Blog 1: A beautiful artwork

A piece of beautiful art that I have encountered is the “Diablada dance”. The Diablada is a Bolivian performance that has the sole purpose of giving thanks to God and the Virgin for all the blessings. The dance happens once a year and while many people actually dance, there are thousands of others who are spectators. Gadamer states that “The spectator is manifestly more than just an observer who sees what is happening in front of him, but rather one who is part it insofar as he literally “takes part”. (Gadamer,24). This is completely true for the Diablada spectators. They are also an essential part of the artwork and by observing the dance, the spectators also take part in the thanksgiving and show their devotion towards God. The characteristics of play, symbol, and festivity can be clearly exemplified in the Diablada dance. The characteristic of play means that the artwork has movement and intentionality. The theme of the dance is people dancing as archangels and angels with the ultimate goal of overcoming evil and reaching a church to pray, but the characteristic of play goes beyond the explicit intention of the dance. The movements that are performed throughout the dance implicitly represent the worship of God through movements that portray Joy and happiness. Furthermore, the characteristic of a symbol is completely representative of the Diablada dance. Taking part in the Diablada makes each participant feel complete. The participants of the dance need this moment of worship and thanksgiving in order to continue with their lives and feel fulfilled. The life of a faithful participant is not complete without taking part in this dance. The Diablada dance also has the characteristic of Festivity. Gadamer states “If there is one thing that pertains to all festive experiences, then it is surely the fact that they allow no separation between one person and another. A festival is an experience of community and represents community in its most perfect form. A festival is meant for everyone” (Gadamer 39). This is extremely true for the Diablada festivity. Everyone is encouraged to take part in this festivity. All the divisions and differences that exist in the Bolivian population vanish during the Diablada festivity. The participants contemplate the dance together as one. When people get together and become one with the Diablada, the track of time is lost. Furthermore, the Diablada also fits the characteristics of festivities as described by Pieper. The most important aspect of the Diablada that follows what Pieper discussed is how the participants of this festival find the affirmation of goodness. The Diablada and the observers together depict how life and the world are good due to the blessings of the Virgin and God. The essence of the Diablada dance is faith and worship. True Joy cannot come out of this festivity if the participants do not worship with the heart and have faith and love for God and the Virgin. This aligns very well with the following statement said by Pieper: “One who loves nothing, and nobody cannot possibly rejoice, no matter how desperately he craves Joy. Joy is the response of a lover receiving what he loves. (Pieper, 23). Evidently, the Diablada is not celebrated for the sake of being a day of entertainment and leisure. The Diablada is used by the participants as a way to materialize the act of gratitude towards God and give it a physical form. The essence of the Diablada is to combine the features of play, symbol, and festivity to make this dance a beautiful artwork.

Link of the dance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPfR3HRggWU&t=109s