July

Event Type Dance

www.viverbrasil.com

Viver Brasil Dance Company
The Gift on the Water/Omi Odára

Sat. July 5 at 8:30 p.m.

With rolling rhythms and hips, dancers and musicians evoke the clearing and healing power of water spirits. Myth becomes theatre as they carry you down the wide and gentle river of Brazil’s Afro-Bahian culture.

Full price $28
Buy 3 or more events and pay only $22
Students and Children $5
Open Seating

Extended Information

Viver Brasil Dance Company presents a sizzling display of Afro-Bahian rhythms, drums, rolling hips and exuberant colors and costumes in “The Gift on the Water/Omi Odára” at the Ford Amphitheatre.  This rapturous, high energy World Premiere evokes the clearing and healing power of Afro-Brazilian water spirits, while bridging the gap between ancient myths and rituals and contemporary choreography.

Founded in 1997, the award winning Viver Brasil Dance Company is firmly rooted in the traditional and contemporary forms and techniques of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil whilst pushing the boundaries of how ancient sacred dances are transformed into contemporary theatrical productions.  The company specializes in bringing to life the epic, tantalizing stories of the orixa, African sacred energies or spirits that are the pulse of Afro-Brazilian culture, in addition to presenting ecstatic samba, contemporary Afro-Brazilian dance and carnival. 

Under the artistic direction of Linda Yudin and Co-director Luiz Badaro, Viver Brasil Dance Company layers Afro-Brazilian moves, myths and eclectic instrumentation with an array of drums, vocals, and string instruments.  Featured musicians include captivating Rio de Janeiro guest vocalist Katia Moraes of Sambaguru, Sandie Castaneda on a 3 piece drum set, cellist Joyce Rookes with Luiz Badaró of Bahia and Mario Pallais anchoring the Afro-Brazilian rhythms on congas, bongos, timbaus and surdos.

“The Gift on the Water/Omi Odára” features new works exploring water symbology by internationally renowned guest choreographer from Salvador, Bahia, Brazil Rosangela Silverstre including:  Premiere of The Three Waters honoring the female water orixas: Yemanja, the ocean goddess; Eua, the orixa of possibility, magic, potential, the water that we drink, rainwater, transformation, and owner of music and Oxum, the river goddess and owner of the arts. The program also features Identity, a piece based in the Silvestre dance technique and a demonstration of the Afro-Brazilian dance-like martial art form Capoeira

The core dancers of Viver Brasil possess a strong background in Afro Brazilian dance (most have trained in Bahia via Viver Brasil’s annual dance trips) plus have eclectic training in modern technique. Dani Lunn began Afro-Brazilian dance training at age nine and is a certified gyrotonic/kinesis instructor; Laila Abdullah trained in Dunham and Silvestre techniques, modern and West African; Shelby Williams trained in Lewitzky and Silvestre technique and Andriana Mitchell also dances with Trip Dance Theatre.

In addition to the vibrant colors, music and dance of Brazil, “Omi Odára” exhibits authentic, handmade costumes reflecting the traditional ceremonial garb of the orixa deities.  Many of the costumes are made in Brazil by master seamstress Iyalorixa Mainha da Bahia, a priestess of the Afro-Brazilian religion Candomblé who understands how costumes for traditional and contemporary choreography must be constructed for the stage and not the ceremony.  Rich fabrics of brocade, lame, chitão and lycra encompass the distinctive and unique costuming for the night.  The accessories, such as crowns are made by Brazilian artists that specialize in the accessories for the orixa costumes.  The entire look and feel of the performance has been certified by cultural consultant, Dona Cici of Brazil.

“From the first exhilarating sound of the atabaque drums, a surge of electricity sweeps through the audience, unites us with the irrepressibly energetic troupe of dancers, drummers and singers and keeps us in an elevated, almost combustible state until well past the last sound fades away.” – LA Weekly

Tickets, priced at $28 for adults and $5 full-time students and children, can be purchased at www.FordTheatres.org or by calling the Ford box office at (323) 461-3673. The $5 tickets are made possible thanks to a grant from Target, sponsor of Target Dance Series at the Ford. Target strives to make the arts affordable and accessible to youth and families because the arts help foster an appreciation and understanding of various cultures and points of view.