“Danza de San Antonio”
"Mariano Hernandez is one of the Captains in the dance group."
Drums, maracas and their promises follow the dancers from “Danza de San Antonio”. This group is from Anthony N.M and is one of many groups in town. They are invited to people’s homes and churches to pay tribute to the Virgin Mary.
The attire used by the dancers includes, a “naguilla” with an image of the Virgin Mary in the front side and the back has the image of San Antonio de Asis.
December 12 is an important day of the year, not just for the group but also for the Catholic Church. “The twelve is the day of the Virgin Mary, and everyone gets together in part of the nine day celebration to praise her and for me it’s important because it is a promise I made” Melissa Cervantes, a captain from the group said.
Many of the dancers range from the age of 3 and up and most also do it to keep the promise they made.
“The Dance Group started at my home in Anthony about two years ago “Imelda Hernandez a mother of two of the dancers said. She also said that the she has seen less young people lose the interest on being part of the dance group. “Its a great Blessing” Hernandez said.
About Author
This hurts but I have to tell you that this is not complete.
This was a National Geographic type story and that implies that you would do a thorough and comprehensive story, not a one-time shoot of a Danza.
To make this complete you would have shots of these people somewhere else, preparing for the event, working on their costumes and Virgin banners, etc.
Is their a final destination place for the dancers to arrive at, like a church or meeting house? How about a twilight shot of that place with lights glowing into the purple evening sky?
A good photographer picks a subject, involves themselves in the subject, learns from their previous shoot what they missed, goes back, shoots more, learns more, sees more, and goes through the whole process al over again. I.E., the only way to tell a story like this is IMMERSION in the subject and the people and place that you’ve chosen.
This is not a story, it is a shoot.
Too badf because, you have the core of a good idea here. This culture has depth. The spirituality and religiosity of these people is profound. You are the perfect person to tell this story. Why not?! The suggestions above are how you do that.
To repeat: 1) Get an idea, 2) Narrow it to a beginning place, 3) Go do it and just see what you see (with your camera), 2)Come back to your “darkroom (the computer and photoshop) and start to see what you -and your camera- saw, 4) Edit down to the bare bone. Be ruthless. You don’t need quantity yet. You need to find the idea that is not of the intellect but is of the heart and soul of you and your subject, 5) Go back. Go at it again, Be There!, 6) Repeat until done.
In three weeks there was time for depth.
Do you see where I’m going with this Maryann?
Use photography as an instrument of education not self expression so you can be the intersection between people, their communities and their lives.
Tall order. You can do it. Next time.