Category Archives: Kinesthetic

Body movements

The Sea Snake Dance

Nationality: Mexican
Age: 58
Occupation: Retired Federal Officer
Residence: Henderson, Nevada
Language: English

Text: Before I moved to the United States I attended a wedding in Mexico city, where I was born, and witnessed The Sea Snake Dance for the first time. A song, La Vibora de la Mar, began to play. Simultaneously, all the adults began clinging together and forming a large circle. I wasn’t allowed to join the circle as my mom said it was unsafe for me. The bride and groom stood on opposing tables and reached out one arm towards the other. Then, the human snake ran under their arms and sung the song.

Context: Informant describes first seeing this Hispanic wedding tradition when they were a young child still living in Mexico City. They described their time in the United States, where they have spent the majority of their life, and claim that they have only seen The Sea Snake Dance performed at a select few hispanic weddings. Informant believes this tradition is performed as a gift from the attendees of the wedding, wishing the newly weds a joyous and faithful marriage. The snake, to the informant, is representative of the potential struggles the newly married will face.

Analysis:

I believe this tradition to be rather fascinating, especially its lack of presence in the American- Hispanic wedding scene. The informant, who is now a marriage officiant who primarily serves the Hispanic community, describes not seeing many examples of the Sea Snake Dance in the United States. The few times they have seen it performed, they expressed being shocked. This, to me, is very representative of the changing beliefs that are produced when two cultures fuse. With the population of Mexico being mainly Roman Catholic, marriage holds a very prominent role in their society. In the United States, however, marriage has become less and less meaningful as divorce rates continue to rise. This is likely why the informant does not witness many replications of the wedding ritual that is so common to Hispanic culture. This lacking of reproduction is representative of folk- traditions ability to change in a parallel fashion to those who perform it.

Minor Genre: Gesture – The Moutza

  1. Text: Gesture of someone thrusting their open hand forward at someone else, all five fingers spread out. Used in Greek culture.
  2. Informants Context: I come from a family of Greek immigrants who haven’t necessarily chosen to teach me about this gesture, but I’ve inevitably learned it from them. The moutza is the Greek equivalent of the middle finger, for better or worse. It’s definitely less offensive than the middle finger and can be used more playfully. It’s ultimately a confrontational gesture though, meant to be displayed as a form of disagreement. The sign also has some superstitious connotations as technically the person giving the moutza is sending a curse to whoever is receiving it. This curse generally just means bad luck. The place I most often learned and observed this from was with my Papou (grandfather). He’s an entrepreneur, completely self-made from the villages and may rank among the smartest, most boss guys I’lve ever known in my whole life. That said, sometimes he has been known to blow the fuse a little bit, and when he does, it’s the moutza that he whips out (laughter). If he wants to double insult someone, he might throw his other hand behind the one that is already thrust open, layering the two of them like pancakes. That’s the ultimate disrespect. This gesture is recognized by Greeks globally but rarely in other cultures. An open hand like the moutza might even be misunderstood as a friendly gesture by certain cultures, including in America where it could be seen as something like a high-five. I personally use the moutza in a mostly fun way, in the kinds of spaces where I could get away with that kind of offensive joke. For example, when I’m with some Greek friends and we’re having a laugh, I might throw it one of their faces to get a reaction. They’ll understand I’m being funny and play along.
  3. Collectors Interpretation: The moutza is firstly a demonstration of power by Greek people. When used in a non-playful context, the gesture is clearly rooted in a show of force or intention to shame people. This might reflect a greater value on the part of Greek people about personal pride and their eagerness to defend it. Moreover, as a potential way to “curse people”, the practice could be seen as a form of contagious magic. It functions on multiple levels as a demonstration of folklore. The fact that the gesture is not universally understood, reflecting different contexts in different parts of the world, continues to demonstrate its folklore roots. It is a practice specific to Greek people, inside the country and abroad, but nonetheless specific to culturally attuned Greeks. This might also reflect a broader culture within Greece surrounding how its people perceive confrontation. If the purpose of the moutza is to pass shame onto someone who has done you wrong, perhaps this reflects a value towards honor. Shame cannot be of value without dignity simultaneously being a high-priority as well.

Fields

AGE: 21

Date_of_performance: May 9, 2025

Language: English

Nationality: American/Greek

Occupation: Student

Primary Language: English

Residence: United States of America

Wu Shi (舞狮) & Nian (年), Chinese Lion Dance

Text:
Wu Shi is a traditional performance where dancers mimic a lion’s movements in a stylized costume, usually accompanied by loud drums, cymbals, and gongs. Commonly performed during Lunar New Year, store openings, weddings, and festivals.

