Morning dance classes with Piny and the dancers of G.Rito

Max. 10 participants
Free, registration required here (first come, first served)

Piny and the dancers of G.rito, in rehearsal at Espaço Alkantara this May, open their morning dance practice to outside participants. The morning class will follow the flow of the residency, helping dancers prepare for what they will be working on that day in the studio. Anyone with an interest in dance is welcome to join them in this practice.

The dancers in group share experience in dance from the street, from the stage, and from clubbing culture. Vogue, House, Breakdance, orientalist practices that we look at critically like Manaht dances, transe, orixás, and Portuguese traditions — dances that we seek out in order to root ourselves in the multiple territories that have made us.

We also approach movement as a way of transcending the physical body, connecting to specific spiritual rituals or the rituals we find in a battle or cypher. And these spaces, that are as contemporary as they are remote, evoke celebrations, rituals, transcendence, spirituality, competition, and exhibition. At a time in which we are told to be alone.

Piny

Created by Piny Performed by Adrielle ‘Nala’, Piny, Lúcia Afonso, Leo Orchidaceae, Aina Lanas, Catarina Ribeiro, Maria Antunes (with the special participation of Vânia Vaz Doutel and Julianne Casabalis during this residency) Sound design Carincur, Leo Orchidaceae Light design Carolina Caramelo Producer Joana Costa Santos Coproduced by Teatro Municipal do Porto / DDD - Festival Dias da Dança and Centro Cultural de Belém Residencies Teatro Municipal do Porto - Teatro do Campo Alegre, O Espaço do Tempo, Alkantara

Bio

PINY was born in Lisbon to Angolan parents. She began studying Middle Eastern dances in 1999 and turned her focus to Hip Hop culture beginning in 2003. She holds degrees in Architecture and Dance. In 2012, she formed the Orchidaceae collective, bringing together street dance, clubbing, contemporary dance and fusion belly dance. In contemporary dance, she has worked with Filipa Francisco, Tiago Guedes, Victor Hugo Pontes, Ricardo Ambrózio, Tânia Carvalho, Cristina Planas Leitão, and Marco da Silva Ferreira. Recent choreography and creation highlights include Periférico by Vhils for the BoCA Bienal and a 2019 solo, HIP. a pussy point of view. She is currently developing a group piece, .G Rito. She has taught dance classes and workshops since 2006 (internationally, since 2014), which allows her to keep learning. She believes in many things that can’t be seen and other things.