Hotel Medea Masterclass

A masterclass on indigenous and Afro-Brazilian rhythms, dances and rituals from the North East of Brazil. The class is inspired by the traditions and culture that originate from indigenous Brazil and Africa's west coast, and the traditions practised in the North East of Brazil.

This project aims to explore the links in language, music, dance and other movement practices particularly with references to cultural connections to Africa. This workshop covers Bumba Meu Boi ritual, dances from the Orixas and Tambor de Mina.

Mestre Urias De Oliviera, who co-leads the workshop, originates from Sao Luis in the North East of Brazil. He is a theatre maker, a practising Shaman and initiated in the Condomble religion. His work combines his knowledge of ritual, dance and movement in a theatre setting, gained over 30 years.

The session is co-led and translated by Persis-Jade Maravala, director of the 'Hotel Medea' overnight trilogy. Former artistic director of Para Active and artistic associate of The British Grotowski project, she is an associate of Guillermo Gomez-Pena's La Pocha Nostra.

Originally from Yemen, with an Iranian and Indian heritage, her work revolves around issues of identity and the self. For the last 15 years she has been an independent artist working in performance and live art, making work where her biographical paradigm intersects with larger social and cultural issues. She develops artistic projects that focus on using culturally diverse performance styles where the focus is on re-imagining the space for theatre.

Persis-Jade Maravala has a passionate belief in art as an ideal medium for articulating the time of permanent crisis that we find ourselves in, therefore travelling from myth to social reality where an intrinsic part of this artistic process is in encounters with those on the so-called margins - the hybrids and the outsiders.

The Masterclass is open to people with all levels of experience. It offers a way of accessing the deeper traditions and roots of Brazilian culture that go beyond the Carnival and Samba. All welcome!

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Hotel Medea