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May 24, 2026
Photos by Scott Umstattd
I am a dancer who began in childhood, watching my older sisters in the tradition. I have always been Catholic and a believer, something my grandparents and parents instilled in me.
I started in a group of Apache dancers from San Luis de la Paz (Apache Huachichil). Later, I became part of a pluma group (Guerreros Xochipilli), and during my adolescence, as I continued with this group over the years, I developed a deep appreciation and love for this tradition.
I consider it a way to heal the soul in a transcendent manner, generating a vibration and a sense of freedom within a circle of dance, expressing the most sacred aspects of the cultures that our ancestors left us. Today, I lead a group made up of family members and other groups called Danza Tepeyollot, which has allowed me to share my essence with my own family and friends who are part of this group. There, the sound of the drum awakens the desire and emotion to dance. Dance is liberation, connection, and faith. An offering is always made for something, for a purpose.
Dance has become a way of life for me. I have experienced, with other groups, different forms of tradition that are offered to an image with faith and devotion.
And just as dancing can bring physical exhaustion, the soul becomes filled with harmony.
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Scott Umstattd is a fine art photographer and visual storyteller based in San Miguel de Allende. For the past decade, he has focused on photographing indigenous dancers. Working in tandem with dancers, he leads San Miguel Photography Adventures, offering immersive photography experiences that celebrate their traditions.
You can see more on his website
www.scott-pix.com/
And you can follow San Miguel Photography Adventures on Facebook and Instagram.
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