Dancing with the difference was born of a dream that was to create a contemporary dance group for people with and without disabilities. A pioneering work in Portugal, which over the years won the barriers of anonymity, insularity and prejudice. In the front of this battle against discrimination, was a man, Brazilian, Henrique Amoedo, the visionary, the choreographer, dancer and artistic director of the group.

What is the balance that make from the 11-years of history of dancing with a difference?
Amoedo Henry: It's a super good balance here in Madeira. When we started this project, we were linked to the regional directorate of special education and rehabilitation was a beat to implement our work here and in mainland Portugal. There were few groups who were dancing with disabled people. Projects were very restricted, i.e., activities were within institutions, for example, shows to mark the end of the school year. There was no such reference to a world that went beyond artistically, being on stage and in festivals. Therefore, this route is very good not only for all that has been done, but because we are a reference for other groups, serve as a model and inspiration. This, only shows that our work grows and other works are arising from it.

In numerous interviews you did, point out the importance of professionalism of the group. This objective has been achieved?
HA: This is the way. it's close. This year we do a test, we will try. We are working with two groups of dancers.

They are the junior and the senior?
AH: None of these groups, they are the base 2. On the same main group, we have two different cores. In the pre-professional are included people that were already part of the cast, but that mostly has another job and not feel safe enough to leave it and devote them self only to dance. Because it's an unknown for us and I think they do well. The rest are people who are willing to work within this time, because they do not have an activity identified in professional terms, these are the professional group.

Do you think this period of 11 years, the prejudice against a group of dancing with different changed?
HA: It changed a lot.

Yoshikazu Suematsu is a prominent specialist in the study of the art of Karakuri transported to the new era of robotics in companies with leading edge technology, which made Japan one of the world's economic superpowers. It is one of the renowned scholars of the Institute of Technology Aishi and honorary professor at Nagoya University.

In what historical and social context appear the karakuri and why?
Yoshikazu Suematsu: In Japan there is a tradition of the festivals. There's one in almost any towns in the country, where they show all types of mechanical dolls to entertain the crowd. We can say that they are a sort of wooden robots. The Japanese have a fascination, a great admiration and love for these dolls, whether are from wood, or the most current ones. From children to adults, in Japan there is great appreciation for these "robots", a sentiment that can be defined as caring for a family member. This type of Japanese culture in the factories helped develop the concept of robotics, because then appear the tradition of making mechanism to facilitate the work.

The figures represented are only Japanese heroes?
YS: There are many kinds. They can be heroes, but there are also characters that are taken from Japanese fairy tales, Kabuki Theater, or puppets. There are several elements used.

Do the young Japanese still value these Karakuri?
YS: I think so, are about 80 festivals where they show this kind of mechanical dolls. Young people continue to estimate this type of art. Over the last ten years, there is a movement in Japanese factories that uses this type of mechanisms, learn through the mechanical dolls to implement in factories. We call it kaizen, continuous improvement are in factories.

How this process works?
YS: It was a young man who created a mechanism to transport cargo from one point to another factory without spending any energy. The weight of the object moves the wheels (pictured). The idea came to him from a tea doll he saw as a child.

It started as a circus. It has grown, evolved and became a hybrid theater. A poetic universe, emotional, sensory and narrative, with no words spoken, at the crossroads of visual arts, music, dance and images in unconventional spaces. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, welcome to the world's greatest show, the Circolando.

What was the genesis Circolando?
André Braga: It was in late 1999. It was mainly the desire to create other worlds, inventing poetic universes. We needed to get out of everyday life, enriching the mind and emotions.

Why? the concept of theater was not enough?
AB: We were not even the theater when it all began. The first actors were not from this area, there was an intersection with the circus, which has been fading away, but in the beginning there was this sense of community, to support the child and the old, was an environment that has always fascinated us, being in this party.

From 1999 to 2011, what has changed in Circolando? What was the group's evolution from that date until now?
AB: It was all very self-taught, has always been about the doing and learning. There is another experiment in parallel; we found other ways, other languages. It is a hybrid form of dance theater and images. The idea of ​​the circus was losing ground; we were more interested in the transmission of languages ​​and want to intersection of music, visual arts and cinema.

You cross all these components?
AB: Not all, sometimes. It's a strong image and work of the visual arts, theater and dance.

He defined himself as an actor treading the stage for fun. By vocation. For taste. To breathe. His personality is not limited, however to that word. One of its other facets is the writer, teacher and even a lawyer. He is a full body man that needs no introduction. Ladies and gentlemen, Jose Antonio Bastos de Oliveira Martinho.

