YOLOTL Offering - Tutorial for Aztec Danza Opening and Signature

This tutorial hopes to preserve the legacy that has been left to us by our ancestors (abuelos). Within the things that we are trying to preserve, is the making and use of ancestral instruments and how they are used in Ceremony, what today we know as Danza, including the counting of time, and the ancient mathematics involved. Also the medicinal use of plants, the mother tongues, traditional food.

At the base of all of this is the HUHUETL. Which in Nahuatl (Ancient Aboriginal Tongue) means "Old, Ancestor, Grandpa". It is the name given to a hollow drum, that we use in ceremonies to keep track of beat count, and mark the steps of Danza. We also use the count to keep track of the "Audible Count", that is the multiples that we add on top of the counts that we keep through the performance "offering" steps of the danzante. The Huehuetl is traditionally made from a large tree trunk that has been hollowed out by hand.

Inside the elements of Ceremony, the Huehuetl represents the "Earth" and it's primal grounding. Individuals that play the Huehuetl are called Huehuetusontl, and they are (or should be) oriented towards the respect of Mother Earth, Madre Tierra, Pacha Mamma, Terra Incognita... and her secrets.
We will start with the YOLOTL Beat. In Nahuatl Yolotl means "Heart", therefore this is the "Heart Beat" with which we Open and Close every personal "Offering" Danza, or Prayer. YOLOTL is also known as The Opening, The Permission, or Closing, The Four Elements, and The Signature.

At the beginning of each Ceremony. We will open with prayers into the 4 and 7 directions. Then, we will open with Yolotl and then offer our Danza Prayers. Then the Yolotl will be played again in order to "Sign" or close the Ofrenda "Offering". Yolotl is very versatile, that is to say that it is open to interpretation from each person submitting their offering, or "Danzante", meaning that EACH PERSON so long as they adhere to certain standards, is open to customize their Yolotl to open and close as they CHANNEL their offering and submit their own STYLE. Women offer Yolotl different than men, with more grace and veneration. Warrior casts and Regent Captains always offer very Intense Yolotl, as a symbol of strength and agility. Older folks and younger folks also differ in their Yolotl. Age or health might be an issue, and so what is born in your heart and spirit at that moment, and whatever you are able to PHYSICALLY SUBMIT is sufficient Yolotl. Remember, so long as certain rules are kept.
Here is a breakdown of Yolotl:
When we are jumping, we are always representing "Fire". The movement of your feet mean the movement of the Fire's Flames. We count in place 8 beats. And Fire also expands... So we take 4 steps forward, and then contracts, so we take 4 steps back, and then repeat. Those are the steps that represent Fire.

When we represent Water, our movements are fluid like a river in a zig zag motion. Left, Right... Left, Right.

Now we have Fire and Water.
When make the steps for Wind (or Air), we represent the moment in which the wind makes a whirlwind and turns like a spiral making a circle. We are simply going to make 1 circle to our left first... with 4 steps, and then another circle to our right, with another 4 steps.

We do 1 circle turn to the Left, and 1 circle turn to the Right. We always start with the LEFT because it is the side of our Heart, so we Charge up our intentions and our Prayers, LEFT... then Release or DISCHARGE to the Right. We must always have a BALANCE. Whatever we do to one side, we must balance on the other, due to the harmony of duality. OMATEOTL.

Now we have Fire, Water, and Wind. We are now only missing EARTH. Which is a little complicated. But here it goes. Once you practice and put your heart into it, then it is not so hard. It becomes second nature.
The EARTH Element has to do with the four directions. Left, Right, Top, Bottom... or West, East, North, South. So we draw a cross with our feet for the cardinal directions. We are going to first start with our LEFT foot, stepping out towards the left...

Left, Right, Top, and Bottom... These are the four directions.

But the earth also has to do with planting, so it as if we are dropping our seeds to the ground, and then covering them in the ground with opposite foot. Like this... one, two, three. One, Two, Three. So the steps for the Earth Element are the Four Directions, and the Planting.

And we finish with 4 STEP FORWARD AND SUBMISSION (prostration) to the Source. OMETEOTL.