Acrobatic performers maintain an ancient ceremonial tradition
Several times a day, the sound of a Mayan flute drifts through Playa del Carmen’s waterfront square, el Zocalo. Crowds gather around a large pole and gaze upwards to a small platform where five colorfully dressed men are perched 100 feet above the ground. While one continues to play the flute, four others wrap spirals of thick rope around the pole. They tie the loose ends to their waists, then flight themselves into space. The platform pivots and spins, flinging the men in an expanding, downward spiral that eventually brings them to earth.
At the central square on the Playa Del Carmen waterfront, a group of performers stage the Mayan ritual known as the dance of the birdmen. Photo: Andrei Orlov/iStock
This is el Danza de los Voladores—the Dance of the Flyers. Though somewhat reminiscent of a circus act, this ritual actually dates back to pre- Columbian times, when it was practiced by numerous cultures across Mesoamerica. In the Mayan tradition, the flutist represents the mythical bird deity Itzamna, and the pole is the World Tree that supports the earth. When the four fliers leap, their path symbolizes the recreation of the world, and the return of the rains after a draught. On their spiraling descent, the fliers circle the pole 13 times to represent the phases of the Mayan calendar. Few onlookers are aware of the stories behind these performances, but that doesn’t detract from the colorful nature of this spectacle.
Preparations are underway for the Voladores to perform their acrobatic maneuvers in this traditional Mayan ceremony. Photo: iStock
