Eggshells

P e r f o r m a n c e t o e n g a g e

CASCAS D’OVO

Eggshells This is not a love story.

ΘΘ CONCEPT

This is not a love story is a reference to René Magritte in his painting Ceci n'est

pas une pipe (1929). The illustration veracity comes into direct confrontation

with the text below stating "This is not a pipe." Magritte places the viewer in a

challenging position, in which he has to choose what statement he believes to

be stronger: a representation of an almost platonic pipe, or the language that

denies it?

This is not a love story also categorizes the relationship between the two men

through denial. This synopsis creates the first point of tension between the

presentation and rejection of the concept.

Tension builds the identity of Cascas d'OvO (Eggshells) first part. It is intended

to create a situation where communication between two characters is a real

risk, felt both by the public and the performers. Two blindfolded men fit in the

execution of a choreography based on precise movements, rhythmic in nature,

musical. The choreography draws down the music, the silences, time,

dynamics of movement and drama.

The risk of the two blindfolded men getting lost in this choreography (and thus

lose part of the elements it nurtures mentioned above), is the hypnotic line that

connects the performers and the audience in the same challenge: a virtuoso

shot in the dark. However, the score of Cascas D’OvO first part, deception is

consented. Indecision diverts the performers of a clear and objective task. Any

mistake that may arise in this 20-minute sequence of staccato movements,

humanizes these beings, devoted to their precise chore.

The progression of the piece deploys the desire that an energetic bubble, piling

tension and attention, is born. The wish that they become an object of affection

and that their forms of expression and communication are mesmerizing. A real

communication in a surreal context.

And now they dance quietly...

ΘΘ REFERENCES

René Magritte, The Triadic Ballet by Oskar Schlemmer at the Bauhaus, M:

Writings '67-72 'of John Cage, Madonna, Tradicional Portuguese songs,

Tomaz Simatovic, Children’s games, videos of American children's games,

toys, Jacques Rancière, dimensions of dialogue (1982) of Jan

Skvankmajer, Jonas Lopes, love and its stories.

ΘΘ PIECE DESCRIPTION

Two blindfolded upright men, diametrically disposed (opposite?) in the center

of a huge rug naperon. Caresses and provocation. Claim the territory, feel

the face, test the ground. Giving & Receiving. Go forward to take what was

once yours to have.

The music of the bodies has begun.

The music determines the color, tone and relationship duration between the

two figures. The sound of the bodies is the metronome. The noise of the

slaps is the vocabulary that draws dramaturgically the direction of the

interpreters. They move without leaving the same site. The two men progress

in their relationship, creating episodes ranging between real and surreal,

sugar and salt.

They create episodes, because they cannot progress anywhere. They don’t

leave the site as they cannot see. And worse, they are not blind. Understand

this as a saga.

Two men create an erotic atmosphere between each other. An hypnotic

bubble to the viewer and to the listener. You’d have to lack one of these

senses not to feel invited into this bubble.

The sounds vocabulary expands to a complex composition until the

exhaustion of variations, rhythms and children games in every episode of

these (apparently) blind performers. There is room for naïve tense and

wicked suggestions.

The sound/movement synchronous scene ends with the suggestion of two

free birds (that interpreters evoke through the beat and the beatmovement of

the wings). Free as it is the first time that the performers actually change their

position in the scenic space, hitherto invariably profiled in relation to the

audience and frontally faced to one another.

The weight of this change requires silence. This silence is the reverberation

of what has happened so far.

The two men are upright, blindfolded, in the center of a huge naperon now

facing the public and still; apparently inert.

Silence.

Silence.

Gradually movement arises from their fingers. It could be said that they do it

randomly. However, they remain connected. They share the same dynamic,

the same connection, but through another communication circuit: silence.

Saga continues. In the same speed of a mantis attack, they embrace and

continue to dance with their hands on each other’s back - invariably accurate,

as those who dance choreography marked in a song, but without the music.

In the absence of sound, skin feels the impact of the sound that happened

before, and the two bodies announce the music that is to come.

ΘΘ ARTISTIC CAST

Concept and Choreography Lander Patrick

Performance Jonas and Lander Patrick

Costume Design Lander Patrick

Lighting Design Lander Patrick

Production Clara Antunes

Creative Consultant Tomaz Simatovic

Length 20 min

ΘΘ BIOGRAPHIES

LANDER PATRICK

Born in Brazil, he has lived in Portugal ever

since his youth. Graduated from ESD -

Escola Superior de Dança in 2011 –

coordinating his training at EDCN – Escola

de Dança do Conservatório Nacional

simultaneously since 2009 -, and in the

same year undertook an Erasmus program

at ArtEZ Hogeschool voor den Kunsten

(NL).

His fist duet --- - --- --- ----? (2008), won the 1st prize at the 6º Encontro de

Jovens Coreógrafos (Young Choreographers Meeting, PT). Within European

Roots Movement '10 and '11 (DE), Lander choreographed in collaboration with

artists from different creative fields.

His solo Noodles never break when boiled (2011) was selected to 1º andar –

mostra de criadores emergentes 2012, Castelo Branco (PT) and also presented

at Evolve Dance 2012, NY (USA), in Naples (IT), Lutherstadt Wittenberg (DE) and awarded the 1st prize at the XV Festival of Choreographic Miniatures

(Belgrade, SRV). A new extended version of this piece was premiered in January

2013 after an artistic residency hosted by Negócio (Zé dos Bois, PT).

