Note from BW of Brazil: The success of funk singer Anitta has been discussed on this blog twice in the context of race, gender, sexuality and representation (see here and here). In a previous article, BW of Brazil noted that the presence of Anitta’s black dancers could be a marketing move to enhance the singer’s legitimacy as a singer of “funk”, a style of music that originated in Brazil’s poor, predominantly black slums. Today, we shine the spotlight on a few of her beautiful black female dancers and their eye-catching hairstyles. See a photo gallery of the ladies here. This piece is a combination of two articles; one from Globo Extra and another with commentary on race and the ladies’ hairstyles courtesy of the Criloira blog. So check it out’chall!
If you’ve never heard the song or seen the video, this is Anitta’s smash hit “Show das Poderosas”. Keep your eye on her dancers!
Anitta is the main star, but it is with their help that her army is heavy. The dancers of the “Show das Poderosas” (directed by choreographer Daniel Lourenço) are the highlight of Extra (website/newspaper) this week. Recognized by their hair and style, they share the spotlight and attention of the fans of the singer who took the charts by storm. With a very diverse profile of backing dancers, the singer has two social groups that society pretends not to see: black women with natural kinky/curly hair and homosexuals.
Alline Azevedo is one of Anitta’s dancer with a very natural beauty. Her curls are of the 3c type and she even has some streaks on the tips that accentuate her style and beauty much more.
“A fan complimented me the other day: ‘Where’s my anjo negro (black angel)?”, says Alline Azevedo, 20. The Biomedicine student left college for her dream of dancing with Anitta being discovered in the “Batalha no salto”, from TV Xuxa. “When I was little I already danced o Tchan in front of the TV,” says the young woman that still shines as a Tradição dancer.
Arielle Macedo is one of singer Anitta’s dancers. A resident of São Gonçalo/Niterói in Rio de Janeiro, she is a dancer, a Stilleto teacher (dance in high heels) and participated in the “Batalha no Salto” contest on the Xuxa Program in 2012. For anyone who is in the region she teaches at the Academia Urban Dance Center. Arielle has curls that most catches attention because of the color and texture in the group of dancers. A very lively red. I believe her curls are natural and, to maintain this color, she uses a color enhancer by Amend # 6.0.
With similar history to that of Azevedo, Arielle Macedo, 23, started dancing at age 6. The daughter of dancers, she always had the support of family and specializes in Jazz and Hip Hop. “When I appear on television my mother mobilizes everybody at the salon where she works,” she reveals. With an intense marathon of concerts across the country, the girls of the Exército do Poder (Army of Power) are having the opportunity to visit Brazil. “I loved the city of Salvador. I ended up dancing with Olodum in Pelourinho,” says Arielle, who gone to other places like Vitória, Belém and Manaus: “We are very united. We spent more time together than with our families.”
Dayane Araújo, 27, almost quit dancing due to financial difficulties. “Dancing is expensive. I had already stopped entering contests because I could not afford (them). It’s a lot of money with the fees and wardrobe,” explains the resident of Caxias, who bought sneakers for R$220 with her first paycheck. “The feeling of liking and buy no matter the price is indescribable, and on top of that on sight. I’m changing my life,” she says. Dayane is still getting used to the harassment. “It’s almost surreal. People treat us as if we were Anitta herself. I say: ‘Calm down, I just dance with her.’”
Bia Barros, 23, has been in a serious relationship for three years, and has been trying to circumvent the jealousy and distrust of her boyfriend, Carlos Henrique. “He complains that when I put a photo on Facebook I get to two thousand curtidas (likes) The male harassment actually increased a lot,” admits the dancer. Trained in ballet, she confesses that she has been enjoying the success: “I am in a life very different from what I am up on stage. But I’m feeling so powerful, even walking down the street in flip flops.” Bia is also full of praise for Anita’s good sense of humor backstage: “She is hilarious, talking a lot of nonsense. We exchanged joys and sorrows.”
Also known as Beatriz Nega, she is also a teacher. Her black (natural or afro hair) is marked by the naturalness and delicacy of golden locks and curls that create a unique and very personal style.
Dany Possidônio is a teacher of urban dance. Besides Stilleto, Dany also enjoys practicing dances like Hip Hop among others. Her curls seem to be the 4a type and wide open blonde, quite criloura (meaning black blonde). I think it’s beautiful and stylish.
And these are beautiful blacks who have contributed to showing the face and the beauty of kinky/curly hair and curls to a society so prejudiced that it wagers straight hair as a reference and standard of beauty.
We have the strength, not only by the curls of our hair, but mainly our spirit, determination and stamina in showing to society that we are not puppets for maneuver in their hands, but we can dictate standards and fashions.
Production: Rita Moreno (Alline Azevedo and Arielle Macedo) and Rosane Amora. Beauty: Priscila Lima (Alline Azevedo and Arielle Macedo) and Sandro Barreto. Dancers wear: Água de Coco, Jaqueline Navegantes, Loany, My Place, Mercatto, Três Cores and Pontapé. Acknowledgment: To Mundo Teatral and choreographer Daniel Lourenço.
They’re all prettier than Anitta.lol
These Black FEMALE dancers are ALL so beautiful and stylish! I am so proud of them and I am very happy to see Black women having their dreams of being in show business being realized, but I have some peoblems with some things here. First the comments of Dayane about telling fans excited to see her and the other Black girls to “calm down” because they “only” dance for Anitta and are not the precious White woman herself. That makes me very angry and sad that she would put herself and the other girls down like that! Almost like she thinks that they do not deserve such excitement and happiness from fans simply because they are Black women. Also dancing is HARD work that takes A LOT of talent, discipline, and determination. Dancing is a serious, beautiful artform that Black women & girls ESPECIALLY have a lot of talent for, no matter if it is Ballet or some of the more traditonally Black dances like hip hop or funk that Black WOMEN & GIRLS have created, so to suceed as professional dancers like these talented, beautiful women have should NOT be dismissed as “only” just because they are Black women! Finally, that last picture with this Anitta in it, I do not like it, it looks like she has the attiude that she is the “main” woman in it simple because she is White and that to me is racist! It seems to me that people have a biased and racist attiutde that beautiful, talented BLACK women like these awesome dancers “cannot” be the MAIN stars and you have to stick some White/non-Black woman or Black man in ther way to make them acceptable”
(Continued, I made a mistake) It seems to me that people have a biased and racist attitude that beautiful, talented BLACK WOMEN like these awesome dancers “cannot” be the MAIN stars and you have to stick some White/non-Black woman or Black man in their way to make them “acceptable” to the biased, racist public. That makes me so sick!
Anyway, they look so cute & beautiful with their natural hair, and I hope it makes many Black women & girls happy to see some stars who look like THEM in the spotlight
Hello The Phoenix, I understand where your coming from, I really do. I am saddened by her attitude but Brazil has a dark history and black women have extreme esteem issues because of how they are treated. This starts from a child, the good thing is that things are changing for the better. I checked out Anitta’s other videos and I give her props for having (black) in every video I saw.
This video is hot!, these girls are getting attention in a place where they are ignored (I mean as if they are not there) They have never had that til now.
Take care