Los Machetes (1*)- Jalisco, Mexico

*1st Generation dance. A dance that developed in a traditional way – not ‘taught’ by a teacher or choreographer, but ‘learned’ by observing and imitating others in your “village”, where the village’s few dances were the only dances anyone knew. It usually is ‘generic’ – the dance pattern is fairly simple and not tied to any particular piece of music. The dance phrase may or may not match any musical phrase, but the music’s rhythm must be suitable for performing the footwork. This dance may have many variations, but they’re performed at the whim or inspiration of the leader or (sometimes) any other dancer so long as it doesn’t interfere with the flow of neighboring dancers. For more, click here, here, and here.

Mexicans pronounce their big knife with a ‘hard’ ch, like the name Chet. “ma-CHE-tehs”

Los Machetes music

Los Machetes, the Dance.

Ron Houston in his ©1996 Folk Dance Problem Solver writes: “The machete, a large knife of varied domestic and martial uses, inspires dances in several parts of Mexico. In Jalisco, the machete inspired a dance of the poto rico [rich flask?] form, danced by two couples. That’s right, by two couples in the formation: Man 1 – Woman 1 – Man 2 – Woman 2.“

Los Machetes by children