The “In My Feelings” challenge has been this summer’s most popular social media trend, inspiring a number of iterations since the Drake single was first released in June. Latinos have made the viral challenge their own with the hilarious #LaChonaChallenge and #MatildaChallenge. But now a teenager is making the trend last a little longer with a Peruvian take.
Cesar Kanamori, a 13-year-old Peruvian kid living in Virginia, did a #MarineraChallenge, referencing the traditional coastal dance from Peru. He showed off his folklore dance skills as he stepped out of the car to recreate the challenge with the traditional scarf and hat.
Marinera is a dance and music style rooted in coastal Peru. The dance is notorious for its elegant and romantic couple’s movements, while the music dates back to 1894 when the first marinera lyric was penned in Peru. The musical style also has different variations: norteña, serrana, and limeña. The dance also has a horseback riding style called paso peruano.
Kanamori’s viral video came as a surprise to many because of its location. Virginia has a less-than-favorable history with immigrants and people of color (take the 2017 Charlottesville protests as an example), so it’s empowering to see an open display of Peruvian culture in such a space. Still, foreign-born residents in Virginia make up 12.2 percent of the population in 2015, while Peruvians are the 11th largest Hispanic demographic in the country.
Watch the viral #MarineraChallenge video below.