Concheros: The traditional and religious dance of contemporary Nahuatl communitiesIntroduction to the Concheros dance: “El es Dios! And so the dance begins. Dating back to colonial times, the Aztec people of Mexico created the Concheros dance and used it as a way to recognize their ancestors. The dance originated shortly after the Spanish conquest of the Aztec people. Today, its symbolic tradition is “carried out in the courtyards of churches in honor of the saints and virgins represented there” (Vento, 59). The dance is made up of men and women, representing the warriors and the people who helped the soldiers. The dance is divided into different segments, also called offerings; The flowery war, Father Sun, warriors, death and rebirth and the young lord. Conchero dance shares the importance of their religious traditions, the spring equinox, the costumes and the music played. Religious and Traditional Significance: The indigenous people of Mexico have kept the tradition of the Concheros dance alive since the 1500s. Despite the modernization of the people, the dance itself has remained the same, as people return to their indigenous roots. Special representation can be seen from a political or spiritual perspective. “For some groups, dance has become a conscious way of reaffirming an Indian identity in a country, particularly in and around Mexico City, that is increasingly in danger of forgetting its indigenous past” (Rostas, 12). Although the dance originally began in the Bajo region and Mexico City, it spread much further north and into the United States as well, allowing people to celebrate saints' feasts and other purposes (Rostas, 15). Religion and syncretism: Some people see the Con...... middle of paper ......ty based on a largely invented Mexican past, which they attempt to live in the present, i.e. that of the main body of the Concheros” (Rostas 15). People are always trying to find their identity and their place in their community. Works Cited Retana, Manuela Moon. (2014). El cerrito concheros dances dedicated to the spring equinox. Rotary Journal, Queretaro, Mexico, 1-2.Rostas, S. (2009). Carrying the world: concheros dance in Mexico. (pp. 21-209). Boulder: University of Colorado Press. Rostas, S. (1991). The concheros of Mexico: a search for ethnic identity. Edinburgh University Press, 9(2), 3-17.Vento, AC (1994). Aztec conchero dance tradition: historical, religious and cultural significance. University of Minnesota Press, 10(1), 59-64.Xulamoxa, “Danza De Concheros” Cedart Morelia. Youtube. Youtube, January 27, 2010. Web. May 16 2014.