This year premiered two plays, why this comeback?
Tozé Martinho: I do theater for seven years, never stopped. That's what I like to do. What pays me well is to write sops operas and arguments, but being on stage is something that gives me great pleasure and I do not wave it. I am essentially an actor, I am also a lawyer and teacher, but what I like to do is a play.

Having been in the genesis of the creation of series and soap operas in recent years, how do you see the evolution of the current television landscape for this type of format?
TM: I think it is a slow journey, which started well and has found some advances and setbacks at times, because sometimes the path taken was not the best.

Are you talking about the succession of new faces we see in some series and soon after disappeared from screens?
TM: They are actors and actresses who were not well prepared and that it is not clear how these young people were not carefully chosen. In the scripts, there are advances and retreats, and this phenomenon occurs with the same screenwriter. There were bad choices.

In terms of casting?
TM: No, no. In general, both directors and actors. There were filmmakers with great talent, which were not properly nurtured and eventually give way to others who were not as well prepared.

He is good guy, a little brash is right. He is a consultant of Boole Sheat& Associates, but that does not make him a serious professional, quite the contrary, the idea is to make you laugh as tears drops from your eyes. He above all is a huge comedy talent made in Portugal.

The comedy is needed?
Pedro Miguel Ribeiro: I have the notion that people like to laugh, the Portuguese need to laugh, particularly at this time. Laughter is always important. At a time of crisis in all of us, the laughter, I think, gets to be one physiological need, like eating, drinking and breathing.

That is why you decided to do the alive and on serum 4?
PMR: I decided to make this show since the success of alive and serum 3. I felt that people had liked a lot. They made me reset it at that time due to the enthusiasm of the audience and gave me the impression that it was important to do one more. I dedicated myself to do theater here, for about 10 years. I like to come to Funchal, to Calheta and already did a tour with Nuno Morna a bit all over the island. I like this audience. I planned this in advance.

Do you to write your own texts?
PRM: Yes, when I do solo shows, I write them. In partnership with producers like com.tema already there are more to write. Alive and serum 4 will premiere on a hurricane news is that Madera's debt and eventually be appropriate because the piece deals with these issues in a healthy way to laugh at them because there is no better way to cope with difficulties than laugh and I think that it is appropriate to appear, because more than ever people need to laugh to address these issues.

This is the fourth show, but back to the first, was it difficult to face the stage alone?
PRM: Yes, it was. It is always difficult. I usually say I've done 500 performances of standup comedy and I am not presumptuous, there was the five hundred who were great, 3 or 4 that went wrong. I spend my life thinking about what went wrong and not the 496 that went well.

Vânia Fernandes has a great love for music. She thrives to sing on stage. She also feeds a dream that is the value the work of the musicians in her country. She has a passion, to share with others, all the little she knows and have already learned.

After winning the operation triumph has this competition contributed to your career?
Vânia Fernandes: It was not so much by the number of performances, because this experience and luck I had acting every night in Madeira, fortunately it is a tradition that still holds, but that will gradually be lost. I am a child of that generation that sang in hotels and bars and learned a lot from this, to sing every night. What most surprised in the operation triumph after winning the contest, due to contractual limitations, could not do it every night and in any place, which was natural, there has to a certain sound and a great show. There was a bet on the quality of performances. Then there is public recognition that was wonderful. I was able to step on the biggest stages be on display with other great artists that otherwise would unfortunately not meet. This is the case of the jazz festival. I usually say that the operation triumph to be on the main stage. A person is always evolving, still studying as did five years ago, but in immediate terms, it did not make me a better singer. I have to work. The television media attention allows us to appear suddenly at the home of all people is the best advertising you can have, so I feel grateful for that.

There were some aspects of this experience less positive? The promotion of CD, for example.
VF: No. Of course I expected something else, not from the part of Endemol. The disc is a product of the operation triumph. The music producers were been very helpful and are wonderful people. I hoped that someone picks up on the project, which was not so difficult to sell in record stores. It's all such a bureaucracy, which only wastes time. I thought it was not so difficult to get a manager. I always thought that after the product is ready, it would be easier. But, no. Proved more difficult than expected.

But the album was your style, or not?
VF: It was. It was everything I had dreamed. They gave me the freedom to do what I wanted. It was a utopia, I wanted an album with various musical styles and not just for a certain type of people that was not elitist, wanted it to be for everyone. The music had to be accessible to all, I didn't do an album for musicians but for people in general and as a thank you for the support they gave me. It was all in Portuguese. Its samba, morna and fado. It is not abstract.

Domingos Rodrigues, is a professor of geology at the University of Madeira, studies the risk associated with natural disasters. A phenomenon that could be mitigated, if there was a clear commitment on prevention through schools.

