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Contextualizing

What is the role played by showcases, workshops and festivals in the development an diffusion of dance? The existence of an increasing number of showcases and festivals in the city of Aracaju, especially the Semana Sergipana de Dança (“Sergipe Dance Week”), translates a rich production phase or is it a calling for more choreographic production? These and other questions have taken over the dance artistic scene in the small and hot capital of Sergipe, which has been witnessing a growth in the number of dance showcases and festivals, besides workshops. Some of these questions, however, might remain unanswered, since there is no intention to exhaust the many possibilities for this theme, leaving to readers, research colleagues and dance artists to further this discussion. [1]

In order to think about such questions, the focus of our discussion has Semana Sergipana de Dança as backdrop.[2] This year, the showcase’s fourth edition will take place at Tobias Barreto Theater, between April 27th and May 2nd. We will discuss it further ahead.

In this text, we won´t follow the path of artistic analysis of the works presented, but rather that of reflection through this context, which has significantly contributed to dance in the city, at least in terms of visibility for these new productions.

Some of the groups and companies whose activities are observed in this period are: Cubos Cia de Dança; Cia Contempodança; Espaço Liso Cia de Dança; Cia de Danças Árabes Maíra Magno; Nelson Santos Cia de Dança, Cia Carpe Diem; Catarse Grupo de Dança; Rosa Negra Grupo de Dança; Cia Danç’Art de Sergipe, Bosco Imourara; Juventus Grupo de Dança; among others.

Dance events in Aracaju

At first, I list here the spaces that have been very important for dance in Aracaju: Faz Dança festival (the last edition took place in 2008) and Galeria da Dança festival (the first edition was in 2009), both were organized by Cia. Contempodança; Nossa Dança Festival (produced by the Sports Department of the State Education Office); Dances Festival (the last edition was in 2008) and Estações Dançar (starting in 2009), promoted by Cia Danç’Arte, from Sergipe; Contemporary Dance International Workshop (since 2007), organized by dancer and choreographer Evaldo Pereira and his company, Nu Tempo Dance Company; Cultart Dance Showcase (Culture Centre of Sergipe Federal University), organized by dancer, choreographer and teacher Janaína Veloso; besides the Aracaju National Dance Festival, promoted by dancers, choreographers and teachers Klely Perelo and Júnior Oliveira.

Each event has its own specificities and similarities, such as the promotion of dance and the growth of its production, its diffusion and, mainly, a concern with better organization of the events themselves and their own companies. They also display a diversity of proposals. All of them reflect about dance, diversifying and broadening it more and more in the city, with contemporary dance, street dance, classic ballet, jazz, modern dance, among other genres.

Some of these groups have been concerned with the presence of dance in the school environment, such as Nossa Dança Festival. Initially conceived to publicize dance production in schools in the state public system, over the years the festival grew and started to receive works from groups and companies with different formats and proposals, besides receiving schools from the city system and private schools, also encouraging new dance groups. The majority of events also offer classes, workshops, lectures, going beyond showcasing the choreographies in the program, providing greater contact between artists, students, teachers, and also a wide variety of dance languages, with different choreographic formats.

With a simple event format, Cultart Dance Showcase sought to foster the development of an audience for dance, besides gathering a diversity of dance languages, so that the artists could come closer and get to know each other. Little by little, the four editions of the event also produced dance workshops, providing an exchange between artists and students.

The Aracaju International Dance Workshop seeks a technical update for dancers in the city and also other cities in the state, resulting in a showcase of the process. Nu Tempo seeks to bring teachers and dancers to provide local artists with more technical and artistic contemporary dance knowledge, besides other kinds of dance, such as classic ballet, for instance. A similar intent can be found in Aracaju National Dance Festival, in which the participants have the opportunity to take part in workshops that result in a process showcase, besides showcases of contemporary dance, classic ballet and jazz. The public for this workshop counts on the participation of students from academies, artists from groups and companies, besides artists from other states.

Another initiative that is worth noting is Faz Dança, which no longer exists, it gave way to Galeria da Dança festival. Francisco Santana, fondly nicknamed “Chiquinho” by the artistic community, launched Faz Dança aiming to provide opportunities to these artists, groups, companies, including Cia Contempodança itself, which he directed and choreographed. At the time it first took place (1996), these artists had little opportunity to show their work in theaters (nowadays, the situation for groups that intend to become professional is not so different). At the same time, choreographer and dancer Cleanis Silva, director and choreographer of Cia Danç’Art, from Sergipe, created Estação Dançar, since showcases and festivals were almost always restricted to dance academies, except for a few that opened space in their showcases.

