Heros Machado (1 June 1914 – 1 January 2004), known as Eros Volúsia was a Brazilian dancer and actress. Her dancing style blended classical ballet to Afro-Brazilian dancing traditions.[1]
Volúsia participated in several movies in Brazil and Hollywood, among them the 1942 film Rio Rita, starring Abbott and Costello.[2]
Biography
Volúsia posing in an advertisement
Volúsia was born in Rio de Janeiro, in 1914; her parents were the poets Gilka Machado and Rodolfo Machado.[3] Volúsia entered the ballet school in 1928, where she studied under Maria Olenewa.[4] She also attended the umbandaterreiro of João da Luz, where she had her first contact with Afro-Brazilian dances.[4]
In 1929, Volúsia made her first presentation at Theatro Municipal, dancing samba barefooted.[4] She would make another presentations in the following years, invited by cultural salonists like Paschoal Carlos Magno.[5] In the spirit of Brazilian modernism Volúsia researched Amerindian and African dances in order to create a "national dance" (bailado nacional).
In 1935 she participated of her first Brazilian film, Favela dos Meus Amores. She would be featured in other four films in Brazil.[5]
On 22 September 1941 she was featured at the cover of Life magazine. The following year she participated in a musical act in the MGM film Rio Rita, with Abbott and Costello. She would be compared to Carmen Miranda by local media.[3]
