Amid skeletons, catrinas, witches, and the occasional devil, Mexico City’s government announced that danzón will soon be declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of the capital.
Argel Gómez, Deputy Secretary of Major Community Festivals at the local Ministry of Culture, made the announcement during the “Me Muero por Bailar” mega aerobic dance class held Thursday evening at the Zócalo, as part of the Day of the Dead celebrations.
Before thousands of participants, Gómez revealed that the official declaration will take place on November 16 at 2:00 p.m. in the Zócalo, with a monumental public dance featuring top danzón orchestras — including Orquesta Failde from Matanzas, Cuba, and Mexico’s own Acerina y su Danzonera from the capital, as well as Danzonera La Playa led by Gonzalo Varela from Veracruz.
To “warm up the dance floor,” on November 9, special danzón sessions will be held in 20 venues across the city’s 16 boroughs, he added.
Dancing Spirits
From smooth to energetic, choreography after choreography filled the Zócalo without pause — the idea was, quite literally, to shake your skeleton.
The massive turnout for this mega class was part of the Day of the Dead festivities organized by city authorities. The heart of the metropolis pulsed with lively rhythms that invited even the shyest participants to move.
In keeping with the season, dancers came dressed as the living and the dead — skeletons, catrinas, witches, devils, and mischievous spirits.
What stood out most was the joy and enthusiasm of the crowd, celebrating through movement, connection, and fun — and as a bonus, getting a little exercise along the way.