The structuring of Aztec dance for tourism consumption among its original group in the Historical Centre of Mexico City

Abstract

This paper analyses how traditional Aztec dance has been structured as a result of tourism in Mexico City's Historical Centre, based on the Theory of Structuration, as conceptualized formally by Bonfil Batalla. The categories of analysis were local and foreign cultural elements, resistance, alienation and innovation. The qualitative research was based on sociological ethnography. The results showed that tourism has caused structuring of traditional Aztec dance, transforming its cultural elements and dividing the dancers into two strands: the chimaleros (who commercialize and dramatize the dance for tourist consumption) and the traditional cultural groups (who resist the effects of tourism). Among other aspects, it is concluded that, regardless of their position, both have undergone adaptive innovation to remain inserted in tourism. It is reflected that trans-structuring is a natural process in society, but that tourism may generate a number of transformations in social practices.