Special Workshop
Donation – $10-25

Afro-Brazilian dances are artistic manifestations based on the reinterpretation of other manifestations of traditional African heritage such as: Capoeira, Samba, O Maracatu, O Afoxé, Congadas and others. These traditions provide teachers and choreographers with essential elements in the recreation of Afro-Brazilian Dance movements. Journeying from West Africa to Brazil, enslaved men brought religion and their wealth like music and dances to create a powerful worship practice that is linked to the Brazilian Candomble religion. Practitioners of Candomblé believe in one all powerful God called Oludumaré who is served by lesser deities. These deities are called Orixás and each Orixá represents a certain force in nature and is associated with certain foods, colours, animals and days of the week. Evandro will bring the dances of the Orixas to students through body movement and song. In this workshop learn the movement and history associated the ORIXÁS: OXUM, IEMANJA, IANSA, XANGO, OXOSSI, OBALUAÊ.

Evandro Passos is a dancer, choreographer, teacher and founder of Companhia Bataka. Born in Diamantina, he came to Belo Horizonte as a teenager. The first contact with the dance was in the native land with the traditional dances. He was part of the folkloric group Aruanda and also started in classical dance. At that same moment, he had a definitive encounter with Marlene Silva and Afro dance, which changed his life and ultimately guided his career. It is at Marlene Silva's school that he performed in her first show, “Sangue e Raça.” From then on, he dedicated himself entirely to Afro dance, whether as a dancer, choreographer, researcher and teacher. In 1982 he founded Companhia Bataka, which is the subject of his master's degree at São Paulo State University. He is also an actor with works in theater, television and cinema, and has a degree in communication. He is a professor at the Federal University of São João Del Rei and a member of UNESCO's International Dance Council (CID).