Masks have bewitched the inhabitants of Mexico for centuries. Since pre-Hispanic times people native to Mexico have practiced ritual dances to summon gods or animal spirits or to pray for a bountiful harvest. Their costumes and their masks are as important to the rituals as the dances themselves. 

Colorful masks of all shapes and sizes line the walls of Galeria Eugenio.

Mask maker Mario Badillo is continuing a family tradition, begun by his uncle, Eugenio, fifty years ago.

He says his uncle experimented with the form of traditional masks, combining elements from religious art like gold leaf to create new artistic forms.

The family's collection of more than 6-thousand contemporary masks from all over Mexico is one of the largest in the world.

Today hundreds of traditional and regional dances are performed each year around the country.

One widely practiced dance is called "Chinelo".