Bio
Rafael Mariano Garcia is an actor-researcher, born in 1991, in the city of Garça, in the interior of São Paulo.
From 2006 to 2010, he was a member of Cia. Evoé ou Não É and collaborator of the Center for Performing Arts (NAC), in Garça/SP. During this period, he performed in the following shows: “Coração Cia Ltda.” (2008), “Memory knows all the ways back” (2008), “Charles Chaplin” (2008), “Via Scenic IV”, “II Café Literário ALL – Exhibition of Sensory Readings” (2008), “O Bem -Amado” (2009) and “Via Scenic V - Transit for Distracted Joys” (2010). There, some of the foundations were sown that were later repeated in his work: principles of theatrical anthropology, Eastern codified techniques and elements of energetic and technical training developed by LUME.
In 2011, he joined the Performing Arts course at the State University of Londrina. During his graduation, he was a researcher at the Klauss Vianna Technique Project and Body Dramaturgy: Systemic Study of Movement, coordinated by Prof. Dr. Ceres Vittori. As a result of these studies, the show "Pés-de-deux" was created. The work premiered at the Ouro Preto Theater Show, in 2012. The show was also presented at the Londrina International Festival (FILO) and at the Usina Cultural Theater, in Londrina/PR. He also collaborated with research and teaching projects with emphasis on Theater Direction and Production, Staging, Scenography and Audiovisual Production at the same University. He was a production intern at Teatro Ouro Verde. In 2013, he staged his first solo “Estações Mortas”, in the Fringe show at the Curitiba Theater Festival.
In 2014, he collaborated with the Philosophical Cabaret project, conceived by Prof. Dr. Gabriel Giannattasio, from the Department of History, from the Center for Human Sciences (CCH), from the State University of Londrina. There, he acted as scenographer at the event Cabaret Valentino — Pensamento e Ebridade. The initiative promoted a series of activities, including lectures with the philosopher Viviane Mosé and the chronicler Xico Sá. Also in 2014, he was assistant director and casting coach for the short film “Copo de Leite”. In the same year, the solo “Agora, é a ceremony do adeus” premiered at the Historical Museum of Londrina, the result of his course conclusion research, where he produced a study on the relationship between memory, body and creation. At the time, his academic work was nominated by the review board for publication for his contributions to the field of study. As a graduation project, he participated in “Eu Me Recemo”, a montage inspired by the film “Wandafuru Raifu”, by Hirokazu Koreeda, directed by Sandra Parra.
In 2015, his solo “Agora, é a cria do adeus” was selected to perform at the 16th edition of the Short Scenes Festival at Galpão Cine Horto, in Belo Horizonte/MG. Then, he premiered his first short film “The Bird's Eyes”. Later, he worked as an artistic collaborator on the UEL FM radio program “Estação Assum Preto”, a project also conceived by Prof. Dr. Gabriel Giannattasio.
In partnership with the Historical Museum of Londrina, he created the scenic intervention “Performance dos Esquecidos”. The work was presented at the events: Pioneer Day (2015), Museum Week (2016) and Coffee Week (2017).
In 2016, he was artistic advisor of the Ademar Guerra Project. In the same year, he taught sociology and philosophy classes to high school students at Centro Paula Souza. In the same year, he approached the taiko group — a set of drums of Japanese origin whose performance involves music and dance — Hibiki Wadaiko, from the Nikkey Association of Marília. An involvement that definitely brought him closer to the field of Japanese studies. Also in 2016, he participated as a juror in the 10th FETUSC — Student Theater Festival of Centro Universitário Sagrado Coração (UNISAGRADO), in the city of Bauru/SP. In the same period, at the invitation of the accordion group Evelina Grandis, he performed as a musician in the Coffee Week program, at the Historical Museum of Londrina.
In 2017, alongside the group Hibiki Wadaiko, he premiered, at the invitation of SESI Marília, the show “Taiko no Hibiki – The vibration of Japanese drums”, where he acted as an artistic collaborator.
