AUTO DOS ORIXÁS: DANCE/THEATER, CONSTRUCTION OF YABÁS CORPOREALITY AND POLITICAL ACT
Orishas, Yabás, theater, dance, corporealities
This paper aims to develop a descriptive-reflective study of the show Auto dos Orixás, which is an Afro-Brazilian theater and dance show that tells stories about the African deities worshipped in religions of African origin: the orishas. In 2023, the 13th edition was presented at the Ponto dos Cem Réis, located in the historic center of the city of João Pessoa - Paraíba, with the theme: The sacred in human relations. The theatrical work is proposed not only as a spectacle, but also as an affirmative act to combat structural racism and afro-religious racism. This affirmation is achieved through the political, social, and black identity aspects. The study makes use of ethnocenology as a methodological reference, beginning with a qualitative investigation of the description and reflection from the construction process to the presentation of the show in 2023, concerning the creation of the corporealities of the Yabás. The female deities of the Orisha cult, as depicted in the theater and dance present in the show, and the manner in which the symbols and signs constructed and expressed through the bodies on stage result in a sense of belonging and black cultural resistance will be discussed. The writings contribute to identifying avenues for decolonization in poetic constructions of the theatrical scene.