Traditional Aztec Dance Ceremony

Join Tonalxochitl (toh-nahl-shoh-cheetl)and members from Indigenous Aztec communities from across the country to celebrate the 3rd annual gathering of traditional family Danza Conchera.

In Danza Conchera, we gather in a sacred circle, wear our traditional regalia and use sacred instruments such as the huehuetl (vertical drum), teponaztli (horizontal drum), ayacameh (rattles), ayoyomeh (seeds wrapped around the ankles) and we burn resins and herbs such as copal and cedar for clearing and blessing the space. We always set up an altar in the center of the circle filled with offerings and sacred objects.

Anyone is welcome to come and see the Danza and stay as long as they'd like!

Who are Tonalxochitl?

Tonalxochitl is a collective of Indigenous families who practice, share and preserve the ancestral ways of life from Mexico. We come from many different walks of life, within our group we have: teaching artists, interpreters, professional musicians, artisans, activists, birth workers, parents, sundancers, students and healers. We have inherited our cultural traditions from our families and elders and today we count with more than 15 years of community involvement in the East Coast of the United States. We have shared our Indigenous ceremonies at public and private schools, universities, powwows, libraries, museums and community organizations. We belong to a larger community of Kalpultin (family groups) who share the same values, traditions and cosmo-vision.

We are based in Miami Florida and we travel bringing our educational programs to people of all ages.

What is Danza Conchera?

Sacredness through the millenniums:

Danza de Concheros, surviving many Conquests,

By Antonia Guerrero.

The Danza de Concheros or Aztec Dance is a sacred dance ritual that has its roots in the very origins of the Mesoamerican civilizations that flourished for millenniums. The sacred circle of life is represented in a communal dance practice that has survived through many conquests. It brings together men, women and children to celebrate Creation and the forces of nature in a mystical spiritual form through dance, song, music and offerings of flowers and incense.

Today, countless and multiple communities of indigenous, campesino, rural and urban, young and old peoples are engaged in upholding a tradition associated with the ancient nahua people from the central region of Mexico. The importance of the Danza de Concheros through its oral tradition and practice, lies not only in recapturing an ancient past, but more precisely in its relevance to 21st century concerns about the survival of planet Earth.

The ancient cultures of this American continent have much to offer in helping modern civilization find its way back to a more balanced existence.

“Circles are important to the natural world: the sun, moon, and Earth are circles, with the Earth inside the circles of the sun and the moon. In a circle, all can see each other. No one is greater or lesser. All are equal. There is always an order. Danza requires discipline for entering into that order. If the circle moves to the left, the danzante has to move to the left; if to the right, the danzante must similarly follow. Danza is an implicit and explicit recognition of a divine order based on an understanding of cycles or circles and the importance of these to health and well-being” (Angela Valenzuela, Emilio Zamora & Brenda Rubio, Voices in Urban Education)

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Vizcaya Village Garage, 3250 S Miami Ave, Miami, United States