The phenomenon of “aura battles,” which started among transgender women in New York, is making its way to the Canary Islands this Sunday. Participants will aim to enhance their charisma and appeal through specific behaviours, akin to scoring popularity points in a video game.
This event is part of the Gran Canaria Experience, a festival celebrating video games and urban cultures, taking place at the Alisios Shopping Centre in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria from Wednesday through Sunday.
Aura battles recently gained attention on social media and are being studied by academics at the University of Granada. They view the trend as an attempt to manage how one is perceived by others.
The event will feature prizes and is being hosted by the influential Zelika, who boasts over 19 million followers across her platforms. Participants will engage in various gestures and poses to build their “aura,” a term defined by the Royal Spanish Academy as favour or general acceptance.
Psychology professors Rosa Rodríguez and Sergio Moreno from the University of Granada note that this practice isn’t new, referencing historical examples such as breakdancing, rap battles, jazz sessions, and voguing. They explain that the key to a successful aura lies in projecting confidence and charisma without appearing contrived, as forced behaviour can lead to the opposite effect.
These aura battles have become a viral success due to their shared codes of gestures and movements, which may not resonate with older generations but hold significance within the participating group. The professors describe aura as a tool for social capital, with the group deciding what enhances or diminishes it. They also highlight that teenagers’ well-being is more closely linked to the quality of their in-person friendships than to their social media usage.
