Mata Leão / School of Self-Defense at Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz – Großes Haus

Mata Leão / School of Self-Defense is a world premiere by Brazilian choreographers Davi Pontes and Wallace Ferreira, responding to the global rise of right-wing threats. Pontes and Ferreira share the stage with six dancers from Berlin and across Europe, transforming the Volksbühne into a stage for political activism and choreographic intervention. The accompanying festival, School of Self-Defense, runs from 29 October to 1 November 2026 and offers voguing classes, theory, and workshops developed with Berlin-based artists. Using posing, intensity, candour, and humour, the production creates a space of shared responsibility rooted in resistance to racism and queerphobia.