Search

Vera Mantero

Studied classical dance until 18 years old and danced in the Gulbenkian Ballet (Lisbon) between 1984 and 1989. She started choreographing in 1987, and since 1991 has been presenting her work all over Europe, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Canada, Singapore, South Korea and the USA.  She teaches regularly composition and improvisation in Portugal and abroad. Since 2000 she has also been exploring vocal work and co-creating experimental music projects. She represented Portugal at the 26th Bienal of São Paulo 2004 together with the sculptor Rui Chafes with the co-creation “Eating your heart out”. Her artistic work has been recognized with institutional awards such as the Prémio Almada (Ministry of Culture - 2002) or the Prémio Gulbenkian Arte for her career as creator and performer (2009).  

For me, dance is not a given fact. I believe that the less I acquire it, the closer I will be to it. I use dance and performance work to understand what I need to understand. I don't see any sense anymore in a performer specialized in a single discipline (a dancer or an actor or a singer or a musician) and I now see some sense in a performer specialized in the whole. Life is a terribly complicated and rich phenomenon and I see the work I do as a continuous fight against the impoverishment of the spirit, both mine and others, a fight that I consider essential now and always. 

Miguel Pereira

Attended The National Conservatory Dance School and the Higher School of Dance (ESD), in Lisbon. Received a scholarship from the Portuguese Ministry of Culture to continue his studies in Paris (Théâtre Contemporain de la Danse) and in New York. As a performer he worked with, among others, Filipa Francisco, Francisco Camacho and Vera Mantero. Of his choreographic work special mention goes to: the esteemed work “Antonio Miguel” for which he received the Revelation Prize José Ribeiro da Fonte/Ministry of Culture and an honour for the prize of Acarte/Madalena de Azeredo Perdigão (2000), “Notes for an invisible show” (2001), the performance that is only announced by date and place (2002), “Corpo de Baile” (2005), “Karima meets Lisboa meets Miguel meets Cairo” a collaboration with the Egyptian choreographer Karima Mansour (2006), “Doo” (2008), “Antonio & Miguel” (2010) a collaboration with Antonio Tagliarini, “Op. 49” (2012), “WILDE” (2013) a collaboration with Jorge Andrade/mala voadora, “Repertoire for chairs, costumes, and extras” (2015) for Ballet Contemporâneo do Norte and “Piece for business” and “Happy piece” (2017), “Era um peito só cheio de promessas” (2019), “False Friends” (2021) a collaboration with Guillem Mont de Palol, and “Miquelina and Miguel” (2022) based on the relationship between Miguel and his mother, of 87 years of age diagnosed with dementia. His work has been presented across Europe and Brazil, Uruguay and Chile and he is regularly invited to teach in composition labs and workshops in Portugal and abroad.