The Gauchos also Fly
In a lost town in the south of Córdoba, Argentina, the people arrived to a shocking revelation: are convinced that they are hosting the "most Argentinean festival of all". In this event, with more than half century, malambo dancers, a typical dance, they face each other for be the champion. Like everything in the southernmost nation in the world, the contest is also tyrannical and mysterious: the champion achieves glory and at the same time retirement, because an almost sacred pact prevents him from competing again.
Pablo Gonzalez, Corrientes province representative in the major malambo category, dances the malambo northern style in the major category in Laborde, Córdoba, Argentina, January.12,2019.
A father adjusts the hat of his son, dressed as a gaucho in the malambo northern style, minutes before of his presentation in the minor category in Laborde, Córdoba, Argentina, January, 2019. The minor category allows participants between 10 and 13 years and has maximum of three minutes of dance.
A man adjusts the pants of a young malambo dancer, dressed in the southern style, in the dressing room before the competition in Laborde, Córdoba, Argentina, January, 2019.
German Vargas, San Juan province representative in the juvenile malambo category, poses for a portrait in the dressing rooms during the sunset in Laborde, Córdoba, Argentina, January, 2019.
A young malambo dancer, dressed in the malambo northern style, waits for participate in the malambo minor quartet in Laborde, Córdoba, Argentina, January, 2019.
A young malambo dancer is silhouetted against the sun as he performs in the minor malambo category in Laborde, Córdoba, Argentina, January, 2019.
A man and a young, both dressed in the northern malambo style, embrace before the boy presentation in the malambo minor category in Laborde, Córdoba, Argentina, January,2019.
Juan Vicciatti, La Pampa province representative in the minor malambo category, cries after his performance in Laborde, Córdoba, Argentina, January ,2019.
Kevin Ariel Bilbao, Santa Cruz province representative in the infant malambo category, shouts at the end of his presentation in Laborde, Córdoba, Argentina, January,2019.
An aerial view of the Laborde town during the sunrise of the grand final day in Laborde, Córdoba, Argentina, January, 2019. The town of Laborde has a population of six thousand people and is located in the south of the Cordoba province.
Four dancers, San Juan province representatives in the major malambo quartet category, train for their performance in Laborde, Córdoba, Argentina, January, 2019.
Four dancers, Santa Fe province representatives in the major malambo quartet, jump during their performance in Laborde, Córdoba, Argentina, January, 2019.
Máximo Ramírez, Neuquén province representative in the major malambo category goes on stage for dance the devolution of the major malambo in Laborde, Córdoba, Argentina, January 2019.
Diego Schmidt, Misiones province representative in the major malambo category, dances the northern style in Laborde, Córdoba, Argentina, January, 2019.
Julio Cesar Cajal, Tucumán province representative in the counterpoint malambo category, trains his dance as he jumps in a dressing room minutes before going to stage in Laborde, Córdoba, Argentina, January ,2019.
Nazareno Calfulef, Chubut province representative in the major malambo category, dances the southern style in Laborde, Córdoba, Argentina, January, 2019.
Ivan Ezequiel Coria, Santiago del Estero province representative in the major malambo category, dances the northern style in Laborde, Córdoba, Argentina, January,2019.
A dancer receives a tension-relieving massage in the dressing rooms in Laborde, Córdoba, Argentina, January ,2019.
Ivan Ocaranza, Santiago del Estero province representative in the special juvenile malambo category, gesticulates looking to the sky and crosses himself before goes on stage in Laborde, Córdoba, Argentina, January,2019.
A malambo dancer stays on the stage before starts his northern style dance in Laborde, Córdoba, Argentina, January,2019.
Jonatan David Aguirre, Catamarca province representative in the major malambo category, greets to the public at the end of his performance in Laborde, Córdoba, Argentina, January, 2019.
Ernesto “Tito” Díaz, Córdoba province representative in the major malambo category and runner up of the past edition, dances the malambo in the southern style as the favorite for be the next champion in Laborde, Córdoba, Argentina, January,2019.
Fabian Serna (right), Buenos Aires province representative in the major malambo category, talks with his coach minutes before dances the malambo as one of the three finalist of the competition in Laborde, Córdoba, Argentina, January,2019.
The public wait for the final after it has been postponed by a heavy rain the night before in Laborde, Córdoba, Argentina, January,2019.
Ernesto “Tito” Diaz, Córdoba province representative in the major malambo category and runner up of the past edition, waits for the jury’s verdict in the dressing rooms in Laborde, Córdoba, Argentina, January, 2019.
Fabian Serna, Buenos Aires province representative in the major malambo category, kiss to his girlfriend as she cries, after he being consecrated as runner-up in Laborde, Córdoba, Argentina, January, 2019.
Ernesto “Tito” Díaz, Córdoba province representative in the major malambo category and runner up of the past edition, celebrates the championship, with the trophy in one hand and a figurine of the priest Brochero in the other one, after being consecrated by the jury as winner of the 52st National Championship of Malambo in Laborde, Córdoba, Argentina, January, 2019. Mr. Díaz is not going to dance malambo in a soloist category never more for a tacit covenant that all the winners commit to comply.
Part of this project was published by Vice with the title: “Fuimos al festival de Malambo, donde los gauchos también vuelan”
A photo essay was published by The Washington Post: “In a small town in Argentina, gauchos compete for a coveted crown more than a half-century-old”
All rights reserved by Mario De Fina.