Cia Xirê’s Gbin tours Sesc RJ in April and May, inviting children to experience Afro-Indigenous dance through diversity and connection.
The performance highlights dance as a force that brings people closer while valuing Afro-Indigenous movement traditions in the present day. The tour includes Sesc units in Teresópolis, Campos dos Goytacazes, Niterói, Nova Friburgo, Barra Mansa, Rio de Janeiro and Nova Iguaçu.
This is the newest creation by Cia Xirê. Its starting point is the Yoruba word “Gbìn,” meaning “to plant” or “to sow.” From there, the work seeks to plant new ways of seeing bodies, gestures and rhythms that rarely appear in mainstream dance scenes.
Gbin centers Afro-Indigenous dance
By bringing forward aesthetic references that fall outside dominant stage and media standards, Gbin expands the audience’s sensory repertoire. At the same time, it invites children to recognize other forms of bodily expression and to value different bodies, cultures and stories within dance.
“A dança pode nos aproximar muito mais do que poderíamos imaginar, promovendo a redução das desigualdades a partir do encontro, em dança, dos olhares de crianças com corpos fenotipicamente e culturalmente afro indígenas, bem como às qualidades de movimento que brotam desses corpos”, afirma a diretora e coreógrafa Andrea Elias.
Selected by the Sesc Pulsar O Corpo Negro call, the project has a clearly Afro-Indigenous focus. Its creative team is predominantly made up of Black artists and develops a poetics that dialogues with researcher Leda Martins’ concept of “oralitura.”
“‘Gbin’ nasce do desejo de aproximar corpos em suas diversidades num momento no qual estes são convocados a se manterem à distância. Esta aproximação fala não apenas da fisicalidade, mas também da diversidade cultural e subjetiva, da convicção no poder que tem a dança de conectar corpos em suas diferenças e afirmar suas potências”, acrescenta Andrea.
Created for children, the piece moves through central questions of contemporary dance while engaging young audiences. As a result, it explores what belongs to the language of dance when it meets the playful gaze of childhood.
Andrea Elias also stresses that Cia Xirê has spent more than 20 years working to democratize access to contemporary dance. In her view, the mission is to break barriers, reach new territories and encourage curiosity and artistic sensitivity in audiences still in formation.
“Nosso compromisso vai além de colocar um espetáculo em cena. A gente busca, de forma contínua, criar caminhos reais de aproximação entre a dança contemporânea e o público, especialmente aqueles que ainda estão em processo de formação e descoberta. Democratizar o acesso é entender que nem todos se sentem pertencentes a esses espaços, e por isso trabalhamos para romper essas barreiras, ocupar novos territórios e estimular o olhar, a sensibilidade e o interesse de diferentes pessoas pela arte”, finaliza a diretora e coreógrafa.
Cia Xirê builds access through dance
Founded in 2003 by Andrea Elias, Cia Xirê is a contemporary dance company devoted to research in stage creation through movement. Its early productions resulted in dance-theater works for children, with a strong focus on communication between performers and audiences.
The company’s productions have toured in Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Germany, India, Italy and Spain. Notable works include “Ciranda,” “Quando Crescer, Eu Quero Ser…,” “Entrelace,” “Dingling,” “Esther Williams não quer mais nadar…” and “Isto é sobre liberdade: o que você ainda lembra sobre ela?”.
Beyond stage productions, the group has also developed artistic residencies, choreographic research projects and educational initiatives such as the workshop “Do Jogo pra Dança,” the interactive exhibition “Pode Mexer!” and the box set “Cadê a Dança?”.
Event Info
- Show: “Gbin”, Cia Xirê
- April 12, at 4 p.m.
- Sesc Teresópolis
- Address: Avenida Delfim Moreira, 749 – Várzea, Teresópolis
- May 3, at 4 p.m.
- Sesc Campos dos Goytacazes
- Address: Av. Alberto Torres, 397 – Centro, Campos dos Goytacazes
- Concept, direction and choreography: Andrea Elias
- Creation and performance: Aline Bernardi, Andrea Elias, Fagner Santos, Luna Leal
- Costume design: Carla Ferraz
- Original score: PC Castilho
- Lighting design: Eduardo Albergaria
- Visual design: Miguel Carvalho
- Seamstress: Ateliê das meninas
- Audio description: Mônica Ruiz
- Audio description consultancy: Moira Braga
- Ballet mistress: Helena Matriciano
- Press office: Alessandra Costa
- Executive production: Aloisio Antunes
- Production: Trânsito Produções Culturais
- Presented by: Cia de Dança Teatro Xirê / Sesc Pulsar RJ
- Partnership: Escola e Faculdade Angel Vianna / Teatro Municipal Carlos Gomes

