The Pandilla Puneña is an urban mestizo dance from Puno performed by large groups of couples. Women wear several layered polleras (full skirts), bright shawls and bowler hats; men wear suits, ties and hats. They dance in lines and circles to the ‘huayno pandillero’, with spinning skirts, handkerchiefs and graceful turns.
The pandilla developed in the city of Puno in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when urban mestizo families created a refined version of the highland huayno for carnival and festive gatherings. The word ‘pandilla’ simply means a group of friends, and the dance reflects a sociable, city style quite different from rural Aymara and Quechua dances. The pandilla is one of the most loved dances of the Candelaria festival and of Puno’s carnival. Its songs, played by string ensembles (estudiantinas) or brass bands, are known for their poetic lyrics. A good pandillera’s skill is measured by how gracefully she makes her many polleras swirl.
