The Carnavalito is a traditional South America

South America

South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...

n dance from the Altiplano

Altiplano

The Altiplano , in west-central South America, where the Andes are at their widest, is the most extensive area of high plateau on Earth outside of Tibet...

 and Puna

Puna

Puna may refer to:* Puna grassland, a type of grassland in the central part of the high Andes* Puna , the king of Hiti-marama or of Vavau in the Tuamotu legend of Rata* Puna , a type of wind in the Andes...

 regions that is practiced in relation to religious festivities. The current form of the dance is an expression of syncretism between indigenous and Spanish colonial culture.

The Carnavalito was danced in the Americas long before the Spanish arrived. Today it is still danced in the Northwestern Argentina

Argentina

Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...

 (especially in Jujuy and Salta) and in western Bolivia. The music is characterized by the use of instruments such as the quena

Quena

The quena is the traditional flute of the Andes. Usually made of bamboo or wood, it has 6 finger holes and one thumb hole and is open on both ends. To produce sound, the player closes the top end of the pipe with the flesh between his chin and lower lip, and blows a stream of air downward, along...

, siku and the bombo

Bombo

Bombo is a British computer game published by Rino for the Commodore 64.-Plot:Taken from the game's instructions:A wave of insurrection has left the earth littered with bombs primed to explode and destroy mankind.Your commission is to clear the pyramids of ancient Egypt, castles of medieval Britain...

; its origin comes from the Huayno

Huayno

Huayno is a genre of popular Andean Music and dance from Andean countries. It is especially common in Peru. It originated in Serrania, Peru as a combination of traditional rural folk music and popular urban dance music...

, music similar to the Carnavalito.

Classification

Belongs to the group of the collective great dances. It's a cheerful dance, it must be done with cheerfulness and innocence, as everybody playing happily.

Choreography

It is a dance set, dancing in groups or with multiple partners who perform choreographed steps to the beat of the music. The dancers move around the musicians in a row. A woman or a man with a handkerchief (or pennant decorated with ribbons) on the hand is responsible for directing. They all sing the same verse or improvisations.