You’ve probably never heard of the small Argentine town of Laborde, but it is home to a unique competition. Since 1966, a prestigious folkloric dance competition has taken place there, the National Festival of Malambo de Laborde. The festival brings together malambo dancers from across the country, each vying to become the next champion.
Malambo is a traditional dance done by Argentine gauchos that involves a sustained tapping of the feet. During the National Festival of Malambo de Laborde, the competitors reach very fast speeds while performing, speeds that have been likened to that of a person running the 100-yard dash. Instead of the mere seconds that take place in the foot race, the competition requires that the gauchos perform the dance for five minutes, sustaining the dance moves for the entire time. It is a feat that requires a lot of technical and athletic abilities.
Winning the competition not only crowns a champion, it also bestows a unique honor on the victor. To preserve the prestige of the competition, its champions have made a pact: When a person has won the competition, they can never enter it again. The malambo the winner performed is their last, as far as the National Festival of Malambo de Laborde is concerned.
In January, photographer Mario De Fina traveled to the town to see this extraordinary competition and document it. Here is what he saw:
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