Dancers

 

2014

Woman in bright dress dancing to ceremonial Macumba music in Brazil. Part of "Dance" (2014) series by artist Paola Cassola.
Women in bright dresses dancing to ceremonial Macumba music in Brazil. Bright cloths on wall in background. Part of "Dance" (2014) series by artist Paola Cassola.
Women in bright dresses dancing to ceremonial Macumba music in Brazil. Bright cloths on wall in background. Part of "Dance" (2014) series by artist Paola Cassola.
White and brown chairs in room with low ceiling. Part of "Dance" (2014) series by artist Paola Cassola.
Women in bright dresses dancing to ceremonial Macumba music in Brazil. Bright cloths on wall in background. Part of "Dance" (2014) series by artist Paola Cassola.
Women in bright dresses dancing to ceremonial Macumba music in Brazil. Bright cloths on wall in background. Part of "Dance" (2014) series by artist Paola Cassola.
Women in bright dresses dancing to ceremonial Macumba music in Brazil. Bright cloths on wall in background. Part of "Dance" (2014) series by artist Paola Cassola.
Women in bright dresses dancing to ceremonial Macumba music in Brazil. Bright cloths on wall in background. Part of "Dance" (2014) series by artist Paola Cassola.
Women in bright dresses dancing to ceremonial Macumba music in Brazil. Bright cloths on wall in background. Part of "Dance" (2014) series by artist Paola Cassola.

Dancers (2014)

 

Photographic prints
70x100 cm (27.5x39.3 in)

 
 

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

 
 

"Human body is a poem. Listen to it and understand it: you will feel the beauty of life and the magic of your inner soul”
Paola Cassola, notes, August 2014

 

In a journey throughout the consciousness of body movements and of the body presence in dance and theatre Cassola’s work investigates the potentials of the human figures and its relations with others. With a personal sense of aesthetic, overwhelmed by vibrant colours and contrasts of lights, this series of photographs captures the immense source of energy of feminine bodies moving at the sound of a Brazilian healing esoteric Candomble’ ceremonial dance.

Macumba, also known as Spiritism, Candomble’ and Umbanda is a religion commonly practiced in Brazil. It involves the “possession" of its worshippers by their gods. During worship, drumming and dancing encourage worshippers to go into trance-states in which their faces often change expression and sometimes they become totally exhausted. On coming out of their trance, they usually know nothing about what happened during the ceremony but their behaviour is often changed.