Context:
The informant saw the Northern Lion Dance style when they are a child during New Year Festival on the streets. They remember being afraid of the lion dancer as a child because the colorfully painted mask and seemingly unpredictable movement look like monster. However, the lion is believed to scare away evil spirits, bad luck, and misfortune. Drums, firecrackers, and loud sounds are used in tandem to “cleanse” the space spiritually.
The origin of Wu Shi tracks back to a legend about a beast called Nian (年) who terrorized villages annually. People discovered it feared loud noises and red color, leading to the development of lion dances and firecrackers.

Analysis:
Wu Shi is a ritual drama performed at a liminal moment requiring protection and good luck, in this case, new year. The movements mentioned by the informant, like sniffing, blinking, jumping, are symbolic, mimicking the lion’s investigation of its surroundings; it is a metaphor for purification and control over chaos. Wu Shi is a performative folklore in which a ritual sends blessing with visual language.
The lion is actually not native to China, it was introduced through contact with Buddhism and Silk Road culture, yet it was mythologized into Chinese cosmology as a protector figure. It is a form of cultural syncretism where foreign symbols are absorbed and repurposed within local beliefs.

Simbang Gabi – Filipino Holiday Festival

Nationality: Filipino
Age: 51
Occupation: IT Help Desk
Residence: Naperville, IL
Language: English

Text:

Simbang Gabi translates to “Night Mass” in Tagalog.

Context:

The performer grew up Filipino in a community of mainly Catholics, then immgrated to the Midwest in 2003 where they joined a “Simbang Gabi” program at their local Catholic church with other Filipino immigrants.

“Simbang Gabi a Filipino tradition that is actually nine days. Basically we go to mass for 9 days in a row before Christmas. It happens at Dawn.” […} “We choose to continue it so the other kids who grew up here would experience our culture and it at te same time our community, it would be a Filipino event that people would congregate to. ” […] “Our Simbang Gabi program would showcase the way we dance, the way we have food, the way we have Filipino games… My sole purpose to do it is for the kids, to continue the tradition, to continue the culture.”

In the Philippines, celebration happens since “the moment we are conscious” and is celebrated by all Catholics (80-90% of Filipinos are catholic). They were told that if they finished all 9 days of Simbang Gabi and they make a wish, it will come true. “It’s like you’re praying or petitioning for something.”

Analysis:

The performer’s version of Simbang Gabi is intriuging because it’s an example of how a Filipino tradition is Americanized and yet celebrates the culture in an “authentic” way despite not being an exact replica of the tradition. Simbang Gabi in the United States is a wonderful example of cross-cultural diaspora as Filipino immigrants “perform identity” and preserve the culture after physically moving and assimilating with American culture.

Simbang Gabi in the Philippines is reflective of Filipino traditions of faith, family, and folklore as it mixes the Catholic influences of Spanish colonizers with communal values of meeting in church daily as well as creating a lasting tradition that defies borders.

El Caballo Dorado Dance

Age: 20


Date of performance: 4/25/2025


Language: Spanish


Nationality: Mexican American


Occupation: Full-Time Student


Primary Language: English


Residence: California

Text: “El Caballo Dorado” AKA ‘The Golden Horse’

Context:

My informant recalled a dance they learned as a child during a party, which they associated with ‘ranchero’ culture. The dance, known as “El Caballo Dorado,” is commonly performed at indoor parties, sometimes even during public celebrations outdoors, and features traditional clothing. It derives its name from traditional Mexican song under the same name that plays during the dance Similar to the “Cha Cha Slide” in American party culture, my informant added that it’s a group dance with synchronized movements. A signature move among the male dancers includes holding one hand on their cowboy hat and the other with a thumb tucked under their belt, reinforcing its cowboy-related theme. The dance starts at a manageable pace but increases in speed, turning into a sort of informal competition where participants must keep up with the rhythm. Those who fall behind are seen as having “lost,” though there isn’t a single winner—multiple people can succeed if they maintain the pace. The informant emphasized its role as both a cultural expression and a competitive party activity.

Analysis:

I listened to this song growing up under a Hispanic household, in doing so I hold a similar interpretation to my informant. Much alike my informant, I never learned the actual history about this dance just its background. This has made me arrive at the conclusion that—though it might’ve initially had a significant historical value upon its commencement—it has ultimately evolved to the traditional point of serving as just an entertainment value for Hispanic communities. Despite this, it has held on strong due to its levels of complexities people in the community take it and have continued to pass down throughout generations. Music is a strong foundation for most Latin communities, and this song and dance has served to cement this ideology of bringing generations of diverse individuals to continue to share the dance floor and enjoy their culture.