Vania Oliveira

Vania Oliveira is one of Brazil’s most important dance authorities on the dances of the Blocos Afro. She identifies as a black woman, Candomblecista, and artivista. She was the reigning queen of the Bloco Afro Malê Debalê from 2000-2006 and the princess of the Bloco Afro Ilê Aiyê  from 2001-2014. She is doing doctoral work in Multi Disciplinary Program at the Federal University of Bahia where she holds a masters degree in Dance. Her B.A is in in Social History and Afro-Brazilian culture from the UNIME University. Her dance research focuses on the dances of the Blocos afro in Salvador, Bahia. She is currently an Assistant Professor at the University of Southeastern Bahia. She is on the faculty of Viver Brasil’s Dancing at the Source program.