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

This photograph, "Kids Dancing the Huayno, Sacsamarca, Peru" was taken by John Cohen, though we don't know exactly when. It’s a black and white image, gritty and real, a pure shot of life unfolding. You can almost feel the dust swirling as the kids kick up their heels. The girl on the right lifts her skirt, caught in a moment of pure joy. What's the music like, I wonder? I can almost hear it, a high-pitched, twangy folk tune filling the air. The adults gathered around, watching, maybe remembering their own childhood dances. Cohen captured something fleeting but universal, a shared human experience. It reminds me of some of the old street photography from the early 20th century. Artists like Helen Levitt were also so good at capturing those everyday moments of life. These images, like paintings, allow us to reflect on our own experience of the world. The energy is palpable, isn't it? The children's laughter and sheer joy feel like a part of some larger, eternal dance.