How do you do makes the encounter between urban development and geological risks?
Dominic Rodrigues: Today we have a quality of life that we did not had in the past. We have schools, health centers and housing have all that space is available. There are a number of strategic infrastructure such as hospitals and fire headquarters and other no less important in order to live, including nurseries, supermarkets and shopping centers. This has nothing to do with danger. We are not required, just because we have to build, to do so under the embankments. The argument, in terms of building and not having much space to do so is false, does not exist. I’ll give you an example, in February 20^th there was no hotel destroyed, why? Because it is an area where nothing happens. Never will be hit by floods, or other type of mudslides. Some are along the coast and have other problems. The society builds only were there’s a high vulnerability, i.e., when do not understand why and where they should not build. Then these disasters happen. We are entering an archaeological study on natural disasters, whose objective is to realize in 1803, the year that there was a great disaster, for example, what mitigation measures that were adopted. Let's see the difference between this year and 1993. The major disasters change the cultures of peoples. The great religious events are all related to natural disasters. What does this mean? What changes have occurred in the past due to this cultural event? In the story if we talk in global terms, there were civilizations that have disappeared, others have adapted. What is happening? The way of being of the people changes, some will be adapted, faster, others slower, this is evolution. Let's make this 1803 survey, see what steps people have taken to minimize this natural disaster, compared to what we are doing now. The evolution of society depends on this kind of rational decisions, makes an assessment of vulnerability and to what extent people in their behavior changed something. If we reach the conclusion that we are more vulnerable, we will have to take action.

Suppose we introduce a culture of safety in schools, there is one or more generations do not have such tools, then what do we do? The only way is to introduce legislation?
DR: No. A society that is not complying, it will not obey even we enforce the law. This is the big question. A single measure does not work. The question I ask is the following, we have a high number of deaths in road accidents, why? With heavy fines by chance, they slow down? So what can we do? Educating people, as they do in Sweden, which never reach the speed limit because they comply. What can we do? Educating the population. If a person is educated in that sense, that someone will not make a proposal to a Town Hall 500 times, with a project that makes no sense. Citizens want to see approved projects are often the most outlandish possible and still say they’re right. Imagine that none of these proposals appears in the City Council. Good nothing to manage. If all the people when they build their home have a sense of danger and avoid areas at risk, who manages the territory has the easy life, or not? This applies to the whole society, from the political ruling class to the anonymous citizen.

The solution is a land management plans that are widely discussed and that people knew what the rules are. What happens? People know the law, but what they do? Find ways to get around to it and do not comply, then nothing works. A risk plan solves nothing, is a door, no doubt. Isolated does not work. Why do I need a sophisticated warning system, if people do not give a damn? If I send an SMS to all the population in general, warned not to leave the house because it will rain and people choose to go for a walk, what is the effectiveness of this measure? Zero. The people are guilty? Obviously not. We have to educate young people to have proper behavior, whether in accordance with the situations in which they live and in relation to natural disasters, or traffic accidents. The approach must be multidisciplinary, invest in education, alert systems and legislation. Were t young people in schools address these issues directly related to their community? No, there is talk of Japan and Chile, and what is happening here? This is not even taken into account, what are our limitations. In case of fire, people complain, but the vast majority does not clear the forest around the houses. It is a matter of managing behavior. The risk in the fund is to manage the way we behave in society. If citizens comply to the letter, the degree of their vulnerability decreases. There is never a zero risk.

And contingency plans?
DR: They are to be approved and then work. Some better, others not, because authorities apply. The documentation exists. If there is a public discussion, what happens? Probably no one shows up. When discussing the municipal master plans, people just want to know is whether they can build or not. Are not concerned about anything else and then complain. The people have to know what are the limitations in where they live, not just to worry if you can eat this or that. It's raining, we not move from one place to another. The only proposal that exists in legal terms is the whip. It is not the path we must follow. The focus should be on education and schools. It's knowing how to behave before a natural disaster.

Even more in this island, taking into account the terrain.
DR: It's not about that. If you go to Switzerland, they also have a fragmented terrain and more they have snow and that I know off they do not live badly. The Japanese live in a terrible country, however, just see the movies of the last earthquake, they told then and they behaved well. Died, but if it was in a country like ours, we were completely devastated. When the tsunami hit the area, we saw cars being swept away, but people moved to higher areas, if it was here they probably stop to take pictures. This is what the problem; people do not have the slightest sense of danger.

