Kids Dancing the Huayno, Sacsamarca, Peru Possibly 1964 - 1997

John Cohen's photograph captures children dancing the Huayno in Sacsamarca, Peru, and it's a beautiful study in greyscale tones, moving from light to dark like a song traveling through the hills. The texture of the image feels almost palpable. You can sense the grit of the earth under their feet, the fuzziness of their sweaters, and the worn surfaces of the musical instruments. Look at the child on the right, lifting her skirt just so, her small shoes barely touching the ground. This gesture encapsulates the whole feeling of the image; the fleeting moment of joy, the weight of tradition, and the pure, unadulterated movement of dance. Cohen’s work reminds me a little of Helen Levitt's street photography, which similarly freezes moments of everyday life, elevating the ordinary to the extraordinary. Both artists see the poetry in the mundane, reminding us that art is not just about grand gestures, but also about the quiet moments of human connection.