Dancing with scissors

You know how you were always told not to run with scissors? 

As a cultural activity, last night my program went to a dinner show featuring various types of dances native to Peru.  Sierran dances (highlands), Afro-peruvian dances, Marinera... though there weren't any from the jungle (which might not have been usual).  It was neat to see the different forms and styles.  Occasionally they pulled an audience member onto stage too, which was particularly amusing during the one that involves candles and trying to set each other on fire and dancing to avoid getting set on fire.  That sounds more dangerous than it is, really.  And the finale was la Danza de las Tijeras.  This is a traditional Andean dance (originated in Ayacucho, I think), where the dancers carry two (separate) pieces of metal which they manipulate to make sound as they dance.  The metallic, bell-like sounds in the video below are made by the scissors. 



This was just at the beginning; they did more complex moves- some more acrobatic, some while on their heads... my camera wasn't doing very well with the low lighting and moving dancers, but you can see in the photo below that they're upside down.  It was pretty impressive.

It was neat to be able to see this because I'd heard about it in my literature class- we read a short story that was about a dancer like this.