Ford Amphitheatre (Hollywood, CA)
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. 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.
Event summary prepared by the Goldstar Editorial Team.
All dates for this event have expired.
The last event was Saturday July 5, 2008 / 8:30pm. (view all dates)
Check back to this section to see pictures from this event!
It was a nice event at a very reasonable price.
Fantastic! Absolutely amazing and enthralling--a MUST see!
Breath taking show ,It complet my Birthday and I love and try to see all there shows.I am looking forward to see the next one.
I love it
First time to the John Anson Ford Theater.
Great venue !! Great performance !!
Viver Brasil was a wonderful evening of dance and culture. The dancers and musicians were wonderful.
My first time at the Ford and that was really nice, although getting seated for our picnic dinner was an ordeal (hence the lesser star rating). The show was unique and quite enjoyable.....the second half far superior to the first half. I would recommend this event to others.
The first two dances, before the intermission, were too long and too much of the same thing over and over- it got repetitive and somewhat boring - it would have been terrific if it were half as long. The two dances after the intermission were exciting and really terrific.
The 1241-seat outdoor Ford Amphitheatre is set against a backdrop of cypresses and chaparral in the Hollywood Hills. It is relatively intimate: no patron is more than 96 feet away from the stage. Music, dance, film, theatre and family events are presented during the summer months. The Ford Amphitheatre Season is a program of the Los Angeles County Arts Commission.
With rolling rhythms and hips, dancers and musicians evoke the clearing and healing power of water spirits. Myth becomes theatre as they carry the audience down the wide and gentle river of Brazil’s Afro-Bahian culture.
The Gift on the Water/Omi Odára features new works exploring water symbology by internationally renowned guest choreographer Rosangela Silverstre, including the 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 who 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.
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, while 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 three-piece drum set, and cellist Joyce Rookes, with Luiz Badaró of Bahia and Mario Pallais anchoring the Afro-Brazilian rhythms on congas, bongos, timbaus and surdos.
Use of this site is governed by our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. © 2008 Goldstar Events, Inc.