His new creation Cascas d'OvO (2012) was awarded the 2nd prize at No Ballet –

7th International Choreography Competition (Ludwigshafen, DE) among more than 300 candidates, 15 of which selected, representing 14 countries. In the

same year, the duo was presented at the 15th Lugar à Dança – International

Festival in Urban Landscapes (Lisbon, PT) and Palomart Festival (Naples, IT).

Cascas d’OvO was recently selected to be part of 19th Lucky Trimmer program

(Berlin, DE), in which Lander will be exclusively representing Portugal. Lucky

Trimmer is a renowned platform devoted to the promotion of contemporary

dance, with a depicted program of merely 7 artists/works each edition. With this

same work, Lander will also undergo a development artistic residency and performance at Festival Materiais Diversos 2013 (PT).

As interpreter, he collaborates in Portugal with Luís Guerra in the performances Hurra Arre and Nevoeiro; with Joana Antunes in Fio Terra, co-produced by

Guimarães 2012 – European Capital of Culture and worked with Margarida

Bettencourt, staging what if… what is… what could be at Museu do Oriente. He also integrated in Companhia de Dança Contemporânea CeDeCe and

Companhia Persona (PT), where he worked closely with Von Magnet. In 2011 he

danced with Monique Duurvoort at IT’s Festival (NL). Lander collaborates regularly with Tomaz Simatovic (SLO) in many residencies and presentations

throughout Germany, The Netherlands and Austria.

JONAS LOPES

Born in Lisbon (PT). His artistic career has been diverse, ranging training and

professional experiences in circus,

dance, theater and music. He began his artistic journey at Escola de Artes

de Palco Chapitô in 2002 (PT). He has

also completed the first year at Escola Superior de Dança de Lisboa (PT), and

attended classes at the Pineapple

Dance Studio in London (UK).

In theater, he performed plays such as Death Cabareth, Tal Como Tu, Bairro

do Amor and Auto da Feira, staged by various renowned theater directors such

as Ávila Costa, António Pires, Sofia de Portugal or Adriano Luz.

As a singer, his experience is based primarily in Fado. He sang at various

venues and events in Portugal, England, Italy and Serbia. In December 2011, he released his first album entitled Fado Mutante as vocalist in the group Rosa

Negra.

His career in dance has intensified over the past two years. He joined

Companhia de Dança Amálgama in creations such as Tablao de Fado, A Mar

and Ulisses, performed in Portugal, Spain and China. In 2011, he integrated in

Once Upon a Time by Margarida Bettencourt and collaborated with various

artists from different fields of creation at the European Festival Roots

Movement (DE). In 2012, Jonas took part of the project Sub-reptício (Corpo

Clandestino) by Vera Mantero, Ana Borralho & João Galante, Rita Natálio and

Joclécio Azevedo. Yet this year, he participated in several festivals as creator,

co-author and performer, such as 15th Lugar à Dança – International Festival

in Urban Landscapes (Lisbon, PT), Palomart Festival (Naples, IT), No Ballet –

7th International Choreography Competition (Ludwigshafen, DE) or Lucky

Trimmer (Berlin, DE), April 2013.

Θ

ΘΘ WHY?

Cascas d’OvO was born from the need to explore a transcendent, telepathic

communication, as epitome of the relational connection of a couple.

I consciously try not to taper the interpretation possibilities of the audience.

There is a stated desire that the purpose of the piece remains open, although its

creative process has been based on solid principles and motivations, as well as

in a defined aesthetics line. Thus, the justification for the importance of the

proposed theme, from the approach implemented, should be integrated almost

exclusively by the real experience of the performance.

To the viewer, this piece offers a new dimension of dialogue. A break from

hectic everyday life, immersing the audience in the silence and in the music of

communicating bodies. It is intended to create a time, in a formal space, where

to rethink social relations and its forms of expression: the theater as a

microcosm of society.

ΘΘ PRESENTATIONS

15º Lugar à Dança – International Festival in Urban Landscapes National Museum of Ancient Art, Lisbon, Portugal | July 2012 PREMIERE

Palomart Festival Naples, Italy | July 2012

“No Ballet” 7th International Choreography Competition Ludwigshafen Ludwigshafen, Germany | November 2012 2nd PRIZE

Celebração Ritz Club, Lisbon | November 2012

CRIATIVA-MENTE Convento da Trindade, Lisbon | December 2012

Licky Trimmer Sophiensale, Berlin, Germany | April 2013

Quintas de Leitura Teatro do Campo Alegre, Porto | May/June 2013 TO BE CONFIRMED

Festival Materiais Diversos Cine-Teatro São Pedro, Alcanena, Portugal | September 2013

ΘΘ VIDEO LINKS

trailer : https://vimeo.com/48618527

whole piece at the premiere: https://vimeo.com/45871231

whole piece at a rehearsal: https://vimeo.com/49558059

password: omundonaoacabou

ΘΘ CONTACTS

Clara Antunes

mail Θ clara.mealha@gmail.com

tel Θ +351 917113398

Lander Patrick

mail Θ lander.patrick@hotmail.com

tel Θ +351 914387278

Lander Patrick © 2012