In 2018, he joined the Masters in Performing Arts at the State University of Campinas. In his dissertation, financed by CAPES, he researched the Art of Contemporary Taiko, with the guidance of Prof. Dr. Eduardo Okamoto. At the same time, he became involved with the Grupo de Estudos Arte Asia (GEAA), formed by professors, researchers, artists and students. The group is led by Profs. Dr. Michiko Okano/UNIFESP and Dr. Madalena Natsuko Hashimoto Cordaro/USP. In the same year, he was in charge of the production of the show “Taiko no Hibiki — The vibration of Japanese drums”. The project was selected for the SESI-SP Territory Notice of Art and Culture. On that occasion, he founded Barbante — Produção Artística e Cultural, where he became responsible for the production of projects linked to Hibiki Wadaiko.
In 2019, he joined the Center for Oriental Studies, linked to PUC — São Paulo, coordinated by Prof. Dr. Christine Greiner. Participated in the Teaching Internship Program (PED C), of the Performing Arts course at UNICAMP, acting as an intern teacher in the discipline “Editing and Scenic Creation III”, under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Eduardo Okamoto. As a result of this process, the show “Festa do Peixe” ( Sakana no Masturi , in Japanese) was born, a play written by Japanese author Yu Miri, where he collaborated as assistant director and taiko player. He continuously acted in the research and dramaturgy of the second Hibiki Wadaiko show “Omoide no sakura — The memories of Japanese immigration in Garça”. The staging was contemplated by ProAc Municipalities — Cultural Action Program of the State of São Paulo. In the same year, he participated as a taiko player in the EP “Sacro”, by Amanda Gonsales.
In 2020, he started his PhD in Performing Arts at the same University. He then composes the general organization committee of the PPG Artes da Cena Internal Research Seminar — Mario Santana. In the same year, he acted in the dramaturgy, research and production direction of the show “Moriagaru Kokoro”, contemplated by the Virada SP public notice, promoted by the Associação Paulista dos Amigos da Arte, in partnership with the Secretary of Culture and Creative Economy of São Paulo.
In 2021, with funding from the Aldir Blanc Cultural Emergency Law (nº 14017/2020), he taught the workshops "The history of Japanese drums: from tradition to resignification" and "The art of contemporary taiko: war, the body and drums Japanese". He became a member of the Editorial Committee of the Annals of Research Seminars at PPG Artes da Cena. Participated in the Teaching Internship Program (PED B), of the Performing Arts course at UNICAMP, acting as an intern teacher in the discipline “Editing and Scenic Creation III”, under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Eduardo Okamoto. As a result of this process, the play “Apenas o Fim do Mundo” was born, based on the dramaturgy of the same name, by Jean-Luc-Lagarce, where he collaborated as assistant director. Also in 2021, he published the article “Contaminated bodies, phantom bodies and disobedient bodies” in the book “Aesthetic Concepts: from the transtemporal to the spatial in Japanese art”. The publication is the result of research carried out by the Grupo de Estudos Arte Asia (GEAA).
He participated and produced in several academic events: ABRACE Congress; International Congress of Japanese Studies in Brazil; International Symposium of Japanese Immigration Museums; Internal Research Seminar at PPG Artes da Cena — Mário Santana; Meeting of Graduate Students in Japanese Studies; and International Symposium Rethinking Contemporary Myths SOFIA: between knowing and not knowing in artistic processes. These are some of the most significant, among others. He also collaborated, lit, photographed and performed in several other theater and dance shows, festivals, congresses and seminars.
He is interested in the areas of Theater Interpretation, Intercultural Dialogue in the Work of the Actor/Actress/Performer, Japanese Culture, Japanese Theater Art and Studies of the Body. His training is the result of meeting with professionals such as: Michiko Okano, Raquel Scotti Hirson, Toshi Tanaka, Yosuke Oda, Eiichi Saito, Alice K., Isa Etel Kopelman, Mauro Rodrigues and Nair D'Agostini. He has published articles in the field of Japanese Studies and Performing Arts.