Teachers

Paulo Inácio
Is a professional dancer specializing in traditional Mozambican and African dances. With a solid training from his initial training in a community center, then, and in the dance company. He is currently a full member of the prestigious Hodi and Afros wing Cultural Association, where he acts as a senior dancer, assistant choreographer and children’s dance teacher. Paulo is passion for dance drives him to be constantly on the move, presenting, teaching and developing his skills. He received training from renowned national and international choreographers, including Janeth Mulapha, Panaibra Gabriel, Lulu Sala, Idio Chichava, Horacio Macuacua, Stephen Bon Garçon and Pak Ndjamena. The artist was selected to be part of the “Theka” project, created by Horacio Macuacua and Idio Chichava. This project presented its talent at renowned festivals, such as the Theatreformen Festival in Germany, Ivory Coast and the Kinani Festival in Maputo. Currently, Paulo continues to teach online classes on African dances and actively develops his own solo choreographies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMACULADA MATANGALANA (VICK)

Affectionately known as Victoria Vick, dancer and dance teacher at the Hodi Maputo Afro Swing Cultural Association for over 12 years, participated in national festivals such as Batuque Festival for two years, National Culture Festival 2019, Mozambique Afro Swing Exchange Festival 2017 – 2019 and 2023, International Festivals -2013, Umoja Festival, 2016 participated in the Mother City Hope Festival in Cape Town, 2018 was also at the festival in China (Macau) at the festival of Portuguese-speaking countries, 2019 was at the Afro-American dance festival (Swing) in Sweden and was also doing interventions with traditional, modern and jazz bands.

 

Eugênio Macuvel

Eugênio has been a choreographer since the age of 14 and the Artistic Director of Hodi ​Maputo Afro Swing since the start of the company in 2014. Dancing and singing was a ​natural part of Eugenio’s childhood and he was fast to develop his skills. He started “Cr​ianças da Paz” (Children of Peace) together with the Manhiça twins at the age of 12 a​nd became the young choreographer of Wuchene at the age of 14. During his time as chor​eographer he has trained many of the members of Hodi Maputo Afro Swing when they wer​e part of “Wuchene Junior” that he initiated to create future dancers. He has through the ​years put together choreographies with up to 50 dancers on stage, been part of produ​cing many artistic pieces on major stages and has performed and choreographed in different​ parts of the world such as South Africa, Sweden, China, Belgium, Denmark, Ivory Coast​, France, Germany, The Netherlands and Brazil. As a dancer and dance teacher, Eugeni​o had the honor of participating in major dance festivals around the world and collabor​ated with great dance figures such as: Fredrik Dalberg, Chester A.Whitmore, Rem​i Kouakou Kouame, Marie N’diaye, Valerie Salstrom, Angela Andrew, Lisa Josefsso​n, Mickey Davidson, Felix Berghall and man​y others.

 

JUDITH NOVELA

Is a dancer and teacher at Hodi Maputo Afro Swing cultural association. She has experience in traditional and Afroswing dance and has performed in several national and international festivals, including the Folklore Festival in Passo Fundo, Brazil in 2014, the National Culture Festival in Mozambique, and the theaterformen festival in Hannover, Germany. Judith has participated in numerous contemporary dance workshops with renowned choreographers such as Eugenio Joaquim Macuvel, Idio Chichava, Horacio Macuacua, Didier Boutiana, and Janete Mulapa, and also attended Lindy Hop workshops with international teachers including Fredrik Dahlberg, Miami Gunnarson, Angela Andrew, and Mickey Davidson. She has participated in three editions of the Herrang Dance Camp and the See You Swing Festival in Saarbrucken, Germany in 2019. In 2022, Judith participated in a women-only workshop called Incubadora da Dança with dancer and choreographer Janeth Mulapa, and is a member of the Tp50 dance group. Judith recently contributed to the choreography of Idio Chichava’s #VAGABUNDOS# which debuted in Bulgaria at the One Dance Week festival. She also served as catering coordinator at the Masx #Mozambique Afro Swing Exchange festival. Judith is currently working on her project entitled “Wansat Wa N’tamo: Strong Women” as a dancer and teacher at Hodi Maputo Afroswing association

 

NELSON MANJATE

Entered the world of Arts in 2003, even as a child, with the desire to learn to play the Mozambican drum at the Polana Caniço “A” Primary School (New School) where he had a singing and dancing orchestra called “LHALELANE” ,It was there where he came into contact with the drum for the first time and learned several traditional rhythms from Mozambique,

He then met and joined other groups, cultural associations and music bands such as: Xindiro Companhia, Associação Cultural Wuchene, Hodi, Accomunichiv Comunichiv, Gwaza Muthini, Grupo Canto Dança Milorho and others

He has participated in national and international events such as: Crossroads Music bridges, Festa da Mbira, Xplosion Festival, Moments of Jazz, Moozika Festival, Joy of jazz, Nostalgia, Vivo 360, Fest Napuan, Victoria International Carnival, Mafalda Festival, MMM/ Mozambique Music Meeting, lukaotem gud santo, Festival umoja cfc, Gcwala ngamasiko Festival, Azgo Festival, Acácias Jazz Festival, Festival Raiz Tradicional, Festival MASX-Mozambique afro swing exchange and many others.

