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.