Introducing Gilda Van Stavern
email: oxumarebrazil@yahoo.com
34925817- 33793058

• Other Qualifications
       Gilda has continued studying at City College of San Francisco and at other colleges.  Some of the areas she has studied are modern dance, ballet, dance composition, jazz dance, Afro-Haitian dance, West African dance, Congolese dance, body building, aerobics, kick-boxing, tennis, and interior design.
       Gilda is also a graduate of the International School of Massage.  The styles of massage she practices most are Swedish, Shiatsu, deep tissue, sports, and reflexology, but she has taken many workshops on other styles too.
  
  About Oxumaré Dance Company
  In 1990 Gilda founded the Oxumaré company in order to show the public the real Orisha dances, with authentic costumes and music, as well as other dances coming out of her Afro-Brazilian roots.  Since then Oxumaré has performed in many Bay Area locations, such as Yerba Buena Gardens (opening ceremony); the SF Symphony 1992 POPS opening night; Union Square (50th Anniversary of the United Nations; Brazilian Independence day 1996); Ashkkenaz, Caribe, La Pena, Bahia Cabana, Third Wave Studio; Cowell Theater ("People Like Me"); Oakland Citicenter, many public schools (K-12), UC Santa Cruz, Sacramento Community Theatre, and the San Francisco Carnival parade.  
       Oxumaré has also performed and given master classes at Vlademir Studio in Amsterdam in 1991; the 42nd Annual conference on Latin American Studies, entitled Black Brazil, at the University of Florida, Gainsville, and the University of Tampa's Global Village in 1993; and the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, in 1994.
  
  The Oxumaré Philosophy
  Oxumaré is also a unique Brazilian Fitness System, not just physical fitness, but mental and spiritual as well.  We provide a full range of services:
• Afro-Brazilian Dance
• Bed and Breakfast
• Therapeutic massage
• Herbal healing
• Diet consultation
• Personal fitness training
• USA kick-boxing 
• Boxing
  
  We can show you much much more!

• Candomblé (Orishás)

• Afoxé 

• Samba

Candomblé is the word used in Bahia, Brazil, for religions of African origin, whose strongest influence is the Yoruba divinities called Orishas.  Each Orisha has specific foods, costumes, rhythms, and dances.  Dancing and music help participants "receive" their Orisha.  Don't miss this opportunity.

Dances Performed by the OXUMARÉ  Dance Company:

Orixás: Dances symbolizing the deities of the Afro-Brazilian religion called candomblé.

Filhas de Gandi: This is the style of dance performed by an all-women's carnival group in Bahia.

Oxumaré Afoxé: Dancing in the style of the famous Bahia carnival and percussion group called Olodum.

Samba de Roda: As a circle of people sing and clap their hands, one or more people get in the middle and dance a samba characterized by tiny steps and lots of hip shaking.

Sambão: Carnival samba performed by women in bikinis.

Maxixe: A very suggestive traditional Northeastern Brazil dance in which the partners call each other by waving a hat or a scarf.

Lundu: A dance of African origin which was very popular in Brazil at the beginning of the  19th Century.

Dan, Xoroquê, Cafunquê, Gimbé: These four Afro style dances are creations of Oxumare.

Capoeira: Afro-Brazilian fight/dance performed to the rhythm of conga drums and a unique one-stringed instrument called berimbau.

Maculêlê: Afro-Brazililan fight/dance in which adversaries rhythmically hit each other's weapon, which may be a stick, or a machete!

Festivals or Parties:        20 - 45 minutes
Lecture Demonstrations: one hour
Master Classes or Workshops: 90 minutes
Concerts & Lecture Concerts: 90 minutes - 2 hours

How to contact us

Gilda M. Van Stavern
By E-mail or Phone

(Make sure to leave a message)
or email me at: oxumarebrazil@yahoo.com