Pericón y cielito en el Paraguay
Two river-plate dances that are also danced in Paraguay.
What it is
The pericón is a folk dance for a group of eight loose, interdependent couples, danced in Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay; some authors see it as an evolution of the cielito. The cielito, in turn, is a traditional river-plate dance that served as song and dance in the Independence era. In Paraguay, the English contradance reached via Spain influenced the formation of several dances, among them the pericón, the quadrille, the cielito and the chopí.
Did you know…?
The first references to the pericón date to 1794.
Listen to
It appears in the folk-dance repertoires of schools and festivals.
Music & dance
Researched and reviewed in September 2026 with 3 sources. A second reviewer checked dates, coordinates and lodging. Hours and prices may change.