Traditional Chilean folkloric dances.

One of the interesting things about Chile are the numerous folkloric dances that exist.

At the school my two sons attend we were treated to a show of various examples of folkloric dances that come from all over Chile.

The famous and most popular dance is the cueca, which is normally performed by a man and a women, each holding a white napkin. The stand a distance from each other before the music starts, then they proceed to dance around each, waving the in a swirling motion above their heads. It is supposed to suggest some kind of mating ritual like that of a cockerel and hen.

All of this was put on at the school to celebrate Chilean independence day, September 18th, which is a national holiday.