Yemanja Arts Festival 2022

Festival Artists:
Damasceno Collective
Arenas Dance Company
Berkeley Capoeira Collective
Curumins Youth Dance Troupe
Dandha Da Hora
Clodô Santana

Guest Choreographers:
Elisio Pitta & Rosangela Silvestre

Afro Brazilian Food and Drinks

Venue:
BrasArte @ Casa De Cultura
1901 San Pablo Ave
Berkeley Ca
Note: Due to pandemic needs and protocols, the number of in person attendees will be very limited. This, along with extra costs associated with the pandemic, and lack of outside funding, has led to the rise in our admission price. In order to make sure everyone in the community has access to the festival, we have reserved a limited amount of early bird tickets (first come, first serve) and we will also be Livestreaming Saturday evening's performance for free.

A unique two-night performing arts festival celebrating the spirit of Yemanjá: the Yoruban deity/orixá that represents the ancient, essential, and beautiful nature of water. Inspired by the original Festa de Yemanjá celebrated in Bahia, Brazil, and the resilience of African spiritual practices across the americas, the Yemanjá Arts Festival brings together master artists and young faces from across the Bay Area, Brazil and Cuba. Diverse interpreters of traditional and modern art forms from the African diaspora that pay homage to Yemanjá/Iemanjá/Yemoja/Yemayá through their respective popular, folkloric, and spiritual traditions.

This year's performances include:

World premiere by Susanas Arenas & Arenas Dance Company: a representation of Yemayá & Ochún as water mothers and sisters, using a fusion of folklore and popular Cuban art.

Choreography by Elisio Pitta performed by the Damasceno Collective depicting the fisherman and "marisqueiras" of Bahia, as well as Yemanjá and her relationship with her Iaôs (young spiritual daughters). 

Choreography by Rosangela Silvestre celebrating the Caboclo (Brazilian spiritual entity that meshes indigenous and african bantu traditions), and Yemanjá's protective relationship with Ogum (Orixá of War, Metal & Technology).


And Much More!

Yemanja Arts Festival 2021

YEMANJA ARTS FESTIVAL 2020

Saturday, February 1 (Mission Cultural Center, 2868 Mission St, San Francisco)
Sunday, February 2 (Casa de Cultura, Berkeley)

YEMANJA ARTS FESTIVAL 2019

Saturday, February 9 (at Casa de Cultura, Berkeley)
 ADMISSIONS COMPLETELY SOLD OUT FOR BERKELEY

Sunday, February 10 (at Dance Mission, San Francisco)
ADMISSIONS COMPLETELY SOLD OUT FOR SAN FRANCISCO

Yemanja Arts Festival 2018

Yemanja Arts Festival 2017

 BrasArte presents this unique two-night performing arts festival celebrating the spirit of Yemanjá, the African deity that honors the essential, beautiful and sometimes-dangerous nature of water. Inspired by the original Yemanjá Festival celebrated in Bahia, Brazil, the Yemanjá Arts Festival will bring together celebrated artists and dancers from across the Bay Area and Los Angeles, interpreters of traditional and modern art forms from the African diaspora (Brazil, the Caribbean, and the United States) that pay homage to Yemanjá/Iemanjá/Yemoja/Yemayá through their respective folkloric and spiritual traditions.

Made possible in part by: Alliance for California Traditional Arts, Lakeshore Foundation & Berkeley Civic Arts

Past Yemanja Arts Festivals

Celebrate Black History Month with our immensely popular tribute to the goddess of salt water ~ mother of all
Click on the Image to go to BrownPaperTickets.com and Purchase Advance Tickets
Help BrasArte present 
the annual 
Yemanja Arts Festival in 2016 with a donation today! 

February 27 & 28, 2016

Your contribution will help present two nights of live dance and music in homage to Yemanja, the goddess of the ocean.

2013 Yemanjá  ARTS FESTIVAL Photos by © Zeze Cole