Mid-February is about the time when we all grow sick of winter. The holidays have come and gone, the snow has worn out its welcome and we just want to get back outside! But, while we patiently wait for the warmer months to roll through, Mayu has a movie recommendation for your indoor entertainment.
Soy Andina is “the dazzling story of two women raised in different worlds — an immigrant folk dancer from the Andes, and a modern dancer from Queens, NY — who return to Peru to reconnect with roots and an astonishing world of traditional dance and celebration.”
We’ve mentioned Huayno dancing a number of times in past communications, but this movie truly highlights the cultural significance to Peruvians. Dancing ignites the importance of folklore and tradition within the Peruvian community as people look to express themselves through various forms of movement. Both traditional and modern, Huayno is the preferred dance of Mayu’s artisans (and of course one of our favorite Peace Corps activities!). Click here for a sample of wiki huayno music! In the film, you will catch a glimpse of rural Andean life and have a better understanding of where our artisans come from.
This wonderful documentary was created by Mitch Teplitsky. Mitch has partnered up with founder/organizer of the Foreign Film Club and New York Spanish Language Meetup, to screen Soy Andina on Saturday, March 27 at Iguana in NYC. The event will include a showing of the film, Q&A with Mitch and Cynthia (main character); followed by a Peruvian dance workshop and Salsa! This should be a fantastic event. Readers, let us know if you plan on attending…a possible Mayu meet-up?!
There you have it; Mayu’s inaugural film recommendation. So get a copy of the movie, get cozy under your Mayu hand-knit alpaca throw and hunker down for just one more night of winter.
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Enjoy the show!
When I lived in Peru as a Peace Corps volunteer, I stayed with my host family in a quaint village that was absolutely beautiful. It is a community located at the altitude of about 11,000 ft. in the Cordillera (means Range) Huayuash (pronounced Why-wash) – Cordillera Huayash is known worldwide for trekking and hiking. The little village of about 5,000 was also 20 km down a winding dirt road from the nearest highway. It is a very rural community but once you get there, it feels like a big city, compared to the towns outside of it! It is a very charming town, and the pictures definitely speak for themselves.
There are even a few restaurants, a high school, a small technical institute, a number of grammar schools and a two big soccer fields. Some of the streets are cobblestone roads. This last photo is of the street I lived on with my host family. I lived all the way at the top of the hill and despite living there for two years, I became winded each and every time I walked up that hill!
