Photographer: Jonas Marcelo. Performer: Puma Camille.
Rhythms of Resistance: Embodiment and Liberation
Completed Project (2024–2025)
Rhythms of Resistance: Embodiment and Liberation (2024–2025) was supported by a £75,000 British Council International Collaboration Grant, awarded to Intercultural Roots (UK) and Puma Camillê Produções (Brazil). The grant enabled a cross-cultural artistic exchange between Brazil and the UK — bringing together practitioners exploring Capoeira, Vogue, ritual, and embodied practices of liberation for Black, LGBTQIAPN+ and other historically marginalised communities.
#InternationalCollaborationGrants @BritishArts
Puma Camillê + Capoeira para Todes - Credit Jonas and Marcelo Nicfilmes
Almiro Andrade, Fernanda Mandagará & Manuela Benini - Created by Alex Boyd
Intercultural Roots (UK) in partnership with Puma Camillê Producoes (Brazil)
- english -
Dialoguing between embodiment, ritual and resistance, Rhythms of Resistance undertakes an artistic survey of the multiplicity of ways in which the performance aesthetics of resistance offered by Capoeira and Vogue functions as rhythmic strategies of liberation for Black, LGBTQIAPN+ and other historically oppressed bodies. We believe that the opposite of dispossessed is embodied, positioning the body as key to unlocking the transformative potential of these practices of transgressive self-authorship. Offline and online provocations, augmented by digital innovation, will culminate in the production of an art film and an original sonograph, accompanied by an educational series and codex of text anthologising the process. Following a successful first phase in Brazil, we are thrilled to bring the second phase of this groundbreaking collaboration to London.
- português -
Puma Camille Produções x Arte Radical e Raízes Interculturais:: Um diálogo entre corporificação, ritual e resistência. O projeto explora as múltiplas formas pelas quais as estéticas performáticas de resistência, expressas através da Capoeira e do Vogue, atuam como estratégias rítmicas de libertação para corpos negros, LGBTQIAPN e outros historicamente oprimidos. Acreditamos que a antítese do despossuído é o corpo plenamente corporificado, posicionando-o como a chave para desbloquear o potencial transformador dessas práticas de autoria transgressiva.
- english -
Rhythms of Resistance: Embodiment and Liberation – A Three-Day Gathering at The Place, London (18 – 20 July 2025)
Day 1 – Embodied Queer Liminality (18 July 2025)
The first day set the tone for the gathering, exploring Embodied Queer Liminality through a series of expressive workshops.
Fernanda Mandagará led a vibrant Burlesque-Cabaret session, inviting participants to explore queer affect and playful self-expression.
Manuela Benini followed with a Fluid Tango session, reimagining partner dance as a space of freedom beyond gender binaries.
Almiro Andrade closed the day with A Carnival of Emotions, using melodrama as a framework for gender-fluid storytelling and emotional release. The day concluded with collective reflection, as participants shared embodied insights and resonances from their experiences.
“I’m so glad to be involved in such a beautiful project. I feel nourished in both ways: as an artist, by attending some workshops led by incredible artists, and as a producer, by being part of the production staff.”
Day 2 – Intersections and Resonances (19 July 2025)
The second day deepened these embodied encounters through collective rhythm and ancestral movement.
Mestra Paulinha, founder of Benvindescapoeira (an LGBTQIAPN+ inclusive Capoeira group), guided participants in an inclusive Capoeira Angola session — connecting movement, music, and memory.
The day culminated in an immersive Masterclass led by Puma Camillê, blending Capoeira and Vogue into a shared practice of resistance and joy. Participants described the day as “a choreography of liberation” and “a space where rhythm became language.”
“Gorgeous, poignant and heartwarming series of events. An incredibly necessary encounter and safe space for LGBTQIA+ folks to share their passion and creativity.”
Day 3 – Dialogues, Echoes, and Embodied Inquiry (20 July 2025)
The final day turned toward reflection and creative documentation.
A filmed conversation with Puma Camillê, Dr Andrea Maciel, and Almiro Andrade, directed by Bruno Lopes, captured the essence of the collaboration — an intimate dialogue about ancestry, body politics, and art as freedom.
In a three-hour Co-Creative Inquiry, participants examined questions at the heart of the project:
How do we embody trans-gender fluidity?
What impact do ancestral rhythms have on our affective states?
How do intertwined movement technologies shape selfhood and relationality?
These inquiries and exchanges informed the creation of the project’s film, educational materials, and artistic codex.
The day concluded with a Mini Kiki Ball hosted by Legendary Sattva 007, an exuberant and inclusive performance space where participants showcased their own styles and expressions, celebrating joy, resistance, and collective creativity.
“This experience was truly invaluable, it gave me the opportunity to expand my practice, connect with an inspiringly diverse group of artists, and try things I wouldn’t have done otherwise. As a woman, an immigrant, and a Latina artist, I felt deeply welcomed and empowered.”
“I felt empowered by this project to try something new and express myself in new ways. Thank you IR!”
🎥 Watch the Documentary Film
Directed by Bruno Lopes
Legacy
The collaboration between Intercultural Roots and Puma Camillê Produções continues through ongoing artistic exchange and community engagement. Follow our newsletter for updates on future projects exploring embodiment, rhythm, and liberation.
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This project was made possible through the British Council’s International Collaboration Grants, supporting new global partnerships between artists and organisations across the UK and beyond.
The British Council is the United Kingdom's international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities.
