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Welcome to Thalhe Festival
A dance festival exclusively dedicated to adults.
This vibrant and engaging celebration of artistic expression through movement was conceived with the vision of providing an inclusive and inspiring platform for dance enthusiasts, where the diversity of styles and passion for movement converge in a unique spectacle.
We are committed to crafting an experience that challenges and inspires, while nurturing the individual and collective growth of all involved.
Get ready for an exciting journey, where dance transcends its boundaries, and artistic expression finds a vibrant and welcoming home.
About us
The current dance world is increasingly evolving and incorporating adult ballet. Studios have been expanding their class offerings, and clothing and accessory companies have been adapting by creating special lines to meet this demand.
Adults seek ballet practice not only for its physical and mental health benefits but also as a form of leisure and social integration. This growth has also created space for those who began their studies as children or teenagers but did not pursue a professional dance career due to various reasons. These reasons include limited job opportunities, low wages, challenging aesthetic standards, injuries, and especially the age restrictions imposed in auditions.
With 30 years of experience and many comings and goings, we have observed a significant increase in the demand for adult ballet classes. In the past, when we stopped, there was no place to practice what our bodies were accustomed to. Nowadays, we can find some studios offering these opportunities, but something very special is still missing... THE STAGE. The space for these adult ballet lovers who, besides participating in classes, also dream of being on stage.
It is with this in mind that the Thalhe Festival was born. It aims to create an integrative and welcoming space for young adults, adults, and seniors who wish to experience being on stage and showcasing their art. Whether it is their first experience, their thousandth, or performing a style or variation they have always dreamed of. What we know as artists is that the stage is "the icing on the cake" for all the effort put into the classroom. At the Thalhe Festival, dancers will have the opportunity to experience everything a professional dancer does, including warm-up classes, physiotherapy sessions, rehearsal coaches, photo sessions, and more.
Our Name
The name "Thalhe" is inspired by the Portuguese word for carving, a term deeply rooted in carpentry with indigenous origins. Carving is a craft where the artisan uses tools, time, and dedication to transform raw wood into a specific shape or design. Drawing on this analogy, the founder of Grupo Thalhe (Jorge Texeira) believes that, just as wood can be carved and shaped, all bodies can be molded and refined through advanced techniques in classical ballet. This vision aims to create opportunities for children and young people who might have been overlooked due to not having the "ideal" body type, and to share this inclusive perspective with future generations.
Our Inspiration
The name “Thalhe” was chosen for two deeply meaningful reasons:
First, it honors our beloved teacher, Jorge Teixeira, founder and director of the renowned Thalhe Dance Group in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He welcomed us when we were still young girls and shaped us with dedication, patience, and care. For this, we are eternally grateful. Over the years, Professor Jorge has built a career marked by excellence and tireless devotion to the art of dance, impacting not only his students but the entire artistic community. His work, which fuses technique and sensitivity, has trained generations of dancers and promoted dance as a rich and vibrant cultural expression. He embodies dance in its purest essence.
Choosing this name for the festival acknowledges his invaluable contribution to the dance world and serves as a tribute to his unwavering commitment to quality, innovation, and the transformative power of art. With every step and movement, we honor the path he has shown us and the passion he inspires in us.
The second reason for the festival’s name is our wish for it to symbolize the legacy of a master whose love for dance has changed our lives and shaped who we are. It is a testament to our eternal love and gratitude for him, who taught us values that we carry in our hearts. May his passion continue to inspire and guide future generations, just as it has profoundly inspired and transformed us.
Jorge Texeira
Teacher / Choreographer
Maître de Ballet BTMRJ
Artistic Director of Cia BEMO-TMRJ
Artistic Director of the CBB
Choreographer Front Committee of Beija-Flor