Four Argentinean and three Portuguese dance companies will perform in five Algarvean towns during the month of October as part of the eighth edition of ‘a sul’ – Festival Internacional de Dança Contemporânea.
The Festival is dedicated to Argentina and is co-produced by DeVir – Associação de Actividades Culturais and the councils of Faro, Loulé, Lagoa, Tavira and Vila Real de Santo António where the event will take place.
“This year’s festival is dedicated to Argentinean contemporary dance because it is something that is quite unknown here,” explained the event’s Artistic Director, Luís Laginha. In addition, another reason for the choice is that apparently, many Algarveans emigrated to Argentina in the 1950s. “As there is no formal link now with those Portuguese emigrants, we thought it would be a good reason to invite some Argentinean contemporary dance companies here to perform.”
Luís Laginha emphasised the fact that, similar to previous festivals, the organisers had returned to the aim of staging an event based on contemporary dance from a country or region largely unknown to the Portuguese public. For example, last year’s festival was dedicated to eastern countries, from where many immigrants have arrived in Portugal. “The objective is to contribute to the development and awareness of Argentinean contemporary dance in Europe and to spread the artistic work of the country in Portugal,” he said.
The festival, which runs until October 30, will include performances at the Centro de Artes Performativas do Algarve in Faro, at the Cine-Teatro Louletano in Loulé, at the Auditório Municipal in Lagoa, Casa das Artes in Tavira, and the Centro Cultural António Aleixo in Vila Real de Santo António.
As well as many performances, there will be five workshops which will be developed by the dance companies and choreographers from the shows. Also, a photography exhibition entitled ‘Danza Quieta’ by Andrea Lopes will be staged, which relates to the dance productions in Argentina in the 1990s.
