The Marinera is the Peruvian National Dance. The Marinera has its origins in symbolism and legend, born in a Creole ambiance with much Peruvian pride. The history tells that when the Spanish came to Peru, they found this dance in the areas that today we know as La Libertad and Lambayeque, on the coast of the Pacific Ocean northwest of Lima, the capital of Peru.

The Marinera is danced by sweeping the feet, leaping, and the couple play with hats and handkerchiefs. It displays the dancers' abilities to their maximum splendor. The picaresque and grace of the music and the burlesque intention of the lyrics are united to the typical gyration of inciting and joyful melody, and at the same time the complex rhythms play is reinforce by the Creole Cajon.

To dance the Marinera the woman wears no shoes. Her costume is a beautiful two-piece dress with an ample skirt made off vivid colors and adorned with ribbons and lace (in the colonial times those dresses were made of curtains materials). The white slips are called "enaguas" and are laced or embroidered. The shawl of "milk cloth" is thrown over the shoulder and on her head is a hat made of palm tree or "jipijapa". In her right hand she holds a white handkerchief that is constantly in movement to symbolize the free fly of the doves. The ample skirt is raised and held with the left hand to show with evenness and grace only one side of her leg. The typical jewelry is made by expert gold and silversmith artisans. The gold or silver filigree earrings are called "weepers ". "The three stations" are a matching set of ring, necklace with a cross or a locket and choker cameo. Fresh flowers from the region adorn the headdress that is arranged in a "topknot", a loop or two braids and is finished with a small ornament comb, chaff called "pajilla", "tembleque" or "pava".

The man dances with or without shoes, black or white pants, a white shirt, a typical poncho (they can wear on or just carry it on the left arm), a typical weave girdle (to support the pants), a hat made of "jipijapa" and a white handkerchief on his right hand.

Traditionally the Marinera musical accompaniment consists of a group of four Spanish guitars (two of the musicians will also sing the vocal part), the Creole Cajon (a wooden box as drum), the spoons that substitute for the Spanish castanets and everybody else present contributes with handclaps to the rhythm of the music.

The Marinera is elegant and complex at the same time. It is one of those few dances were the woman marks the rhythm and guides the man.

The Marinera is an expression of the spiritual intention of each person. It is a face to face dance in counter-point and not just of forced steps and marks or rigid choreography. It is creative and very impromptu. La Marinera is a love colloquy in which the dancers execute movements imitating the Peruvian Walking Horse (Caballo de Paso Peruano), the lovemaking of the cook to the chicken while waving the white handkerchief high up in the air to symbolize the movement of the waves in the ocean and the free flight of the doves.

The Marinera is coquettish feminine wiles, love making happiness, elegance, grace, gallantry and mischievousness. Simplicity, the Marinera is a dance of seduction between a man and a woman.