Dança Brazil: Balé Folclórico da Bahia comes to San Antonio

There’s something undeniably seductive about Brazilian music and dance. Whether it’s the upbeat and sexy samba, the bewitching bossa nova or the exciting and theatrical folclorico, it weaves together its unique musical and cultural heritages to tell the story of its peoples.

This week, San Antonians have an extraordinary opportunity to see it all come to life as ARTS San Antonio presents Balé Folclórico da Bahia, Sacred Heritage. The company brings its 38 dancers, musicians and singers to the stage as they perform pieces from a number of different regions and styles including capoeira, Afro-Brazilian dance and Carnival, to name a few.

Growing up, I was lucky to be exposed to world music and international dance. Some of my favorite memories are of those spent in dance studios in my ballet slippers, tap shoes, character shoes, flamenco shoes, and Mexican folklorico shoes and zapateado boots. And, my home was filled with the sounds of Mexico, Colombia, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Spain, Venezuela, Argentina, the U.S. and Brazil. But from that wide array, it was the sounds of Brazil that were among my favorites and introduced me to Brazilian lore and lifestyles.

During the performance, Balé Folclórico da Bahia tells those stories. In Fishermen’s Dance, the company pays tribute to Iemanjá (or Yemanja), the goddess of the sea, in a dance from the Bahian tradition. In Oxala’s Court, we are introduced to the Orixás (or Orishas), the gods and goddesses of the Yoruba, and through that Candoble, we see the intersection of the Brazilian Portuguese and African traditions. The performance also includes variations on samba, capoeira and contemporary Brazilian dance music.

Take a look: