Danzas con reverencias para una conquista gentil

Abstract

In Mexico, as in other countries, there is a type of dance drama which treats the topic of military conquest. In this article, a musical
pattern, known as the "reverencia", which is characteristic of these dances, is identified. An analysis of about twenty traditional mexican examples of this genre are reported in an attempt to establish the form of the "reverencia" which distinguishes it
from the other types of music which accompany each dance,
and the place which "reverencia" occupies in each performance.
It is suggested that the "reverencia" is a modern version of the war cries used by armies enganged in real battles, such as the Conquest of Tenochtitlan or of other parts of the Mexican
territory.