Maria Alves

Maria was born in the Sertão of Minas. Descendent of moors,
she was raised in a place where folk songs and dances were a part of life, where magic blended with
reality.

Being fascinated by the tales of “Arabian Nights”, dancing was a natural re-encounter.

Azeni Passos – Press assessor

Curriculum

1982 to 1987 – Hatha yoga
1982 – Initiated in Self Realization Fellowship – Yogananda
1988 – Started taking Belly Dance and Flamenco classes

1991 – Start as Belly Dance teacher
1992 – Massage Therapy course with Sidney Donatelli, at the Oswald de Andrade Cultural Center, in São Paulo
1992 – Started taking Tai Chi Chuan classes
1992 – Started Astrology course, completed in 1997
1993 – Started taking Indian Dance classes (Bharata Natyan), until 1997
1994 – Belly Dance presentations in Egypt
1995 – Participations in the “Magical Dances” show in Porto Alegre/Brazil

1996 – Study trip to India and Nepal
1996 – Lectures about “Sacred Dances” at the Second Congress of Mystiqué, in Canela/Brazil, along with great names such as José Hermógenes, Lama Shankya Zangpo, and Patrick Drouot
1997 – Starts volunteer work with homeless children for São Paulo Hospital´s “Project Quixote” /Brazil, teaching contemporary rhythms, folk and religious dances of other cultures.

1997 – Initiated in REIKI I with Master Upanishad.
1998 – REIKI II with Master Inês Rodrigues de Souza;
1998 – AURA SOMA THERAPYST – with Antonieta Silva in São João Del Rei/Brazil
1999 – REIKI III with Master Flávia Macedo
1999 to 2000 – Tai-Chi-Chuan Yang 24 movements with Sonia Irya
2001 – MASTER in REIKI with Inês Rodrigues de Souza

2001 – Initiated in the Female Bhudda of Cure TARE school of Tibetan Tantric Bhuddism, with Lama Gangchen Rimpoche
2001 to 2004 – Greater dedication to the practice of Tai Chi Chuan, and initiated classes of Northern Shaolin Kung-fu and Chi Kung
2002 to 2004 – Developed Ch´i-Dance course, based on sacred dances and Chinese martial arts
2003 – Achieved the Diploma for French language by Nancy University
2004 – First class of Ch´i-Dance at Spaço-Art Dance School/São Paulo
2004 – Instructor training for Tai Chi Chuan at the Yang Chengfu Tai Chi Chuan and Oriental Culture Brazilian Society
2005 – Started giving Ch´i-Dance classes in Porto Alegre, at Baka Art House.

2006/2007 – Aikido with Sensei Ono, worked as Graphical Designer, and gave dance classes.
2008 – Trips to Canada and dedicated time to writing a book about Sacred Dances.

2009 -  March to June – Tai Chi Chuan at Zu Lai temple in Cotia.

2009 -  October to December – Living in Vancouver – Canada
2010 – Living in Toronto – ON – Canada