Eight professional dancers have performed a folk dance show in Antarctica for the first time in history. Argentina’s National Folk Ballet and Contemporary Dance Company performed for those stationed at Argentina’s Base Marambio on Tuesday.

Four artists from each company performed in a joint show, wearing snowsuits in the open air, in temperatures of -7°C (19°F). The performance delved into Argentine history, diversity, and myths. At night, they performed inside the dining room to 120 Antarctic workers – scientists, engineers, architects, and members of the armed forces. The night ended with a peña, a traditional celebration, where the public joined to dance with the artists. 

“This work is to collaborate towards community and sovereignty from a cultural perspective,” said Federico Prieto the Cultural Management secretary. Cultural activities in Marambio Base and Esperanza Base will be carried out in the upcoming months. For residents of the Argentine Antarctic territory, plays, concerts, and film screenings will be available under the program called “Sovereign Culture – Argentine Antarctic”. 

The 2022 census registered a population of 250 people in the Argentine Antarctic, although the territory’s population fluctuates depending on the seasons. It’s the coldest, windiest, and driest continent in the world. 

Argentina is the only country that has had an uninterrupted presence in Antarctica since 1904, carrying out scientific research in the area of 1,461,597 square kilometers. The Argentine Antarctic territory is considered to be a part of the Tierra del Fuego province, but the administration is shared between several government institutions.