“I repeat, and I repeat, and I repeat,
and I question if it is safe
as I feel the chaos
starting to melt my entire body.
There’s a gap between the before and after—
and that is where I stand,
holding onto memory and roots,
reaching toward vision
and yearning desire.
That moment
where the earth beneath my feet
feels like clouds,
and the empty space of possibilities
takes over my guts—
I breathe.
Time is my anchor,
and choice is my ally.
Stillness brings clarity,
and the gap becomes the gateway.
All of that took only five seconds—
all because I kept coming back
And now is not just a trust
I know the way.”
Barbara Lima
With 20+ years of experience Barbara Lima is not just a choreographer—she’s a cultural weaver. She has taught and performed in over 10 countries, spanning street stages in Rio to theaters like Opera National de Paris.
She is the founding Artistic Director of ELa FaLa Collective and have led workshops, masterclasses, performances and residencies in North America, South America and Europe.
Brazilian-born and Oregon-based, Barbara’s work is deeply rooted in improvisation and fuses Contemporary Dance, Urban dance forms, Brazilian movement practices, and deep intuition into raw, expressive landscapes. She guides artists and audiences into emotional literacy and artistic autonomy, crafting work that explores identity, cultural memory, and the body as a living archive.
