Chinelos

What it is

Chinelos are groups of costumed dancers, and the word is used both for the people and for the practice itself. They are seen above all in Morelos, and also in parts of the State of Mexico and the south of Mexico City, in boroughs such as Milpa Alta, Tlalpan, Xochimilco and Magdalena Contreras. A troupe wears the same kind of outfit: a long tunic or robe, a mask with European features, a wide plumed hat and gloves. Each town and each group now has its own variations. The dancers often march with a brass band through a town, hopping and shuffling in time.

Origins and history

The name comes from a Nahuatl word meaning disguised. After the Spanish conquest, native rites and Christian festivals mixed, and Carnival gave people a few days when masks, role reversal and unusual behaviour were allowed. Dancers used that opening to make fun of the Europeans among them. The costume as it looks now was shaped between the middle of the 19th century and the start of the 20th, when it also mocked the ballroom manners of the wealthy and the push to make Mexico more European. Tlayacapan is often named as the likely birthplace of the dance in its present form.

The costume

Four pieces make up the outfit: robe or tunic, mask, hat and gloves. Velvet is common. The shape of the robe and its fine decoration give dancers a nearly androgynous look. Because the clothing is very hot, dancers tie bandannas around their heads to avoid losing too much water. The mask is built on mesh, always with a beard turned up and European features, and gloves cover the hands, so nobody can tell who is inside. Designs differ by town: Tepoztlán favours smooth black velvet with a painted image on the back, while Yautepec covers velvet with beads, sequins and imitation stones. Hats carry images from pre-Hispanic stories.

Carnival and other days

Carnival is the main setting. Troupes take turns over the weekends that fall before Lent, dancing from mid-afternoon on Friday until late on Sunday, always with a brass band. The Carnival in Tlayacapan is the most traditional, and a well known Morelos band grew out of it. Dancers also appear at Independence Day in Cuernavaca, at Candlemas on 2 February, at feasts for Our Lady of Sorrows, and at private parties, where groups can be hired. In Milpa Alta and Xochimilco no large festival takes place without them, and they walk in processions for the Niñopa image.

Today and change

Chinelos have become a recognised emblem of Morelos, and the number of towns with their own troupes keeps growing. Some groups are now hired for private celebrations, so the dancing is no longer tied only to Carnival. Costumes have grown heavier and more decorated, and making them is a trade in itself: in Tlayacapan several families work at it full time, and one hatter in Tepoztlán does nothing else. Competitions are held for the best outfit. The old tradition in Taxco has faded, though one group of about forty dancers remains.

How Chinelos is kept

Dancers, mostly young men, gather with a brass band. Feet apart and knees bent, they shuffle twice, then lean with one shoulder and hop to the side, repeating this for hours. Groups dance as long as the music lasts, and members join or leave a line as the day goes on. Roles pass from parents to children, and children may dance on a different day. Costumes are kept hidden and put on in separate houses so that no one is recognised.

When and where

Most Chinelos dance at Carnival. Events open on a weekend late in January, and towns take their turn on the weekends that follow until Lent begins. Dancing runs from Friday afternoon into Sunday night. Outside Carnival, troupes appear at Independence Day, at Candlemas on 2 February and at other local fiestas.

Morelos is the heart of the tradition, and Tlayacapan, Tepoztlán, Yautepec and Jiutepec are its best known towns. Dancers also work in the State of Mexico, in Mexico City boroughs such as Milpa Alta, Xochimilco and Tlalpan, and a small group keeps the custom going in Landa, near Taxco in Guerrero.

What Chinelos means

The dance began as mockery. Masked figures copied the fine clothes, pale faces and turned-up beards of the colonial and later Europeanised upper classes, and the haughty way they held themselves. Masks, gloves and headscarves hide who is dancing, and Carnival allows that kind of licence for a few days. The costume has since become a badge of local pride, especially in Morelos, where the troupe is a sign of the town.

Days Chinelos is marked

Questions people ask about Chinelos

See also

Danza de los ViejitosA Purépecha masked dance honouring the sun and the four elements in MichoacánMariachiA Mexican string and trumpet music tradition featuring charro attire and communal singing.Mexican hat danceMexico's national courtship dance, in which a dancer's steps circle the brim of a hatBaile folklóricoStaged folk dances of Mexico and Central America, with regional dress and mariachi music

Good reading and sources

• Chinelos on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos and video
• Wikidata recordOpen data

It may contain mistakes. Traditions differ from one family, village and community to the next, and the people who keep them know them best. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-05.