Jornal do Brasil - Arts & Entertainment Section - August 17, 2007

Review - Dance - Grupo Corpo

Building a new vocabulary

Roberto Pereira

In dance, it's a daunting challenge for any choreographer to create his or her own vocabulary of moves. The problem is larger than just translating an idea into something that is relevant. Somehow, the translation must also preserve the choreographer's signature of style ---- a signature that has been created successively in other works over the years. Just like a language, it's about the ability to mold one's vocabulary into something that pulses with life and character. Rodrigo Pederneiras is perhaps one of the only Brazilian artists to successfully build such a vocabulary, a tool that allows him to weave a choreographed plot that is built on a structure of neologisms and poetic license of his own making. One more sign of just such talent is on display in the moves of Pederneiras', company, Grupo Corpo and his latest work, “Breu”, which opened Thursday at the Teatro Municipal.

That same inventiveness is apparent in the costume design by Freusa Zechmeister and the stage design by Paulo Pederneiras. Both are clear extensions of the ideas developed in the ballet and add to the quality of the performance. What you get is a cohesion of ideas manifest as a single expression. Nothing escapes. Nothing is wasted.

The sound track, written by Lenine, reiterates the dance company's habit of working with top-notch Brazilian composers. In this case, the dialogue is established between tradition and modernity, between the back yard and the world at large, the “frevos” deconstructed by sound effects and the drums of Igor Cavalera,  create the space the dance uses on stage. The stage design is aseptic and dominated by black tiles, costumes that undo the frontalities and by  lighting that blurs contours. It's like something that shines in the darkness: a razor's edge ----sharp, hard, precise.

What is most impressive about the dance is the way the company responds to the challenge of something that lies in uncharted territory, somewhere between creation and choreographic discovery. That is the heart of “Breu”. In Pedeneiras previous piece, Onqoto, he began brushing up against new floor movements. In this latest piece, he continues that line of experimentation, demonstrating once again his pulsing vocabulary and clearly shows the potential for exploring other themes, and for translating other  ideas  into dance.

Grupo Corpo rises to the challenges presented by this latest piece. It's not a victory that is rooted in certainty, but one that shows that the group is continually testing its talent and abilities. It's about creation in the midst of crisis and discovery as its only resolution.

corpoJornaldoBrasilenglish.doc/Traduz/10/5/2007