Open doors. Open eyes. Open minds.
Enrich your experience with a wide variety of additional classes or choose a hands-on experience where you will be able to interact with local experts! Any one of our complementary classes or workshops can be offered as a conference.
Yucatán is home to a vibrant community of writers and storytellers. Learn the magic of contemporary Mayan literature of the Yucatán Peninsula through studying a selection of writers from diverse genres. Through this class, you will learn to read and analyze short stories and novels based on life in communities throughout Yucatán. You will even meet and work with the authors themselves.
From salsa to merengue to bachata, learn the skills you'll need to be a hit on the dance floor. Our professional dance instructors will have you moving and shaking in no time - no experience necessary!
La Jarana is the traditional dance of Yucatán, which is celebrated at las vaquerías or community festivals. Traditional dress is a must, and for women this means donning a terno de gala. Learn with us and impress your audience with elegant moves and lively sounds that will liven up the whole world.
When getting to know any new place, indulging in the traditional food is a must. Yucatecan cuisine is unique, flavorful, and deeply tied to the history and culture of the peninsula. By cooking alongside Yucatecan chefs and families, you will learn how to make your own panuchos, salbutes, tamales, and more. Not sure what those are? Come find out! You are sure to fall in love with our food and there's no better way than to make it yourself.
Prehispanic Mayan civilization in Yucatán developed a complex system of tracking the movement of Earth and other bodies in the solar system. This legacy lives on today and can be seen in the pyramids of Chichen-Itzá, Uxmal, and other archaeological sites. Take a trip back in time and look to the stars to see how the Mayans of the past saw the world
Explore the ancient cosmos and become acquainted with the supernatural beings that make up the worldview of the prehispanic Mayan people, and see how these aspects are still reflected today in the architecture, iconography and archaeology of contemporary Mayan communities.
In the forests, milpas, and gardens of Yucatán, you will find a myriad of plant species with the ability to heal a variety of illnesses. Mayan men and women have used these plants for millenia, passing down this invaluable knowledge for generations. In this class, you will learn how to identify and use a variety of medicinal plants commonly employed in traditional Mayan medicine. Our teachers are experts in the field who will teach you to use traditional medicine safely and respectfully.
At PICY, we believe that photography is a valuable tool that can be used not only in ethnographic research but as a means of artistic expression. From the experienced photographer to the budding shutterbug, our professional photographers will help you take your photography to the next level. In addition to digital work, we also offer classes in analog photography where you can learn to develop and print your own film in the darkroom! Come capture all the beauty you see and experience in Yucatán.
Mexican cinema offers an enormous diversity of characters and situations, from ancient traditions to the contemporary urban world. From the reality of the Mexican revolution to the fantastic world of luchadores (Mexican wrestlers). This class provides an opportunity to learn about the society, art and pop culture of Mexico. There is something new to discover in every scene!
In addition to being a delicious and medicinal fruit, the coconut fruit, the palm, and the leaves are utilized by artisans as a raw material for the creation of beautiful works.
In the same way, many fruits harvested from the milpa serve not only to provide food for Yucatecan farmers, or campesinos, but are also used to create tools used in daily life as well as musical instruments.
Learning the art and its pre-hispanic origins is an exceptional opportunity. In this workshop, you will discover the world of creative pieces that can be made with coconuts and the fruits of the milpa.
Many habitants of Yucatan’s coast use sea shells collected from the beach to create beautiful handicrafts, such as decorations and jewelry.
Local seeds, such as the cocoyol palm, are also used for this purpose.
In this workshop, you will learn the techniques to create these works of art using sea shells or seeds and will be able to see a variety of designs that the artisans have created.
Wood and stone carving is an ancestral tradition that continues to this day in some communities in the state of Yucatán.
Venture on a trip to the past and learn the tricks of the trade, along with the incredible works of art that result.
The fruit of Mexican creativity and ingenuity, piñatas spread joy at children’s and holiday parties with their colors and shapes. In this workshop, you will learn how to make a piñata and the only limit is your own imagination.
The traditional dresses of the women of Yucatán are characterized for their designs and the vivid colors of their embroidery. Each stitch is a reflection of the happiness and dedication of the local artist. Two techniques of embroidery are used in Yucatán, the first using a sewing machine and the second, called xok bi chay or hilo contado, being hand-embroidery.
Another technique to decorate traditional dresses involves painting, opening a world of possibilities that can unfold on the fabric.
In this workshop, you will decide which technique of embroidery or painting you would like to learn, and be amazed by the beautiful works you can create.
Hammocks are an integral part of the culture in Yucatán, they can be found in every home and are famous for their comfort and refreshing coolness. Learn to weave a hammock by hand from a Yucatecan artisan.
The art of beekeeping is an ancestral practice from the ancient Mayans, who domesticated a species of bee called “xunankab” (“Melipona becheii”), whose honey was used as a medicine and sweetener. To this day, people are still dedicated to the caretaking of this traditional species, as well as the European bee (Apis mellifera), which yields equally delicious results.
Those interested in this workshop will familiarize themselves with the mythology of contemporary Mayan communities. They will understand the importance of these stories as ways of transmitting knowledge and analyze the function of myths in modern-day Mayan society. This course examines the relationship between man, nature, and conservation in everyday contexts including jungles, milpas, hunting, caves, and cenotes.
Participants in this course will learn the basic concepts of ethnography as a research method. Field trips and work in communities will allow for a broader understanding of the current social situations of Mayan people today.
In this workshop, students will become familiar with various musical instruments of pre-hispanic origin, which have important archaeological and historical significance. Today, many expert artisans continue to produce these instruments by hand throughout Yucatan. In this course, students will learn to create unique music using these traditional instruments.
