The Candelaria Celebration

The "Fiesta de la Candelaria" is the largest public celebration in Peru. It is a two-week long devotional party held every February in the city of Puno, in the Southern Peruvian Highlands. The celebration begins with masses and processions in honor of "La Virgen de la Candelaria", an advocation of the Virgin Mary. As the days progress, devotional activities are replaced by street partying, as people from all over the country watch more than 50,000 dancers from 80 dance troupes parade through the streets to their signatures songs and steps. This year, I followed one of the best known troupes, the "Diablada" from the Bellavista neighborhood, from the early stages of their preparation to their final party following the big parade. In this project, I show different stages from the celebration as seen from inside the dance troupe.