Mi Pret'i Wowo

Mi Pret'i Wowo - Papiamento for 'The apple of my eye' - is an intimate, autobiographical performance by choreographer and performer Junadry Leocaria about healing, family ties and the search for connection. The personal story revolves around her relationship with her father, former dancer Junny Candido Maduro, and their journey from confrontation to recovery.

Through dance, documentary footage, animation and music, Leocaria unravels the silent grief and traces of an unspoken past. On stage, father and daughter meet in a physical dialogue, where pride and vulnerability alternate. Not a completed story, but an invitation to reflect on healing and what we want to pass on to the next generations.

An important step in their quest was their joint trip to Nigeria, where they discovered their spiritual roots in the sacred forest of Osun, the Yoruba goddess of love. This encounter with Yoruba culture reflects their shared history of diaspora, migration and cultural transfer.

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The creative process brought about a valuable exchange of knowledge: Leocaria's West African dance, waacking and contemporary dance are interwoven with her father's Afro-Caribbean styles. This artistic transfer transcends personal narratives and reveals a heritage passed down through generations. Visual artist Richard Kofi and composer Dizzi Geetha enrich Mi Pret'i Wowo with animations, drawings and a resonant soundscape.

Junadry Leocaria's work is characterised by strong physical and emotional expression, where she interweaves different dance styles and visual elements to create a powerful, sensory experience.

Junadry Leocaria (Willemstad, 1985) is a striking presence in the Dutch urban dance theatre scene. Her professional dance career began at the age of 18 with ISH Dance Collective. She later joined Don’t Hit Mama, where she spent eight years honing her craft.

In developing her distinctive style, Leocaria draws heavily on her knowledge of Curaçao’s intangible cultural heritage. This influence is evident in her award-winning short film Imprenta (2021) and in her performances Sugar Coated (2017), Ta(m)bu (2018), and Mi Alma (2023), all created in collaboration with Korzo, The Hague.

-|-As she has delved deeper into the cultural heritage of Curaçao—her roots, the history of slavery, connection, healing, ancestral dance traditions, and rituals—she has made it her mission to liberate both her audience and herself through dance. This deepening of her artistic practice has led to remarkable collaborations with museums such as the Mauritshuis, the Rijksmuseum, the Nederlands Fotomuseum, and the Rembrandt House Museum.

Junadry is a raw, authentic creator who uses dance as a powerful vehicle for emotion. With her unique style, she brings an original and deeply personal voice to the Dutch dance landscape.