About 20 men wearing masks, printed chitão clothes and hats that carry mirrors and other props line up to dance in front of the Igreja Matriz in the municipality of Poconé, Mato Grosso, where the lighting arch was set up.

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They come to honor Saint Benedict, as part of the celebrations of the Holy Spirit Festival. Half of them dressed as men - the gallants - and the other half dressed as women - the ladies.

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Lively music with rhythms that blend waltz with African drumbeats. The group dances non-stop, with their funny gestures and rolls. Very excited, the "ladies" shake their skirts all the time. The gallants bow and interact with them in well-rehearsed steps. They perform 12 different choreographies in about 2 hours of performance.

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Their masks of wire mesh and putty, painted gray in the case of the gallants or pink in the case of the ladies, give the characters a fun aspect. The clothes, always brilliant, made by themselves, demonstrate the pride that exists in being part of the group.

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The dance is strenuous and, for this very reason, the boys learn to dance at a very young age, in a tradition passed down from father to son. There are few who can withstand the challenge, which only increases the pride of being part of the group.