Return to the South: Research, Identity, and Carnival - Deny Ruge Prado

In January 2026 thanks to the support of the LUTSF ‘Dancer in Training Award’ and generous donations from supporters of a ‘Go Fund Me’ campaign, I was able to travel to Colombia to conduct research for my Independent Project as a third-year student, on the BA(Hons) Diverse Dance Styles degree with IRIE! dance theatre.

This was far more than an academic requirement; it was the beginning of a dream I had carried for years. To journey through my own country and deeply explore our dances and cultural traditions was an experience both emotional and profoundly personal.

I am not someone who clings to expectations, yet I must admit that I was afraid. I was travelling alone. I did not know anyone at my destination, and concerns about safety created a constant tension within me. After nearly sixteen hours of travel, I arrived at my parents’ home, rested for only five hours, and then boarded another flight to San Juan de Pasto.

The second journey was short. The real adventure began the moment I landed.

On my first day, I attended El Arcoíris en el Asfalto, a vibrant community celebration of games, art, and street painting that marks the official beginning of the festivities leading up to January 6th. It was an immediate immersion into collective joy.

There, I allowed myself to be guided by two young artists creating ephemeral artwork on the pavement. They became my first guides, taking me on a tour of churches and significant sites, explaining their symbolism and the deep syncretism embedded in the region’s cultural fabric.

That same day, I met the women who would become my hosts: Maestra Lucy Meneses, Director of the Guaneña Festival of Legends, and Maestra Sandra Patricia Meneses, Director of the artistic workshop Manos Que Sueñan. Two extraordinary artists and cultural leaders, surrounded by a generous and deeply committed creative community.

Through them, I experienced Carnival from behind the scenes. I did not simply observe it; I lived it, felt it, and embraced it.

One of the most moving experiences was walking the Senda del Carnaval with the children, the living seedbed of tradition. They open the parade on January 2nd, ensuring generational continuity and the preservation of the Carnival of Blacks and Whites.

Being backstage also meant witnessing the meticulous creation of the Individual Costume category, a form of artistic expression in which a single person carries and performs a complex structure (sometimes weighing up to 25 kilograms) that represents myths, stories, or satire. It is truly art in motion.

Under the artistic direction of Maestra Sandra Meneses and alongside a dedicated team, the costume “Alpha Kausai / Living Earth” came to life: a tribute to the working hands of women and men who nurture the land and transform it into colour, form, and meaning.

Through conversations, long walks, and shared reflections, I came closer to the South a place where people weave more than identity and culture; they weave love.

Another significant encounter was with the family collective La Murga Los Zarcillejos, known for performing traditional Nariñense rhythms with wind instruments and percussion, led by Maestra Nohemí Insandará, recognised for her work with the accordion and carnival music.

On January 6th, the Desfile Magno takes place, the culminating event of the Carnival of Blacks and Whites, recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

It is an apotheotic, extravagant, colourful, and deeply symbolic procession. Monumental floats, comparsas, and individual costumes travel along the Carnival route while artisan artists showcase months of work representing myths, memory, and Nariñense culture.

That day left me with an indescribable sensation. I could not fully grasp the magnitude, the collective force, and the beauty unfolding before me.

What began as academic research transformed into something far more profound. I arrived with fear and uncertainty, yet I left with a deeper understanding of community, resilience, and cultural responsibility.

Experiencing Carnival from within reminded me that dance and tradition are not spectacles; they are living archives. They are collective memories transmitted through bodies across generations. They are acts of resistance, celebration, and belonging.

This resonates deeply with the spirit of IRIE! dance theatre. At IRIE!, we understand dance as a cultural bridge, a way to honour heritage while empowering future generations. Just as the children of Pasto preserve their traditions through movement, IRIE! nurtures young artists and communities, ensuring that stories, rhythms, and identities continue to evolve and thrive.

My time in the South reaffirmed the importance of our work.

Dance is not only choreography.

It is connection.

It is education.

It is continuity.

And above all, it is love in motion. I send my heartfelt thanks to everyone that made this trip of a lifetime possible.