DDF Blog: Q&A with Alice Ripoll about PUFF

Ahead of arriving in Dublin, the work travels internationally through London, Lausanne, Amsterdam and Berlin, with the DDF team getting an exclusive glimpse into rehearsals during its stop at Sadler's Wells.

Drawing on Afro-Brazilian dance traditions including Passinho, samba and capoeira, Puff moves through worlds of disguise, transformation and hidden knowledge, celebrating dance forms that have been passed through generations outside official institutions and histories.

At once explosive and delicate, playful and deeply political, the work creates space for movement traditions that carry memory, resistance and cultural identity within the body itself. We spoke with Alice Ripoll about Brazilian dance culture, collaboration, and what audiences can expect when they encounter Puff for the first time.

Puff explores disguise as a way of carrying hidden cultures and knowledge. What drew you to this theme?

This theme emerged naturally from our encounter, mine and the dancer’s. Hiltinho Fantástico is a brilliant performer who masters many urban and Brazilian dance techniques that have often been marginalised throughout history. These forms are passed down informally through generations.

The work draws on Afro-Brazilian traditions such as Passinho, samba, and capoeira. How do these influences come alive on stage?

When we began the rehearsal process, I used to joke with Hiltinho that he is a true encyclopedia of Brazilian dances. It’s incredible how many techniques he has mastered and how beautifully he blends them, as if they were part of every muscle in his body.

What might surprise audiences when they first encounter Puff?

I believe audiences will be surprised by the dancer’s extremely refined technique, as well as the structure I created to allow him to express himself, mixing moments of great lightness and delicacy with others that are explosive and powerful.

Puff is being presented as an Irish premiere. What does it mean to you to share this work with a new audience for the first time?

It is always magical to bring a work to a new country for the first time. When two cultures of different nationalities connect through art, we gain a deeper understanding of our world and expand our perspective on the phenomena around us. I am certain this work will present an important part of Brazilian culture to Ireland.

Puff runs at Project Arts Centre from Fri 15 — Sat 16 May at 7:30PM.

Thanks to Alice Ripoll for offering this glimpse into the world of Puff. This week, we invite you to step into a work pulsing with rhythm and transformation, a real celebration of movement, memory and cultural exchange.

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