Project Dende Fundraiser

INTRODUCTION

 

My name is Tania Santiago, and I am Afro Brazilian, living and working in San Francisco, CA since 1999. I am a mother, daughter, sister, artist, and community organizer. I believe that in community, we are one, and without it, I wouldn’t have the love of my life, dance. That's why I created Project Dende, a dance project to uplift my communities in San Francisco and my hometown Salvador, Bahia.

 

When I immigrated to the US from Brazil, I had to create a space for myself and those interested in understanding the depth of Afro-Brazilian dance and culture. I realized I had to devote my life to honoring my Afro teachers and creating a community that honors my ancestors’ lineage. Thus, I created the dance term Afro-Brazilian, and today you can see it being used by many dancers. Through Project Dende, I aim to serve as a cultural guide for the community to access joy, connection, and resources.

 

Dende is the Portuguese word for palm oil, and for me, it represents ancestors, roots, and the fire in our hearts that spark with connection and activate pure joy. Since COVID, I have created more space to gather and build community outdoors in new and creative ways. My refuge has always been the beach where I can heal and process fear, so I decided to take my work there. Respecting the diverse needs of all and expanding our safety expectations to include everyone through the healing medicine of community in music and dance, we meet at the water and dance and play on the sand.

 

 

CULTURAL CONTEXT

 

 

My Project Dende community in San Francisco is very diverse. I have students who are Black, Indigenous, Asian, Latinx, and White. Since I am Black and from Brazil, my work will always be in that context. Therefore, the stories I aim to tell through dance must accurately represent the struggle and triumphs we have endured. I put a lot of thought into what is appropriate and how I can include a diverse community in my choreography. My choreography focuses on themes that tell my story and often come from my dreams. I focus on the community and the love that we share, which helps us heal and unite as one.

 

Being Black in the US is challenging in many ways. It is even harder on a Black person from another country because of the different cultural background and language barrier. I moved to San Francisco to learn English and take Ballet, Modern Dance, and Jazz classes. I discovered that people were attempting to teach dances from my culture, and I was confused. I believe a teacher that's not Brazilian can attempt to teach samba and have the correct rhythm and costume, but without the lineage of culture, the dance lacks meaning. We have lost a lot of our people, we have pain in our hearts and what we bring from our ancestors is very special.

 

It was hard for me to go to Carnaval and watch non-Black Latinx and white people perform dances from my ancestry and win. It felt like erasure. As much as we love to see people connect and be in spirit with our culture, I thought it would be better to see it represented by the people who understand the lineage.

Afro-Brazilian dance is rooted in African spirituality and slave resistance. It’s a form of protest by nature. It's the stories of the people that tell the root stories of Africa and Brazil. Stories through my life journey, memories of the Black people. I translate the history my people endured into movement. I showcase the day-to-day life of the Black person in a racist world.

 

It’s my past and present in the movement. Pain, lamenting, suffering, joy, uncertainty, passion, and love. It’s about the desire for equality, but our differences are respected, and we are united.

 

 

GOAL: Why NOW+ What WE NEED:

 

Project Dende is intended to move communities toward joy and connection through music and dance despite a global pandemic that limits our interactions, through masks that conceal our expressions, and a “new normal” that challenges every aspect of building and maintaining community.

 

In Salvador, the effects of COVID-19 have been detrimental. I have lost and continue to lose countless of people who are dear to me. Many of the talented dancers I grew up with and around have been unable to support themselves because they cannot teach classes and perform. This, of course, has created a hole in the community since dance is a huge part of my culture. It has always been a source of optimism and togetherness for us despite a racist history that has sought to break us, erase us, and keep us impoverished.

 

I want to support the community of artists in Brazil who have historically been the lifeline of our community but have been hard hit by the effects of the pandemic. The end goal is to host a festival in my hometown of Salvador that will tap local artists to choreograph, play live music, design costumes, and coordinate the event. The festival will be a celebration of life, community, and Afro-Brazilians’ history of overcoming obstacles. It is about taking care of the spirit of the community when faced with oppression and death.

 

My team of talented artists, dream makers, and I are eager to get this project activated with the community’s support.

 

We need $25,000.00 to get Project Dende off the ground and into the bodies of people like you!!!

 

BUDGET

Studio rental - $1500

Equipment rental and crew - $5,000

Dance teachers/ master collaborators - $2,000

Student Scholarship for Brazilian dancers - $2,000

3 Community Liaisons Collaborators For Networking - $3,000

Permit for Performances $500

Food and Beverage $500

Marketing and Advertising $500

Musicians - $2,000

Instruments & costumes - $3,000

Please donate, like, and share widely.

 

CLASS AT ODC - AFRO BRAZILIAN W/ TANIA

Every Tuesday, 8:15pm-9:45pm

Socially distanced Afro-Brazilian Dance classes in San Francisco. Live music every class.

Location: ODC, 351 Shotwell, San Francisco, CA 94110

 

 

ABOUT THE ARTIST, TANIA SANTIAGO

 

Born and raised in Salvador, Bahia, Tania Santiago grew up in the heart of African-influenced Brazil. She has taught, danced, and choreographed for the most well-known companies in Brazil. Tania has also extensively studied other dance forms such as Jazz, Ballet, West African, Afro-Cuban, and Modern dance. She spent six years working with Olodum, a highly respected and internationally acknowledged Bloco Afro in Brazil. Tania also choreographed and performed for Olodum on television, at concerts, and at music festivals. Since 1997, Tania has taught classes and gave workshops in California, New York, Hawaii, Florida, and Vancouver, Canada. In addition, she has been an artist in residence at various school programs in San Francisco and a featured teacher at the Brazil Camp in Northern California.

 

Tania Santiago founded Aguas Dance Company in 1999 and has been teaching Afro Brazilian dance to all ages throughout the Bay Area since 1997. She leads annual dance intensives in Salvador each winter. She has led an award-winning contingent- First Place in the Brazilian category at the SF Grand Carnaval Parade that covers 20 blocks in San Francisco’s historic Latino Cultural District in the Mission for the past ten years.