Embodied Dialogues: Legacies of Freedom in African Brazilian Dance

Convened by Professor of Dance, Ava LaVonne Vinesett, this forum centers the significance of dance in making Afro Brazilian thought, creativity, experiences, memories, imagination and existence visible. The Duke Dance Program, with support by the Duke Brazil Initiative and Latin American and Caribbean Studies, welcomes scholar/choreographer, Moving Spirits, Inc. founder and author of Giving Life to Movement: The Silvestre Dance Technique, Tamara L. Williams, and Brazilian artists: Rosangela Silvestre; Mestre Jelon Vieira; Nildinha Fonseca; José Ricardo Sousa; and Luciano Xavier. This event is co-sponsored by the Duke Brazil Initiative and the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies.

Schedule of Events:

Wednesday, April 13 | 12:00-2:00pm | Ruby Lounge, Rubenstein Arts Center (RAC) Lunch & Conversation with the artists. Tamara Williams will discuss her book and guest artists can draw on their experiences of how they believe these embodied forms reach across cultures, continents and time, and how their forms are an incantation of imagination. Duke Dance MFA EIP alumna, Courtney Crumpler, will support translation during the lunch conversation. Lunch will be available to the first 25 participants, and you are also welcome to bring your lunch. Lunch will run 12:00-12:45pm, with conversation from 12:45-2:00pm.

Wednesday, April 13 | 5:15-6:30pm | RAC 224
Master class with Nildinha Fonseca during Ava LaVonne Vinesett's African Tech II.

Wednesday, April 13 | 7:00-8:15pm | RAC 224
Percussion class with Jose Ricardo and Luciano Xavier during Ava LaVonne Vinesett's Performance: African Repertory

Thursday, April 14 | 12:00-1:15pm | RAC 124
Mestre Jelon Vieira visits Katya Wesolowski's Performing African Diaspora.

Thursday, April 14 | 5:15-6:30pm | RAC 224
Rosangela Silvestre Master class during Ava LaVonne Vinesett's African Tech I. Attendees from the Wednesday evening percussion class are invited to participate alongside our guest master musicians.

The event is FREE and open to campus and the public; however, we ask that you register, http://tinyurl.com/2p98nkh2. Duke COVID protocols are in effect, and masks and social distancing are required.

Limited parking is available for non-Duke guests by emailing ava@duke.edu by April 12.