratitude to the cosmos. This offering is to Tonantzin ~ Mother Earth. "We are honouring our Mother because we live on her. She gives us food. She gives us shelter. So we have to have her dance. It's very special."

Nov 29, 2010 - 4:16 PM

Delores Wiltse -

What a beautiful tribute to mother earth.