The World Dance Day, celebrated today, will be celebrated in the country, from Guimarães to Faro, with activities such as shows, classes and workshops for professionals the general public.
The World Dance Day, established by the UNESCO International Committee on Dance (CID) in 1982, is celebrated on the date of birth of the dancer, master of ballet and author of the theoretical work ‘Lettres sur la Danse’, Jean-Georges Noverre (1727-1810), considered one of the pioneers of modern dance.
Throughout the country, dance companies and groups, schools and associations hold spectacles and workshops for the general public, with the goal of celebrating an art whose universality is highlighted by international institutions such as the IADC.
The National Ballet Company (CNB) will celebrate the date with a program of shows and activities in four cities, simultaneously: Aveiro, Leiria, Lisbon and Faro.
In Lisbon, at the Camões Theater, the CNB will present an unpublished program that aims to make public the backstage of the company, with guided tours starting at 3:00 p.m., and the possibility of attending a class of the dancers at 7:00 p.m.
According to the CNB, after the dancers’ class to take place on the stage of the theatre, there will be commented rehearsals of two new creations: ‘Annette, Adele and Lee’, and ‘Madrugada’, choreographers Rui Lopes Graça and Victor Hugo Bridges, respectively.
CNB celebrations extend to Aveiro on the same day, where the company will present the show “The Left Leg of Tchaikovsky“, by Tiago Rodrigues, and which features the interpretation of the CNB dancer Barbora Hruskova and the pianist Mário Laginha, also author of the original music of this show.
As part of a work that has been developing with dance schools in Portugal, the CNB will also promote masterclasses of classical dance technique in Aveiro, Leiria and Faro.
In Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia, the Dias Da Dança festival continues, which takes national and international shows to various venues in the two cities, and continues until May 12.
At the Centro Cultural Vila Flor, in Guimarães, the North American choreographer Merce Cunningham (1919-2009) will be the target of a homage show, in the 100 years of his birth, in the solo entitled “Not a moment too soon“, interpreted by Trevor Carlson, the last director of Cunningham’s company.
Considered one of the creators who changed the course of modern dance, Merce Cunningham created more than 200 choreographies and among his collaborators were John Cage, Jasper Johns, Andy Warhol and Robert Rauschenberg.
The Almada Dance Company is also presenting a program of shows and activities running from Friday, which runs until May 3 to mark World Dance Day.
At Almadense Academy Theater Theater, a commemorative session is held to reflect on the impact of Almada’s Dance Company (Ca.DA) activities during almost 30 years of work in the city, with the presence of the founder and director , Maria Franco.
In this session will be presented some videos about the work of the company and choreographic excerpts live.
In Torres Novas, World Dance Day will be celebrated with programs of institutions of the municipality – the School of Dance Rita Assis and The Body of the Dance of Marta Tomé – that, through two different routes through the streets of the city, make artistic appointments, among 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
