HODI Maputo Afro Swing from Mozambique Workshop

We are honoured to welcome back the Hodi dancers and musicians from Maputo, Mozambique. Elias, Augusto and Eugenio are touring Europe for the second time to share with us their experience on Mozambican traditional dance and the Afro Swing. They will be teaching and performing in Brussels, Ghent, Munich, Berlin, Cologne, Bielefeld, Dortmund, Maastricht, Saarbrucken, Stockholm and Herräng Dance Camp. The Hodi group will teach us some Mozambican and African traditional rhythms and dance, to unveil the similarities with vernacular jazz dancing and explore the African roots of jazz dance and music. This year they will also be presenting a special workshop on Marrabenta, traditional female Mozambican dance that is performed to enhance feminine beauty, empower women and renew their self-esteem. This class will focus on the learning of Marrabenta and is open to both men and women. All classes will be accompanied by live African traditional drums. The level of the workshop is open to everybody. You don’t need a partner to sign up. Come and share joy and energy with our talented friends from Mozambique, reflect upon the African heritage of jazz dancing and enrich your dancing vocabulary tremendously with some true inspiration. ** WHEN ** Saturday 20th & Sunday 21st July 2019 African dance: 10:00 -13:30 (each day) Afro swing: 15:00 -16:00 (each day) ** PRICES ** African dance track only: 70€ for 6 hours of classes (3x Sat + 3x Sun) Afro swing track only: 30€ for 2h of classes (1x Sat + 1x Sun) Full pass (African dance + Afro swing): 90€ for 8h of classes (4x Sat + 4x Sun) ** WHERE** Swinspiration – Körtestraße 10, 10967 Berlin - Germany (2nd backyard, entrance 1, 2nd floor) ** REGISTRATIONS ** To register please click here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe6i7IfyXn5oaZVZchyGqoxm8ZttwHFS-KywQnuKZzKfF4gzg/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1 For info write us an email at: [email protected] ** MORE ABOUT THE WORKSHOP ** MOZAMBICAN TRADITIONAL DANCES AND RHYTHMS There are over 1000 traditional dances in Mozambique - each region, each village has its own traditions and variations of different rhythms and dances. Dances symbolize and accompany celebration, war, love or harvesting. However, today variations of the dances are mainly used as an individual expression or to represent the rich Mozambican culture at events. Many of these dances are traditionally only danced by women and other only by men even though today many dances are danced by everyone. Mozambican dances also show that what is seen as typically masculine or feminine can differ depending on the region and tradition. What all dances have in common is that rhythm comes first, movements come second. In the Bantu languages such as Ronga and Changana, spoken in Southern Mozambique, the word “ngoma” could mean music, dance, drum or song - which in the end are all expressions of the same thing. AFRO SWING Afro Swing is the research of the African roots of swing dances and the honoring of this connection. Since the concept of Afro Swing was initiated by Hodi Maputo Afro Swing in 2012, the research and development of what it is has been ongoing. We believe that is what research is about; to not accept something as true but always be open to new ideas and insight. For us Afro Swing is the beginning of a movement connecting Swing and Lindy Hop with its African roots and this is how far we have come in our research. ** THE ARTISTS ** Elias and Augusto Manhiça Elias and Augusto are also known as “Gêmeos Manhiça” (the Manhiça twins). They were born in a culturally rich family and already in 2003 started their first cultural group called “Crianças da Paz” (Children of Peace) where music, song and dance were inseparable. They soon joined the dance company Wuchene and later created Hodi Maputo Afro Swing where Elias now is a musician and general coordinator of Mozambique Afro Swing Exchange and Augusto the musical director. They are also the band leaders of Banda Hodi which is known growing in its popularity in Mozambique. During their career they have performed in Sweden, China, South Africa, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Brazil (at Festival Folclórico de Passo Fundo) and New York (at the Frankie 100 celebrations). Eugênio Macuvel Eugênio has been a choreographer since the age of 14 and the Artistic Director of Hodi Maputo Afro Swing since the start of the company in 2014. Dancing and singing was a natural part of Eugenios childhood and he was fast to develop. He started “Crianças da Paz” (Children of Peace) together with the Manhiça twins at the age of 12 and became the youngest choreographer of Wuchene at the age of 14. During his time as choreographer he has trained many of the members of Hodi Maputo Afro Swing while they were part of “Wuchene Junior” (that he had initiated to teach and inspire future dancers). He has through the years put together choreographies with up to 50 dancers on stage, been part of the production of many artistic pieces on major stages and has performed and choreographed in different parts of the world such as South Africa, Sweden, China, Macau, Germany and Brazil. Let’s dance, let’s be happy!