How in day-to-day bases?
AH: I have data that are clear and I think we can measure it. If I speak of people, the dancers of dancing with the difference are respected and looked differently in the middle. No longer are seen as the disabled, that is, before they said my neighbor is a disable person, now the say: my neighbor is a dancer. Respect is completely different. Serve as a model. They travel so much. They will meet other places. Of course, that's not all. These trips are not bed of petals of roses. I say this in the sense of one who looks out for us as a reference. In a broader level, how to measure also passes through the newspapers and journalists as they relate to our work. At first, the reports in 2002 / 3, the titles were: the disabled overcome the barrier of the stage, or disabled overcome barriers. The focus of the headlines was in the disability itself. As time went on, was changing and the focus now are on the dance itself and this is one way of measuring how others look at us.
Of all the shows that have set up over the years, which was the one who marked the group's dynamics and as choreographer?
HA: I try as artistic director always create a new challenge to the dancers in each show, because otherwise it's not fun. You already know what to do and so I try to take the next step in the creation, taking this factor into consideration. I think each one different from each other because of it. It is intended to make room. But I think the work of Clara Andermatt, raises his arms to heaven, a creation of 2005 was very important for the group as an institution and for each of the dancers on a personal level.
Why?
HA: I think the in that work in particular each interpreter had to see with their difference, or their limits and I'm not just point out the disabled, I speak of everyone. Each dancer had to deal with their personal difficulties, due to the process of creating itself. So, how to expose this body with a disability? It's not because they did not do it before, was the way it was exposed. Before it was exposed, because it was there. Clara made a game that was to show that reason, wanted to emphasize the difference. It was about her work and her choreographic proposal. Then it turned out to demonstrate that you have to be good about yourself and be able to pass this to the public. I think it was an upgrade to the group. In the creation of Clara everyone has grown because we had to deal with difficulties as individuals as interpreters and then pass that to the public.
It was a catharsis for the group?
HA: I think it was even that. Not a disorganized shed, chaotic and one who no one knows what is, but it was important, because it move what was not well. Get in touch with what you do not like in your body and your difficulty. The choreography of it is still on the scene today, since it was released in 2005.
Is merging with other projects?
HA: We are a repertory company. We have various choreographies that we can dance or not. Clara's work has undergone a revival in 2007 because there were replacements in the cast. There are programmers who want to see this show and people too. It was so great a work for the dancers that remains very present, very much alive and I think that was what she wanted to prove. Hence, this work has a long life; she managed to take all of the best of the interpreters and wanted to show it. Therefore, one can maintain the characteristics of this repertoire today.
What is the feedback of the shows outside of Portugal, given that most people do not even know where Madeira is?
HA: I speak very little about his in interviews, for fear of being misunderstood. We have a group that obviously makes a work with a focus on changing attitudes and discrimination. I think we are the unifying of all prejudices, why? It is a group led by a Brazilian, with disables persons, from the island of Madeira. At the outset we gather all of these prejudices. Who hires the dancing with the difference, knows our work and respects this route. Often dealing with the public, with others who are involved in production and theater we account this prejudice. But everything changes after the show. With the technicians, for example, is chaotic at times, question the need to use so much light and so much equipment, because they conclude that we will not use that equipment, the disabled do not need them, but other groups do. Then there is a treatment that is difficult, but we carry that weight of prejudice together. I do not care and everyone who works with me knows that. Who is behind the scenes deals more with this aspect that the dancers, somehow all this is much more filtered in their case. We do our work and the change comes after the first test, is radical. Oh! After all, you know how to use the cut lights and needed all this equipment on the scene. Disabled people know how to use light, though this is an issue inherent to any dancer. We deal with this forever, but that's how we change the mentality, showing quality and competence. We do not just say; do not treat me like that! Let me do my job, do yours and then we talk.
In the professional field of dance, did you notice that? Bearing in mind that although you choreographed and performed, you have no specific training in this area.
