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There are a number of Quechua myths regarding the origin of the Scissors Dance. The most common tells the story of a young shepherd boy who, while tending his fl ock, stumbled upon the devil. The boy and the devil made a pact: in exchange for food, the devil would give him the ability to dance. The devil provided the boy with a costume (similar to the one used today) and musical instruments, which included two gold plates that resembled and sounded like a pair of scissors.
Whatever its mythical origins, the dance likely began in Quechua communities in the southern Central Andes of Peru before...