Aura farming battles make their debut in Mexico

In a modern twist on the "You got served" hip-hop dance battle craze from two decades ago, teenagers and young adults in Mexico have started hosting "aura farming" competitions in public spaces throughout the country. But what exactly is aura farming? This viral internet slang term refers to performing deliberate, effortless actions to appear confident or charismatic.

Gen Alpha and Gen Z utilize the phrase to describe enhancing their "vibe," style, or perceived social status without appearing overly ambitious. The term has even been included in Merriam-Webster's dictionary, defining it as "the act of doing something to look cool, impressive, stylish, etc., especially — and importantly — without trying too hard."

The aura farming fad originated on TikTok and Instagram, blending the video game concept of "farming" (performing repetitive tasks for points) with dancing, eventually leading to physical battles in parks and streets across Latin America. In Mexico City, three prominent aura farming competitions were held in recent weeks: one at the esplanade of the Palace of Fine Arts, another at the Monument to the Revolution, and a third in the upscale Condesa neighborhood (which even featured a prize of 3,000 pesos, or approximately US $177).

The craze has expanded beyond the capital as well, with aura battles recently taking place in Juárez Park, Xalapa—the capital of Veracruz—as well as in a competition for children as young as six years old in Torreón, Coahuila. These "battles" draw large crowds who watch participants compete symbolically through poses, dances, gestures, and meme references to demonstrate who has more "aura."

The winner is determined by the audience's reaction, including the volume of cheers, applause, and laughter, as well as the overall impact made during the face-off. While the events have their supporters, they also have their detractors. The municipal council of Ignacio de la Llave, Veracruz, officially banned aura battles in public parks, citing administrative procedures and regulations for public spaces rather than the theme or content of the competition.

CNN attributes the origin of aura farming to 2024, with international attention gained last year through viral videos of 11-year-old Indonesian Rayyan Arkan Dikha dancing at the helm of a boat during a traditional rowing competition. Social media users were captivated by the boy's high levels of "aura," and the trend quickly spread.

The phenomenon has become especially popular in Latin America; a championship was held at the University of Costa Rica in San Juan on August 18, and several tournaments were organized in São Paulo, Brazil, this summer.