HA: Also exists, but less. Is more and more residual. In this universe of 11 years all that has changed radically. At first nobody knew who was dancing with a difference. No one knew me. This was very evident. Over time we were being recognized and worked with people they know, now look at us differently. But prejudice exists, for some people in the middle, until today. Consider that we do not dance, its theater, therapy, anything less dancing. I do not care, because people have to be open enough to see what is ahead, with their own eyes. It's their problem, not mine.
The various dances that were created during this 11 years, how they contributed to the group evolution?
HA: I as the choreographer in dancing with the difference, leaving aside the role of artistic director, I try to avoid creating shows, because they work with me daily. I teach and they are in my office, we do everything together. Are saturated of me. After 11 years they know what my way of thinking and moving is. Finally, the basis of the collection their motor movements was built by me and to be more creative, I end up being predictable and there are moments that are repeated. This aspect, however, turns out to differentiate the work of different choreographers. So I try to avoid choreograph. It is important for them to have new experiences, working with other professionals and not just me. I decide when to create? Create in case of need for various reasons. If we look at the first stage of the work of the group, which covers the period from 2002, in which we debuted with our first creation 9 by 9 in 2007 I choreographed, my creations are centered in this gap of time because nobody knew my work, not the group. So, nobody wanted to work with us. It was hard to break this barrier and this first phase there are many Brazilians choreographers, Henry Rodovalho, Ivone Satie and Carolina Teixeira. Then we had Ricardo Mendes and Juliana Andrade, who were dancers of the group itself and created a choreographic work.
Brazil is a pioneering work in these areas?
HA: There are very forward and much better known than in Portugal. There I created a dance company and gave accessory to other. People who choreographed dancing for the difference in this first stage, I knew in Brazil were professionals with whom I had worked with. So it was very easy to ask to create choreography. Enter the universe of Portuguese choreographers was more difficult and we need that space there before. The girl from the moon was by chance. Arises in the context of improvisation I could not teach the class to Barbara and the strategy was dancing with her alone and hence was born this choreography. It was a creation that impressed me. Then there are specific orders, it is easier to let it be me than others because they want to then other choreographer. The Grotox was an invitation from the House of Music and was the first time I thought a show just as a choreographer, I forgot the rest, was more selfish, I thought only me.
The group's development also resulted in more complex projects, the former were simpler.
HA: Correct. This resulted from the maturity of the group. With the development of the project dancing with the difference. The Grotox is much more complex in that sense, because it has a component of live music and video very strong and was only possible to make this production, because the House of Music gave us access to these technical resources that otherwise we would not have. Went a step further. I really enjoyed doing this show and now more recently, the lethal machine with the psycho- ballet Maite León of Madrid. This project is inserted in the worldwide arts. It was created and developed with this group in different phases. Then they came over here and join the two works, which I had done for them and with dancing with the difference. This is what we have on the scene and we want to carry out.
Lethal machine in which distances itself from the other projects of the group, without focusing on the component of the psycho-ballet of Madrid?
HA: In Grotox had the participation of other people, the own musicians of the House of Music and the fifth hit musical group, which consists of young people with cerebral paralysis. There was no exchange on the scene directly. With the psycho-ballet is different, we played with the interpreters of the two companies are mixed and danced together. This is very different because you're used to dance with that person, that body. It was a very rich experience, because the elements of the group were convinced that they could learn from others. The psycho-ballet learned with dancing with the difference and vice versa. The exchange of interpreters, learning and culture was very empowering.
What is the future of the group dancing with a difference, for the next year, not counting the professional, what is your vision?
HA: The internationalization of the group that started about seven years and I think we're getting. In the short term we will consolidate our space and name in the international environment. This is the next step. It is important for achieving a status, a position within the market of contemporary dance and to do more. This gives greater stability to the group. A second step, more medium and long term, depends not only on us, is to transform Madera into a hub of inclusive dance. Leaving the middle of the Atlantic is that we know very isolated, to get people who do not know the island and in this context, we could be a reference. We did an event last year, which was inclu dance, which was attended by people from seven countries, who have come here to know what was being done in terms of inclusive dance. Anyway, thankfully I do not know how, but perhaps a school, a center, or a space to teach others what we do best. Add our entire collection of books, research, teaching and human material to help others.
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