Kelly Silva brings the Cavalo-Marinho — a UNESCO-recognized Brazilian folk tradition — to a free 3-day workshop in São Paulo this February.
Body, Rhythm, and Cultural Resistance
Dancer, arts educator, and researcher Kelly Silva will lead “Manobra” (Maneuver), a three-day workshop dedicated to the Cavalo-Marinho — a living Brazilian folk performance tradition blending dance, music, and dramatic play that is officially recognized as intangible cultural heritage of Brazil.
The workshop runs February 24, 25, and 26 at Jambu Galpão, a cultural space in the Vila Romana neighborhood of São Paulo’s west side, from 1 PM to 5 PM daily. Registration is free at: https://acesse.one/MOLiC
Rooted in the Aldeia de Carapicuíba
Kelly will be joined by guest artists Juliana Pardo and Alício Amaral from Cia Mundu Rodá. Together, they will share experiences shaped by masters of the tradition — particularly those tied to the Aldeia de Carapicuíba, a community where Cavalo-Marinho has been reimagined and kept alive across generations.
Kelly’s connection to the tradition runs deep. She began her journey in childhood at the Aldeia de Carapicuíba and has spent 26 years researching and creating from within the Cavalo-Marinho practice. She is a co-founder of the collective Boizinho da Aldeia.
What Participants Will Experience
The workshop goes well beyond dance steps. Participants will explore footwork patterns, the mergulhão (dive), trupés (stomping sequences), and the arc maneuver — understood not as mere technique, but as ways of organizing the body in space, engaging with others, and sustaining rhythm and presence.
Through movement, musicality, play, and deep listening, “Manobra” invites participants to experience Cavalo-Marinho as dance, game, and an act of cultural resistance — a reminder that the body carries memory, belonging, and aesthetic power.
The workshop invites participants to experience Cavalo-Marinho as dance, game, and cultural resistance — recognizing the body as a site of transmission, belonging, continuity, and aesthetic power.
Public Funding and the “A Ilha” Project
“Manobra” is part of the “A Ilha” (The Island) project by Jorge Garcia Companhia de Dança, selected for the 38th Edition of São Paulo’s Municipal Dance Funding Program, supported by the city’s Secretariat of Culture and Creative Economy.
The workshop welcomes dancers, theater artists, audiovisual creators, and anyone interested in Brazilian folk culture research. Capacity is limited to 25 participants.
Event Details
“Manobra” – Workshop on the Cavalo-Marinho tradition
Led by: Kelly Silva
Guest Artists: Juliana Pardo and Alício Amaral (Cia Mundu Rodá)
Dates: February 24, 25, and 26, 2026 — 1 PM to 5 PM
Target audience: dance, theater, and audiovisual artists, and those interested in Brazilian folk culture research
Capacity: 25 people
Free registration: https://acesse.one/MOLiC
Venue: Jambu Galpão – Rua Marco Aurélio, 564 – Vila Romana – São Paulo, SP
Photo: Press Release
