The collective was founded in 2017, led by educator and choreographer Ernane Ferreira, as an extension of Afro dance classes, driven by the need to reconnect the children with Afro-centric culture through dances rooted in African traditions.
The goal is to promote pride in this practice, bring the community closer to the proposed cultural language, confront religious intolerance stemming from racism, and strengthen individual identities.
The objective of this work is to provide a foundation for children to develop their political, racial, and social structures fully, respecting their subjectivities and pluralities.
One of their performances is called ILÉ, which means "earth" in Yoruba. It is a reinterpretation of one of the collective's first performances, questioning the Eurocentric view of our origins through popular dances of African ancestry. It narrates a journey of memory, faith, and struggle, embodied by the figure of Oxumaré.
Beyond the performance, we invite the audience to share the experience of witnessing our children building a path that leads them toward political, social, and liberatory consciousness.
We started from the principle of combating religious racism for our first proposals to be presented to the residents, aiming to foster respect and empathy for African-rooted religions, which have historically and systematically suffered from persecution rooted in religious racism.
Gradually, we expanded our discussions and broadened our range of possibilities for reflection, seeking to advance the dialogue with residents towards political and social awareness, using the scenic process as a teaching tool.
Beyond being a dance group, the collective operates as a welcoming space for participants, embracing their subjectivities to empower them within their own understanding of themselves. The goal is to foster their full and healthy development, providing them with strategic and psychological resources to protect themselves from the impacts imposed by a society built on segregation.
OBJECTIVES
Provide the emancipation of individuals through educational work.
Encourage protagonism and empowerment through dance by participating in major festivals.
Integrate into the cultural calendar of the territory.
Value Afro-referenced and Indigenous perspectives.
Ensure permanent financial support for the group.
Expand the cultural repertoire through exchanges.
Obinrin Mimo Performance
"The capacity to affect and be affected by others, by our surroundings, is fundamental to an educational process that is focused on understanding and respecting the differences that define us as everyday subjects."
—Azoilda Loretto da Trindade
Inspired by the concept of affection, we decided to build our performance around the theme of the "sacred feminine." Together, we envisioned and defined a piece focused on the body as a temple free from social labels and connected to its own vital energy, flowing beyond gender. It can feel, seek to understand, and interpret all possible developments within each perception. This allowed us to explore the sacred and carnal understanding of the feminine, and in doing so, we opened ourselves up to being affected by our comprehension—affection can amplify respect.
The Erês Quilombo da Provi Collective extends its gratitude to everyone who embraced this proposal, especially the mothers and women responsible for the participants. Without them, we could not have overcome the many obstacles in the journey of structuring our performance.
Thank you to all the forces that supported and guided our process of growth.
Visual Elements Assistance and Creation: Douglas Dobby (@douglasdobby)
Costumes and Accessories: Quinzinho Quinze (@quinzinho_15) with fabrics by @atelierguzzo
Percussion and Soundtrack: Ana Maga and Dai Ramos (@anamaga.tambor @daii.ramos)
Direction and Concept: Ernane Ferreira (@ernaneferreira_)
