Ciudanza 2014

Hi guys,

Last weekend I had the opportunity to attend one of the many free festivals offered by the city of Bs.As. throughout the year. One of my students is always sending me useful tips on free activities coming up in the city, and this one caught my eye.

I love the chicken costume

My interest was captured by the name, Ciudanza, which is a combination of the words city and dance, and after a little research I had made up my mind to go. The dance festival took place in several parks near my house on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of last weekend. I chose Sunday as the most suitable day and, not knowing what to expect but excited to see some dance performances, I invited a few friends to tag along.




The festival was in Parque Bartolome Mitre, which is where I used to go read several times a week when I lived in Recoleta. Now I only pass by the park when I go for runs, but it is one of my favorite parksy areas in the city because of its location on a hill, which commands a view of the parks and the distant riverfront. I've found it to be a wonderful place to sit with friends and dig for meaning. But last Sunday there was no digging involved, only dancing, at least that's what it was called.

The butcher eyes the chicken

I enjoyed the performance. On an entertainment level I would rate it a 9 out of 10, but it was quite avant garde, and perhaps individuals accustomed to more traditional dance styles would have questioned the authenticity of the use of the term "dance."



We watched two performances. In the first the dancers wore only skin colored bras and underwear, even the men, which they had covered with leaves. There was no musical cadence, only the dancers movements and the noise of the cars and dogs barking. What surprised me most was the silence, how the park was more full with people than I had ever seen it, but it was also the quietest I'd seen the park. The dance culminated in an orgiastic fruit eating frenzy as all the dancers became an interlocked and sensual mass, feeding each other apples, bananas, oranges and other fruity delicacies.

Pillow fight!

The second dance, of which I took some photos, was equally bizarre and enjoyable. The dancers were all dressed in an array of strange costumes, including a chicken outfit, an angel, the virgin Mary, a wrestler, superman, and a girl who wore underwear but no bra. They were directed by a group of three speakers, each in turn interjecting their own personal narrative to the mix. At one point an American folksy love ballad was played as all the dancers lay in the grass and pretended to make love with an individual lover.


The festival was fun, free, and a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. Check out more free cultural activities and festivals here at the Buenos Aires festivals page.

I love how the Greek guy speaks to the dancers in this section of the dance. He addresses all of them, says a few words to them, and then says te amo (I love you) to each!