During all this time, Nelson Manjate accompanied and continues to lend his percussion to several national and international Artists/Bands such as: Jimmy Dludlu, Mingas, Stewart Sukuma, Banda Hodi, Banda Marrove, Rhodalia silva, Rui Venâncio MBande, Simao Nhacule, Puto Português, Edmazia, Kyaku kyadafy, Maria Betânia, Paulo Flores, Yuri da Cunha, Manecas Costa, Roberto Chitsondzo, Aniano Tamele, Júlia Duarte, Dama do Bling, Lizha James, Gabriela, Twenty Fingers, Cláudio Ismael, Humberto Luís, Deltino Guerreiro, Neyma, Anita Macuacua,Nelson Nhachungo,Banda Djaakas and many others!

On his journey from 2003 to this point he visited countries such as: South Africa, Eswathini, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Equatorial Guinea, Kenya, Seychelles Islands, Kenya and Vanuatu Islands/Australia.

 

AUGUSTO MANHIçA

Was born in a culturally rich family and started his first cultural group already in 2003 ​called “Crianças da Paz”(Children of Peace) where music, song and dance were ​inseparable. Augusto soon joined the dance company Wuchene and later created Hodi ​Maputo Afro Swing where Elias his twin brother and music partner is musician and general coordinator of ​Mozambique Afro Swing Exchange and Augusto the musical director. He is also ​the band leader of Banda Hodi which is known for its growing popularity in Mozambique​e. During his career, Augusto have performed in Sweden, China, South Africa, Belgium​m, Denmark, Ivory Coast, France, Germany, The Netherlands, and Brazil at Festiv​al Folclórico de Passo Fundo and many other festivals around the world. 

Augusto has attended some of the biggest dance and music festivals such as Herr​ang Dance Camp, Burning Swing, Gentse Feesten, Life Ful Festival Stockholm ku​ltur Festival, Macau International Parade, Lusofony Macau Festival, Mother City ​Hop, Shangay World Expo and many others.

 

NILEGIO RAUL COSSA ( Nyless Cossa)

From 2017 until today he collaborated with several choreographers such as Horacio Macuacua, Idio Chichava, Pak Ndjamena, Eugenio Macuvele, Lulu Sala, Edvaldo Ernesto, Vitor Hugo Pontes (Portugal), Rubens Oliveira (Brazil), Linda Wardal (Sweden) Chester A. Whitmore (U.S.A) and João dos Santos Martins (Portugal), Stephen Rolf Bongarçon (Reunion Island), Jenny Major (Denmark) Also participated in numerous international festivals, both as a teacher and as a performer, including KINANI festival (Maputo), THEATER FORMEN festival (Germany), Herräng Dance Camp (Sweden), ONE DANCE WEEK (Bulgária).
Nyles Cossa started his career in 2000, dancing Makwaela in her neighborhood church.

He immediately fell in love with dance and the arts and continued to dance in various cultural associations. His professional career began with participation in various festivals and workshops across the country, deepening traditional dance and starting to dance Afro Swing with Associação Hodi, of which he is an active member as a dancer, musician and dance teacher.

Agnes Jantini
Entered the world of dance when she was 7 years old. Agnes went through the organization Continuadores de Mozambique where she met professor Ivone Mahumane, her source of inspiration. In 2009, she was invited to be part of the Singing and Dance Student Group, where she had the privilege of being part of some choreographies by renowned CNCD choreographer, Ms. Pérola Jaime. In 2011 he joined the Hodi Maputo Afro Swing Cultural Association. In 2011, she participated as a dancer in the main show that was a collaboration between Hodi Maputo Afro Swing and the Harlem Hot Shots from Sweden.
In 2014, she participated as a dancer in the first Afro Swing Festival held by the Hodi Maputo Afro Swing Cultural Association.
Agnes has as reference and inspiration the dancers and choreographers: Cláudia Vasco, Mário Macuvel, Sandra, Eugénio Macuvel and Jeremias Parruque.
Agnes specializes in traditional and modern dances from Mozambique and has accompanied several artists at diverse events.
I can't wait to dance with them! Are there parties?