Memories, afro-descendent self-mediality and training

Abstract

This article is a fragment of one of the sections of the thesis by (title; suppressed so as not to identify the author) defended at the University (suppressed so as not to identify the author)for the rise of Holder Professor, and aims to present African matrix dance as a medial practice in my human and aesthetic formation, from the perspective of self-writing. From the dialogue with the authors Halbwachs (1999), Josso (2012), Alheit (2011), Delory-Momberger (2014), Eakin (2019), De Oliveira (2021), my memories recorded and transcribed in January 2019, which compose the narrative structure of this article, intersect with photographs based on themes such as: prejudice and racism, interpretation of deified ancestors, process of creation and choreographic reproduction (performances), relationships with people and artistic groups; among others, from presentations in theaters and television programs, from tours and places where I went in my training process. In this way, the self-mediality found in Afro-descendant dance, in the long run, caused in me a deep sense of belonging; caused something like the 'Gordian knot' presented by Josso (2021) when talking about kinship relations, and I feel indebted and tributary to all entities that somehow contributed to this aesthetic reaching the largest possible number of spectators.