My vision of dance

In my early years working as a professional dancer, I discovered the power of movement to transform the body's presence in the world, not only while dancing but also in its ability to forge connections and create lasting transformations within spaces and relationships. I experienced movement as a political tool of the body, thus becoming an active agent of change in my life. It was at this juncture that I pursued a psychology degree, aiming to broaden my perspective on the artistic processes of dance creation. 

Since then, my interest in movement research has primarily focused on the fine line that exists between the private and the public sphere, the interdependence of what is individual and what is collective, the body as a intersectional space where past, present, and future coexist, dance as a realm of convergence, exchange, resistance, celebration, and most importantly, dance as a tool to create new narratives and multiple possibilities of being in the world.

Biography

With over 20 years of dance experience, I've danced for some of Brazil's most significant choreographers, including the renowned state company Cia. de Dança Palácio das Artes. During my time in Brazil, I pursued and completed a psychology degree, conducting a research focused on the creative processes within dance.

In 2013, I moved to Berlin, and since then, I've become an integral part of the dance collective Grupo Oito. As a dancer, I've taken part in nearly all of the group's productions and provided choreographic assistance for a handful of projects. My journey with Grupo Oito has led me to perform at venues such as Ballhaus Naunynstraße, OYOUN Kultur NeuDenken, Gropius Bau, HALLE Tanzbühne Berlin, HAU - Hebbel am Ufer, and more.

Being a dancer within Grupo Oito and collaborating with Natalie Riedelsheimer for the performative research project "Machine to become" over six years, I've used dance as a means to delve into political subjects like racialization and gender, while also questioning art's role in society.

The performance experiment „Machine to become” consists of a trilogy to tackle complex concepts and transform powerful stereotypes through working with audience assumptions, stories, sounds and movement. The project - created by Natalie Riedelsheimer and myself.  - originated in 2016 as part of Oito Solos +1, a platform by Grupo Oito. Since 2019, we have been developing it further with dramaturg Nora Haakh and collaborating with a growing network of women artists. Supported by the NATIONAL PERFORMANCE NETWORK – STEPPING OUT, within the framework of the initiative NEUSTART KULTUR the first piece of the trilogy - "Machine to become-Woman" - was finalized and a research on a Machine that investigates critical whitness was initiated. In 2023, supported by Fonds Darstellende Künste within the framework of NEUSTART KULTUR, we completed the second piece of the trilogy, titled "Machine to become-which Witch?".

Since 2013, I have been developing my work as a choreographer, having created short pieces such as "Unset" (2013), DOCH! (2015), and Federlicht (2017). In 2021, with the support of Fonds Darstellende Künste and funding from the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media, I embarked on my first full-length choreography titled "TRANSATLANTICA." The initial phase of the project resulted in a film, shot in Berlin at Heizhaus_PSR/Uferstudios in June 2021. The live performance of "TRANSATLANTICA" premiered at the English Theatre Berlin - International Performing Arts Center in June 2022.

Moreover, in previous years, I collaborated with fellow artists on various projects, taking on diverse positions. For instance, within the context of the 2020 edition of FRATZ International – a performing arts festival in Berlin dedicated to young audiences – I engaged in research with Mareike Jung and Iury Trojaborg. Our exploration delved into the representation of class, gender, and "Racialization" within theater and dance.

In 2018 and 2019 I worked both as a dancer and choreographer for the Dresdner Musikfestspiele project "Bohéme 2020". These performances occurred at venues including Hellerau, Kulturpalast Dresden, Staatsoperette Dresden, and others.

Furthermore, in 2019 I worked as an assistant director for Magda Korsinsky's project "Stricken" at Ballhaus Naunynstraße - Berlin, and contributed as a dancer expert for the Flausen+ project "A Stranger in Paradise?" at theater wrede + in Oldenburg.

Artistic research projects and grants

In 2019, I received two research grants in collaboration with Natalie Riedelsheimer. The first grant came from Quartiersmanagement Badstraße and supported the development of the project "UNZÄHLBARE," carried out in conjunction with Temporary Contact Zone AUCH by Ilker Abay and Nora Haakh. The outcome was a series of performances and workshops addressing the experience of womanhood, offered as an artistic endeavor for the local community. The second grant was the initial funding from Fonds Darstellende Künste for the research project "The search for a feminist body: a new movement archive," aimed at critically examining our own dance practices and the representation of women on stage.

In 2021, with the support of NEUSTART KULTUR #TakeAction - Fonds Darstellende Künste, the members of Grupo Oito and I got funding for the project "Anti-Norm." This collaborative research initiative aimed to critically explore whiteness and address the question: What does it mean to be anti-racist?

In 2022, also together with fellow members of Grupo Oito and in partnership with HAU Hebbel am Ufer, I conducted the research project "Sewing Thoughts." The research was funded by NEUSTART KULTUR #TakeHeart Residenzförderung - Fonds Darstellende Künste. The project delves into the unfamiliar within us, questioning it from the edges of normality. It examines Unica Zürn's life and creative work, with a focus on taboo topics like abortion and mental health. The endeavor involves crafting a performative language that blends textual and movement elements.

Teaching

Since 2016, I've been giving regular contemporary dance classes at Vuesch. e.V - Berlin, and I've conducted workshops in various locations across Germany, Croatia, and Brazil. As a teacher, my interest lies in utilizing diverse techniques and also exploring and researching movement through the use of improvisation practices to empower the artistic ideas of the students to their fullest potential.

My work as a teacher is characterized by being highly physical, influenced by floorwork, partnering, contact improvisation techniques, somatic practices, improvisation and composition techniques, and insights from the Get Physical Process - a practice used by Grupo Oito and developed by Ricardo de Paula.