Description

Danza de los Valodores is a traditional Mesoamerican ceremony in which four men known as Skydancers are suspended upside down from ropes which are attached to a central pole. As the top of the pole spins the dancers fly around the pole as they slowly spiral to the ground. This man is the musician – in one hand he plays with small drum with a thin stick, while he fingers the notes of the small whistle he is blowing with the other. It took several attempts to get this shot – I had to time it perfectly. A few passes after this one the dance was over as the participants touched down on the rocky beach.

I’ve been able to witness this fantastic spectacle a few times while visiting Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. The pole is at a wide spot on the rocky beach next to the pedestrian street known as the Malecon. The setting, with the mighty Bahia de Banderas as the background, is quite special.

For more on visiting Puerto Vallarta:

https://denphototravel.com/2024/exploring-puerto-vallarta-and-bahia-de-banderas/