Скачать или смотреть CHILE: Chilean Cueca dancing at El Viaje club in Valaparaiso

Cueca is popular throughout Argentina, Chile and Bolivia, but in Chile it was declared the national dance in 1979. It reminded us a lot of British Morris dancing but with a Latino flavour with handkerchiefs waved about for good measure.

Cueca dancing is similar to the rooster-chicken courtship with the dancers waving handkerchiefs above their heads, which symbolise the birds' feathers. The couple dancing face each other, moving in semi circles back and forth, with handkerchief in the air and dance, never touching but maintaining contact through facial expressions and movements. Before the song begins, the couple claps their hands in rhythm of the music.

Cueca is strongly associated with the huasos countryside lifestyle and is particularly popular during the rodeo events across the Central Valley between September and April.

We visited El Viaje club in Valparaiso on a Monday night where we saw this charming group cueca-ing away!