Pericón is a traditional folk dance of Uruguay and Argentina, often performed by several couples who move through arranged figures while carrying handkerchiefs. Its ceremonial formations and historical associations have made it an emblem of national and regional identity. A poet may invoke the pericón to describe pageantry, courtship governed by custom, or a community rehearsing its inherited roles. The fluttering handkerchief can become an image of greeting, farewell, invitation, or restraint, while the changing patterns suggest social order constantly being made anew.

Pericón is associated with Río de la Plata folk traditions and often includes formal formations, partners, and handkerchief signals. It can represent national ceremony, social roles, courtship, and the order created by patterned movement.