Bolivian+Dance

= Caporales = media type="youtube" key="OQH6D4GE13M" height="315" width="420" Caporales is a traditional Bolivian dance originating in the Department of La Paz, Bolivia. The dance, actually, has a religious aspect. One supposedly dances for The Virgin of Socavón and promises to dance for three years of one's life.

Caporales today is a typical Bolivian folkloric dance very popular in the national festivities. A male caporal dress depicts an old Spanish military guard. Wearing heeled boots bearing large bells known as "cascabeles", a male dancer carries a hat in his left hand and a whip in his right(sometimes). Even some girls will dance in a male role; some may refer to them as "chinas" or "machas". A female caporal dress consists of a minidress with matching panties, skin-color pantyhose, fancy high-heeled shoes, and a round top hat pinned to her hair. The style and colours of the dress are maintained the same for both the men and women of a certain group, but can vary drastically between groups. Men and women usually dance separately in a progressive march style dance. Caporales is a dance where you jump a lot and is very active in this way.