Imagine being 12,144 feet above sea level in the mining town of Oruro, Bolivia, hearing the traditional music of your indigenous ancestors and sharing their folkloric cultural history through the movement of your body, dancing at Oruro's Carnaval, one of the most impressive festivals in all of Bolivia.

This was a dream come true for Bolivian-American millennial Karina Moscoso, an Astoria, New York native that works for R. Couri Hay Creative Public Relations in New York City.

Moscoso knows all too well about the hustle and bustle of the Big Apple and the inner-workings of public relations in a city of millions of go-getters who burn the midnight oil. Recently, she took a break from her busy schedule to relive her love of her Bolivian culture and dance with Latin Post.

"Being Bolivian, I love that I continue to carry on the traditions, even though my parents came here 40 years ago. Just the closeness, the passion, the uniqueness and the cultural elements of Bolivia, you learn to appreciate it," Moscoso told Latin Post.

Moscoso's mother is from La Paz and her father is from Oruro, Bolivia. She is a member of the Fraternidad Folklorica Caporales Universitarios San Simón Filial New York, "one of the most recognized Bolivian cultural groups in the metropolitan area."

With 13 years as an official affiliate of their sister group in Cochabamba, Bolivia, they represent their country in New Jersey, Rhode Island, Virginia, and Connecticut.

"I have been dancing for eight years now," Moscoso said. "We have a real connection with Bolivia. We get to dance in Bolivia during Carnaval, that's what is unique about our group."

Members of the dance troupe get custom-fitted costumes handcrafted by a professional designer in Bolivia that are sent to the U.S. Each year, hundreds of designers enter their costume designs and a winner is chosen.

"The dances all have their origins ... it's just beautiful. I love the excitement, the costumes and getting ready for it, you are paying homage to the patron, La Virgen del Socavón," she added.

As a modern millenial, Moscoso has worn both the male and female Caporal costumes, which has been an empowering and eye-opening experience.

"The male Caporal costume depicts an old Spanish military guard wearing heeled boots bearing large bells known as 'cascabeles,' carrying a hat and a whip," she explained. "The female Caporal dress consists of a mini dress, fancy high-heeled shoes, and a round top hat."

"Caporales take their name from the corporals or foremen who brutally oversaw the gangs of African and Indian laborers during the colonial period. The aggressive, highly choreographed performance of the male and female dancers reinforces this role, using music derived from Afro-Bolivian percussion rhythms. The beat is accentuated by strings of bells worn on the men's legs, a practice also borrowed from Afro-Bolivian traditions."

What is it like taking on a male role in traditional, folkloric dance?

"Dancing as a 'Macha' (as they sometimes call it in Bolivia) is nothing ground-breaking in the Caporales dance. A great feeling comes over me when I'm able to keep up with the physical demands of dancing the male role," Moscoso explained. "Having the ability to perform movements such as jumping high, squatting down, and singing loudly just like the rest of the male dance troupe creates a sense of satisfaction and thrill."

While it's an exhilarating experience as a female taking on this powerful dance, it doesn't come without some ignorance or criticism. "Even though for most part I receive support from my peers, there are still the few who have that archaic thought of a girl dancing in the male troupe," she pointed out. A few months ago, an unknown man messaged her on Facebook insinuating that she was "coming out of the closet" because of the way she danced, which is not the case, she said.

Despite the minor social media backlash, Moscoso continues to be an avid social media user and continues to shine in her dancing roles for the Fraternidad Folklorica Caporales Universitarios San Simón Filial dance troupe, which she and her sister discovered on MySpace eight years ago.

On Nov. 22, 1978, Fraternidad Folklorica y Cultural Caporales Universitarios San Simón was founded in Cochabamba, Bolivia by a group of residents from Oruro, Bolivia and alumni of the Universidad Mayor de San Simón, for "the purpose of retaining and growing its ancient customs."

They formed a dance group of Caporales "as a means to demonstrate their devotion to the Virgin Mary of the Socavón as well as to be able to participate in the Carnival in Oruro."

Headquartered in Cochabamba, Bolivia, the Bolivian dance troupe's reach goes well beyond its borders. It has chapters in La Paz, Santa Cruz, Sucre as well as international chapters in Sao Paolo, Brazil, Sweden, Milan, Italy, London, England and Virginia, New York, and California.

"With over 35 years of history Caporales San Simón has conquered Bolivia and the world with its dance, lifestyle, traditions, and culture," explains the group's official website. "Caporales San Simón is not just a dance group, it is a way of life."

Check out the 35th Anniversary celebration for the Fraternidad Folklorica Cultural Caporales Universitarios de San Simon.

And the Carnaval de Oruro 2013.