ERÊS
The Erês group was born out of construction and deconstruction.
"Erês", in Yorubá means playing, is used to describe the children's state of mind and in Tupi-Guarani it qualifies and quantifies even emotions. This change has made us proud for the excellent results in the reframing of our symbols and culture.
This group that serves children and pre-adolescents between 8 and 13 years old, acts directly in the fight against inequalities and cultural and racial valorization, building individuals with self-esteem and solid educational bases.
THE LITTLE STORYTELLERS
This project arises from the need for direct action and support for children working at Casa Amarela who are being neglected by the school due to COVID-19. Its implementation started in October 2020 at Casa Amarela Providência.
The objectives of theses classes are to build together with the children the opportunity to work with different types of texts, images and other research sources, especially to ensure the bridge between the stories of the characters working in Morro da Providência and the participants at Casa Amarela. Through these meetings, we articulate and write the life stories of these people, together with artistic / political / ancestral storytelling. It helps to promote communication, attention, initiative and, mainly, the notion of belonging and racial identity .
The Pequenos Contadores de Histórias project goes in the direction of strengthening the memories of those who have always worked in Providência but their achievements were / are made invisible by the very racist structure that permeates the relationships of official historiography.
To guarantee a better articulation between the educators of the House, the stories of the central characters and the flow between the children and their relationship with their own territory, we will count on the support and participation of the researchers linked to the Other Commons Project, an inter-institutional extension project between UFRJ and IFRJ Campos Realengo, coordinated by Professors Renata Caruso Mecca (UFRJ) and Roberta Pereira Furtado da Rosa (IFRJ).
MUSIC
Music classes began in 2018 in partnership with the Orquestra de Rua group. The educators who develop this work are Juliane Souza, born in Morro da Mangueira, and Gláucia Maciel, born in Morro da Providência. The classes have a central focus on violin and cello instruments, instruments that carry great European influence. However, in the classes at Casa Amarela they are approached in a decolonial and autonomous way, along with music theory and music history.
In 2020, the work received the Art and School Award - Aldir Blanc Cultural Emergency Law 2020 and in 2022, the Orquestra Luna group was founded with the focus of promoting musical practice together with its participants. With that, we had the honor of participating in a project together with UNIRIO and FIOCRUZ, in which we had several workshops and at the end we played together with other projects at the Municipal Theater of Rio de Janeiro.
The Afro Dance and ICAB integration project work directly with the preservation of Afro-Brazilian civilizing values and stimulation of memory of Afro dance in children.
AFRO DANCE
The objectives of the project are to create positiveness of the children black skin, building their racial identity, and create a person confident in his characteristics and potential. The process consists in the humanization of the cultural legacies inherited by us, whether from an especially African origin, due to the process of enslavement, but also from the natives who were fundamental in the construction of the pedagogical debate of our miscegenation.
Classes are taught orally just like ancestral teachings. We necessarily think of the black or non-white body for the application of the exercises, considering its anatomy, perception and dynamics that are opposed to the single-minded european body. And always considering that they are bodies and minds in construction.
In practice, the students are educated rhythmically, creating body and mental connection with the rhythm, demystifying their demonization by the hegemonic structures and establishing a bond of protection and valorization of the collective by the drums. We work on as many rhythms as possible to illustrate the vast cultural diversity of dances of African origin, (Maculelê, Maracatú, Samba de roda). We are always working on assembling shows and presentations, so that the living can understand the artistic potential of the black arts and within them can see themselves as protagonists. We connect with our inner energies and direct good wishes to others and to ourselves in our Axé (energy) circle.
INTEGRATION OF AFRO BRAZILIAN CULTURE (ICAB)
The ICAB is an offshoot of the afro dance project, which consists of stimulating Afro dance memories in children, building a path, further strengthening their identity and knowledge about afro dance and popular culture.
We created a support network made up of masters, guardians of culture, cultural living and afro dance professionals, who collaborate with us alternating periodically and sharing their experiences, foundations and practices in the profession of black dances.
The project starts primarily with receiving the older masters. They are bringing the notion of respect and understanding, as they were the ones who made it possible for young people to practice dances nowadays, In fact, these practices are possible today because of the struggles and conquests our masters went through, and also due to the vast knowledge from their journey.
SPORTS
SKATEBOARDING CLASSES
Classes are taught by skaterboarder and teacher Viniscius Martins, born and raised in Morro da Providência. He is training athletes, using the experience of skateboarding as a tool for social transformation.
At the end of August 2022, we opened our first skatepark and also the first skatepark built on top of a favela, thanks to the Santo Skate project, co-created with Professor Martins.
We understand the Santo Skate Park track as a quality for educational and sporting environment. During skateboarding classes, children do not only develop in sports, they also educate themselves, through the guidance of the educator and the entire educational process that involves social relationships in groups.
BOXING CLASSES
Boxing classes started at Casa in 2019. Educator Erivan Feitosa believes in the pillars of corporeity and cooperativism and in a methodology for the emotional, physical and cognitive development of children. Working with boxing is essential to help develop discipline and maintain balance in children's minds, as well as respect and collectivity.
ENGLISH CLASSES
We believe that studying English in childhood stimulates children's cognitive functions, learning another language increasingly stimulates the brain, developing creativity, reasoning and the ability to concentrate.
The possibility of knowing another language makes it easier to communicate in other places, studying English can also help to get greater work opportunities in adult life, new aspects of study, other leisure options and even the possibility of exchange. In addition, it helps to bring a greater vision of the world, which allows to know different cultures and customs.