Las viejas solteronas culture associattion from los quemados

“Las viejas solteronas de los Quemados” (“the old maids of Los Quemados”) were born in the Los Quemados neighbourhood of Fuencaliente in 1966, when a group of young people, on their own initiative, revived a very old dance called the “DANZA DE LAS VIEJAS SOLTERONAS” (dance of the old maids) and performed it for the first time at a carnival party. The group was made up of two musicians (lute and guitar) and 11 members, dressed in the everyday clothes of the emigration era, since according to the records this dance was performed at the old “bailes de candil” (candle-lit dances). Because of the massive emigration of men from our islands to Cuba, Venezuela and elsewhere, the women remained single and had to do the work of the fields and the house. It is believed they performed this dance to make their single life easier to bear, and in a mocking tone they sang a chorus that went:   «Hay ayayay el tiempo se pasa Hay ayayay sulteras en casa» (“Ay, ayayay, time goes by / ay, ayayay, spinsters at home”)   Each of them would also step forward to recite a verse referring to her single status.

THE DANCE OF THE OLD MAIDS (LA DANZA DE LAS VIEJAS SOLTERONAS)

Today this dance is performed by around 10 women who are unrecognisable in their costumes during the performance. They come on stage singing a song in which they lament not finding a boyfriend, and in each chorus each of them says a cheeky, funny verse to some man from the various places where they happen to be performing. Despite their 50 years on stage, the old maids draw all kinds of audiences, old and young, even children who wait in the squares until late at night to see the “viejitas” (little old ladies), as they call them.

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