But in Madeira raises the question of building on land with slopes, with houses with balconies facing cliffs and garages on the roof. How can you avoid such situations?
DR: It has to do with the proper way to build. I was recently watching an Australian code, we use a lot to of their experience in planning, and they say that a project cannot increase the degree of instability of a given area. It does not mean you cannot build; the intention is that the project concerned, not damaged further the instability of that area, if so cannot be done. They prohibited? No. You must be adequate and have quality. We can have projects in areas that reduce risk. Many of these projects are of poor quality and I do understand that not everyone has the same financial means, and land to build, not everyone is rich. The aim is to find tools to prevent this type of construction in areas at risk. For this there are the housing projects and exchanges of land. No one forces a person to make a poorly made home on a cliff. This type of behavior only arises a level of awareness of risks, which is none. People living in the city, for example, have a very different sense of danger on a certain area, than those who lived there all their life. It makes people very vulnerable. We must have an occupation of the territory adapted to our reality.

Her face enters our homes every Saturday afternoon. Bet her education in the media, because her biggest dream was to work in the audiovisual world. A casting opened the doors to her passion, making it one of the youngest presenter of public television.

How did the opportunity presented to begin your career in television?
Marta Machado: In 2004 I came to live in Madeira and the following year learned that there was a casting to present a program that was the "promenade" was a space where they had the night's and cultural events. I went and passed. This program lasted two years and then came the opportunity to start this new project was the "irreverence" that fills a gap in the RTP-Madeira that had nothing for young adults and this program has filled this gap. I'm in the "irreverence" for five years. Right now I help in producing the program and I have done shows for RTP. I also had an experience in radio, the antenna 3 in the morning.

How is to present a live television program, the major challenges and difficulties?
MM: Well, when we presented a live program as it is the "irreverence" we to have the notion that all the unforeseen events are planned there, everything is well prepared. It is a weekly program that is aimed at young people and as such we have a comprehensive language. That is, do not present the "irreverence" in the same way that the present christmas hospitals. They are different audiences. There's this notion. Then we have to reach out to young people and that is the hardest, perhaps because what is not interesting for us, for many of them are. We approach at the problems they want to hear. We go outside the studio to know what are the issues of greatest interest and their concerns. In the field it is very difficult to make a program an hour and a half, is required much research and a great preparation so that everything runs smoothly.

After this break which is the next step of irreverence?
MM: We are moving forward with the program in October 1fst. In this new series we will try to modify some things, do more stories and themes keep up to date.

What is the difference between radio and television?
MM: The big difference for me and it appeared not on television we have a great support: the image. It gives us everything. A gesture can better convey the message that you want to spend. While in radio, the aim is to convey all that we feel through the voice and its own placement should be very careful done.

The dul n’nouk white is a young alternative rock band as they define themselves. They are a group with a fusion sound that combines the junction of several instruments in its songs. They sing in Portuguese and English because they want and their greatest dream is to play off the island. The auspicious debut was at the opening of Funchal Live Music Fest '11.

How did it all begin?
Sandra White: I had a project a few years ago that unfortunately had to end. Then I started doing some work and feel the need to have a battery and other instruments and other elements have emerged that came from other projects and the band was slowly growing, we added a piano, a violin and a harmonica and here we are.

What is your musical style?
SB: We have no musical style; we are an alternative rock band. We play blues, fado and more industrial music. We played a little bit of everything. We do not plan to have any style. We just play.

You compose your songs? What is the source of inspiration?
SB: The spirit. We are different in terms of musical taste. Each of us will make music their way and the merger results in a song. It's our work. Several distinct taste and come out dul n'nouk white.

You sing in English and Portuguese.
SB: Correct. We have two themes in Portuguese. One is a cover of Amalia Rodrigues and everything else is in English, in a natural way. That's what the lyrics ask. We do not project in English or Portuguese is as we please
Marco Panama: But we are also thinking of singing in German.

She began her career in jazz music with only 14 years of age. Since then she sings and enchants audiences with her mature and melodious voice. A jazz journey she want to quit, not quite, with a CD which contains all these life experiences and musical influences.

I notice in your songs you're a romantic. You see yourself that way?
Rita Maria: I speak of love and lack of love, loveless (laughs). Yes, I am a true romantic, but there is another side of me that is not exploited, because in addition to this repertoire, I have another facet more abstract, more contemporary and perhaps that is why I am entering the world of heavy rock and themes of the music that I make are changing a little.

You'll leave the jazz?
RM: I do not know. Now I am working in Ecuador, I want to take roots in this country and know their musical traditions. I want to use the Spanish language in what I do and invade other styles too.

How a Portuguese jazz singer does go to Ecuador?
RM: I studied in the U.S., the Berklee College of Music in Boston. There I was in contact with people all over the world and in this context came an invitation to become a teacher. After my stay in this institution, one year later, through a teacher, the opportunity arose to go to Ecuador, because the local university uses the same type of teaching of Berklee.

You'll start teaching?
RM: I've been teaching, now I fell in love the country and everything else (laughs). There is something emotional holding me musically to the Equator and therefore I want to continue.