24th Annual Panamanian Day Parade

As young as seven years old, I was a part of a Panamanian Folklore Ballet (also known as "tipico") group, where I learned dances from my parents' country, Panama. I danced for about 16 years, and only danced for family events since then. This year I decided to volunteer with The First Panamanian Marching Band of New York to march in the 24th Annual Panamanian Parade. This parade is a pre-celebration of Panama's day of independence (Independence from Colombia, November 3rd), in conjunction of celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month. The pollera (the dresses in the photos), is the national dress of Panama, and is worn in various colors and styles. Photos taken by Tim Guest.