sarma

One mysterious thing, said e.e. cummings is a homage to the siren of the Paris cabaret: Josephine Baker. Born to an Afro-American family Baker became known as a dancer of the Folies-Bergères. Invited to make a solo on this remarkable woman, Mantero took inspiration from a description of the modernist writer e.e. cummings, starting thus: one mysterious thing.

“What Josephine, on her return, thought in the middle of August 1995.after listening to a speech on the radio by the Portuguese president Mario Soares, (I don’t remember if it was 10th June or 25th April), in which he spoke about the world at that time with something one might call an elevation of the spirit (something that unfortunately is surprising in a politician these days, so you listen with great pleasure), I connected that speech to Glenn Gould and to his Goldberg Variations (the ones of maturity), to Kazuo Ohno and also to an expression that came into my mind: ‘greatness of soul’. My big wish of a victory of the spirit, is what I think this association reveals. It is one thing that I would like to find or create: a vast territory in which richness of spirit prevails (Is massification of education the answer?). This spirit I’m talking about has no wish to abolish the body, has no shame of its desire and of its sex, what this spirit wishes is to eradicate coarseness, the frightful foolishness, the deep ignorance, the poverty of horizons, the materialism, etc., etc. (unfortunately, this seems to be a long list …). It would be a new dichotomy, not the overtired ‘body-spirit’ (empty of meaning, frankly!), but the unhappily modern ‘stupidity-spirit’ (or maybe ‘ignorance-spirit’). Or all possible variants. (It would be nice to make up my mind for one …).” (Vera Mantero)

Note: 10 June is the Day of Portugal. On 25 April the Portuguese commemorate the revolution of 1974.

Concept & dance : Vera Mantero / Props: Teresa Montalvão / Characterization: Carlota Lagido, Ana Araújo / Licht design: João Paulo Xavier / Executive producer : Forum Dança / With the support of Casa da Juventude de Almada, Re.Al/Amascultura / Production : Culturgest, Lissabon, 1996