Netotiliztli

Netotiliztli, often known as the dance of celebration and worship, was a traditional dance practiced by the Mexica people.

Netotiliztli was practiced by the Mexica, a Nahuatl-speaking population that resided on an island in Lake Texcoco, in the valley of Mexico. Their capital, Tenochtitlan, wielded immense social and political power, while boasting as many as 200 000 citizens. Tenochtitlan was altepetl, or "city-state", meaning it had its own emperor, territory and jurisdiction. Altepetls were divided into smaller units, called calpulli, that represented certain neighbourhoods within the city. The heart of Tenochtitlan was the sacred precinct, which included the Great Temple, a ball court, a school, libraries and residences for priests. Much of Mexica life revolved around this precinct, as it housed sacrifices, ceremonies and education, which were pillars of Mexica life.

Mexica social organization mirrored that of their city, as it was divided into many segments of varied importance and function. The emperor, known as the Tlatoani, possessed ultimate power; beneath him fell all other nobles, commoners and slaves. His duties included land distribution, and overseeing temples, markets and warfare. Further differentiation occurred between men and women, as Mexica society was androcentric- men held employment as priests, warriors, artisans and farmers, while women led domestic lives as mothers and housekeepers. This gendered divide was emphasized by the education system in Tenochtitlan; boys were taught how to be priests, government administrators and warriors, while girls learned domestic skills from their mothers. That being said, all children learned the art of dance and music, as these were fundamental elements of Mexica culture.

Cosmological beliefs were the ethos of Mexica religion. The Mexica believed their gods sacrificed themselves to create life, by throwing themselves into a pit of fire to birth the sun, or by shedding their celestial blood to create humans. This mythology prompted a theme of reciprocity amongst the Mexica, one woven deep into the cloth of their religion.

To pay the debt owed to their creators, the Mexica honored their gods with lavish temples, where sculptures of each god were housed. Rituals were performed at these temples, such as blood-letting, auto-sacrifice and human sacrifice. These rituals were the pinnacle of Mexica devotion, as they repaid their gods with the greatest gift of all- human blood- the very essence of life.

Before the Nahuas were colonized by the Spaniards, they were free to dance in their ceremonies and summon their gods and ancestors through dances. This included Netotiliztli, which had symbolic, spiritual choreography.

Netotiliztli, which loosely translates to "expressed by dance," was a communicative dance of worship and rejoice practiced by the Mexica. It was performed by dancers, who could be any member of society, as all members of Nahua society were educated in song and dance. Netotiliztli was also not associated with a particular location, and could be practiced in public in temples, or in private settings. The dances could occur at any time, although celebrations often aligned with the agricultural season, as festivals and ceremonies marked the beginning of the agriculture season to ensure a plentiful harvest.

There were certain dances for men and women, though some dances incorporated both genders to symbolize balance, which was a common theme in Aztec religion. Women could have sacred roles as "sahumadora" or "smoke women," who were tasked with burning incense throughout the ceremony. They were centric to the spiritual energy of the dance and enabling contact with the gods.