Dancing with the Stars: Carnival on Cozumel
By David Hammer © David Hammer 2008
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Quieres bailar conmigo?
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Children are an important part of Carnival
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A magnificent peacock feather headdress
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Blue dragon costume
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Author David Hammer and photographer Nancy Edwards
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Photos by Nancy Edwards © Nancy Edwards 2008
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As a wave of dancers flooded the street, the beat of the salsa flowed through my body. My feet moved and my shoulders shimmied. A beautiful dancer, wearing an off-the-shoulder dress leaned toward me and asked, "Quieres bailar conmigo?" Would you like to dance with me? She grabbed my hand and I was dancing with the stars.
Carnival on Cozumel is five days of dancing, parades and parties. The celebration starts with a dance contest on Friday night, which begins at 10:30 p.m. and ends at 3:30 a.m. Every dance troupe on the island performs several routines, from classical Mexican to modern jazz. One troupe had 150 teenagers who performed five routines in about twenty minutes. They changed costumes to fit the music, all while not missing a beat.
Preparation for Carnival goes on year round, with dance troupes practicing every week. It is amazing to see the dance skills of the six- to ten-year-old girls and boys. Dancing is a passion on Cozumel and, by the early teens, almost every child dances like a professional.
The costumes for Carnival vary from magnificent peacock feather headdresses, 15 feet across, to skimpy bikinis. . .
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