El mapalé: frenesí de libertad

This work is inspired by an ancestral dance born in the Colombian Caribbean. The mapalé is a percussive dance performed in loose couples with vibrant unbridled and strong movements to the fast rhythm of the drums. The mapalé is a freshwater and saltwater fish found only on the Caribbean coast of Colombia and is the species that gave its name to this dance. It was born in the fishing communities of the region, which at the end of their work day sang and danced at night to the rhythm of the yamaró and quitambre drums. The frenetic movements and jumps of the mapalé dance imitate the movements of the fish when it is out of the water. This traditional dance is the legacy of the Afro-descendant communities in the Colombian Caribbean, whose ancestors resisted slavery and fought for liberation. In this exhilarating celebration, men and women dance face to face with freeing movements. Their bodies connect with the earth through the bare feet and glisten in joy with the sweat of their impetus.