A fact that should be highlighted is the creation of Dance course at Sergipe Federal University in 2007, which has been welcoming a variety of students, from experienced artist to students who are just starting their work in the area. Many of these students are part of these groups and companies, some of which are the organizers of these festivals and showcases, such as Cia. Contempodança, producer of Faz Dança and Galeria de Dança festival. These undergraduate students have been bringing discussions to the academic realm, seeking to build and collaborate with an important debate about dance in the University.
The situation of these artists have been improving in some aspects and one of them is the search for technical and professional qualification. However, there is still a lot to be done, like the development of cultural policies to foster the sustainability of groups in this context, for instance. Even with their differences, these festivals are a strong instrument of support and encouragement for dance production. One example is Galeria da Dança, which organizes its program so to highlight the differences between the choreographic proposals, both that of schools and academies and that of dance groups and companies. Thus, the festival is organized to direct the audience to the production format covered by the event. That means that schools and academies have a certain audience, age groups and choreographic production, just like dance artists have a certain kind of work that requires some care as to how its presented and appreciated. This certainly directs the gaze of those who watch, those who know and those who want to get to know, distinguishing the understanding, not in terms of the importance of one form of work in relation to another, but aiming to develop an audience that sees each work in the way it needs to be known and understood.
Coincidence or not, the last four years have shown that the dance production in Aracaju is increasing one again, since some groups slowed down their activities (some even became inactive in the 80’s and 90’s). The variety of productions in the city has also increased. But this is mainly due to the appearance of new groups and companies, which have provided a wave of new choreographic productions, with freshness and liveliness that haven´t been seen in a while. The festivals, showcases, workshops and presentations in the state, even if they are still very concentrated in the city of Aracaju, seem to be co-responsible for the emergence of some groups, promoting and encouraging this new phase of mobilization.

This means that these new productions, at least these new formations, need to be disseminated, publicized and showcased. Ultimately, to make them known. And for that, they need space, opportunities. Issues like technical and choreographic conditions and support for staging and circulation of their work are not even part of this discussion yet, it would take another step to talk about this. However, these factors are also determinant for that production to concentrate itself most often within these showcases and festivals, leaving very few opportunities to producing independent theatrical seasons. It´s important to note that most of these events are aimed at dance academies, regular school groups or even groups intended only for these events, leaving this new generation of dance artists to reduce their work, adapting them to these occasions, or even creating only one format, which often don´t match their ideas and choreographic proposals.

Foreseeing Necessary Changes

The opening that have been taking place within these events have been very relevant for these artists. However, the lack of a space for these groups and companies was only solved by Semana Sergipana de Dança. Due to it, these issues became more pressing, requiring spaces for us to think and reflect about it, because it´s very important it´s understood accordingly to its greatness. And it must be understood as such, as a showcase of independent groups and companies from the state of Sergipe. Most of the shows are from groups from Aracaju and also it can´t be said to be an “x ray” of dance from Sergipe. It only “shows” what is being done, but with a format made with professionalism.
Semana de Dança has expanded more and more, not only seeking to host a greater number of groups and companies, but also increasing the participation time of the shows, leaving the format of main groups and guests. From 2010 on, everyone have the same time to show their work on stage. The number of invited artists for performances in the foyer also increased, as well as the diversity of dance languages.

It´s important to highlight that this week allowed the creation of some groups and companies, which are again part of the program of the 2010 edition, such as Espaço Liso Cia de Dança, Cubos Cia de Dança and Catarse Grupo de Dança. Besides them, groups with more time of activities, such as Cia. Danç’Art, which celebrated twenty years in 2010, Grupo de Dança Entre Nós, with almost ten years of activities and other artists with more than ten years of experience, some are recapturing their wind and are gathering with the new generation of artists from the state to strengthen the dance week, renewing or resuming ideas and ideals that for many reason (some of which have been shown here), had to be left behind.

That’s what the 4th Semana Sergipana de Dança is about, an open space, an opportunity for knowledge of part of what is being produced in the state. Even if it is smaller in comparison with other festivals and showcases in the state, this showcase has already created momentum to increase their program in 2011. And who knows, they might even produce debates, workshops, artistic residencies, courses and artistic exchanges with artists from other states too. For these reasons the dance from Aracaju may be going through the beginning of a rich and productive phase and Semana Sergipana de Dança is currently being held as the reference for dance in the state, anxiously expected by artists, teachers and the public. We still have a lot to contribute. However, we also need collaborators, supporters and sponsors and other interested in helping to develop this artistic segment that seems to want to strengthen itself more and more.