A joyous celebration of Bolivia and its people through dance and song, featuring special guest artists from the DC area Bolivian community. Feel the beat of South America while learning about the rich culture and stunning natural beauty of the country our artists call home. An irresistible party!

A Closer Look – About the Performance:

Celebrate the dances of Bolivia for Hispanic Heritage Month with Discovery Theater in with a dance party – a grand ‘Carnevale’ starring the exciting and colorful traditional music, dance and culture of the great nation of Bolivia.  Washington’s vibrant Bolivian community present their best young dancers in rainbow feathered headdresses, decorated ccahua (ponchos/shirts), and the large skirt called a  pollera, whose wearing indicates cultural pride in the Indo heritage of this ancient peoples and the various Indian ethnicities that make up the region. The thrilling drumbeat recall ancient rhythms that still can have audiences bouncing in the seats.  Don’t miss this rare opportunity to see these dances together:

• Tinku:A ritual dance of combat that sometimes adds the word sangre (blood) to its name. In the Qechuan language, Tinku means “encounter”.
•  Pujillay:A festival dance to the Pachamama, or Mother Earth. The word means “game” or “to play”. Its festival includes fruit and sweet adorned flowered ladders, which decorate the playing area, and are then enjoyed by participants after the celebration.
• Tobas: A dance of shamanism and magic that sometimes honors the jaguar, this dances is a favorite of young people because of its acrobatic leaps and great energy. The costumes sometimes feature large feathered headdresses or masks.
• Caporales: A dance originating as a dance mimicking the disparities between the Spanish masters and Indio slaves. The flashy costumes are quite different from the others, reflecting an adaptation of European style, with dancers in couples or in a courting pattern. The noise made by the bells on the Caporal’s boots is symbolic of the chains worn by the slaves. In the modern day they represent a festive freedom