Folk Dances of Costa Rica
The three most popular dances from the Guanacaste region of Costa Rica known as bailes tÃpicos include: the Cabillito Nicoyano (Little Horse from Nicoya ), El Torito (The Little Bull), and the Punto Guanacasteco (Guanacaste dance step).
Guanacaste is known traditionally for their cattle ranches. Many of the dances act out a farming story.
Caballito Nicoyano
In the Cabillito Nicoyano, the dancers are often barefoot and dressed in farmer’s clothing (campesino style). The man normally wears work pants, a long-sleeved shirt, a campesino hat and a bandanna. The woman wears a white, off the shoulder blouse accented with lace and a long flowing, tiered skirt of bright colors.
The dance essentially is between a male cattle rancher and the colt (played by the woman) he is trying to capture. The music mimics the sound of horses’ hooves. The man follows the woman around in a circle attempting to lasso the colt (the woman). The dance ends with an intensifying chase as she twirls toward him, and is finally caught.
El torito
El Torito is a dance between a man portraying the bull and a woman who is the bullfighter. The bull or man is portrayed as a spirited rogue, attempting to kiss her. She dances quite gracefully and is oblivious to the danger the bull presents. In the end, she dominates him.
Punto Guanacasteco
The Punto Guanacasteco, is the Guanacaste dance step. It actually contains three steps. Every now and then the dancers pause in mid-dance. And a male dancer or DJ shouts out a witty and sometimes racy rhymed verse that comments on some aspect of the interaction depicted in the dance scene.
Some information contained in this article is from the book from Helmuth, Chalene 2000 Culture and Customs of Latin America and the Caribbean : Culture and Customs of Costa Rica London: Greenwood Press.