Swan Lake Performance Thrills Audience at World’s Largest Dance Festival in Southern Brazil

Recognized by the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s largest dance festival, the Joinville Dance Festival takes place annually in Joinville, a vibrant city in southern Brazil’s Santa Catarina state.

This year’s festival runs from July 18 to July 30, 2025. This year’s edition spans 13 days, featuring performances across dozens of stages throughout the city.

The highlight is the main stage, an enormous arena accommodating up to 6,000 spectators, consistently filled to capacity each evening.

With over a thousand square meters, dancing on this stage is a dream for nearly every participant.

Opening the festival this year was the acclaimed Bolshoi Theater School in Brazil, the only branch of the prestigious Russian ballet school outside Russia.

The Bolshoi ballet presented “Swan Lake,” one of the most iconic works in ballet history, choreographed by legendary Vladimir Vasiliev.

The performance featured renowned principal dancers from the Kazan Opera in Russia, Amanda Gomes and Wagner Carvalho, both former students of the Bolshoi Brazil.

Special guest Cecília Kerche, principal ballerina from the Municipal Theater of Rio de Janeiro, joined them alongside 100 other dancers, resulting in an epic performance.

“Swan Lake is particularly meaningful to me,” remarked Cecília Kerche. “Returning to the stage in a significant role such as the Queen Mother, who propels the drama by reminding the prince of his royal duties, makes me feel like a fully accomplished artist.”

Swan Lake Performance Thrills Audience at World’s Largest Dance Festival in South Brazil

The performance received a standing ovation. Pedro Seara, principal dancer from the Opera and Ballet Theater Samara in Russia, who attended the event, praised the production:

“The Bolshoi Theater School in Brazil delivered an exceptional performance. Amanda Gomes and Wagner Carvalho made the evening unforgettable.”

[video_player file=”https://www.riotimesonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Bailarino-Gabriel-Moraes-Ensaio-e-apresentacao-no-maior-festival-de-danca-do-m.mp4″]

(Gabriel Moraes by https://www.youtube.com/@dancardancardancareserfeli672.)

Gabriel Morais, awarded best dancer at last year’s festival and guest of honor this year, also praised the performance.

“Bolshoi’s opening show was unforgettable, marked by beauty, emotion, and technical perfection, truly celebrating the art of dance.”

The festival includes various activities such as workshops, fairs, gastronomy, and the launch of Cecília Kerche’s book, “Lago,” which explores her experiences performing the challenging roles in Swan Lake.