Sentimental Journey #1

Francisco Camacho

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In this show, Francisco Camacho shares what his gaze encompassed when he first arrived in Loulé, in a mixture of curiosity, inquiry and a strange familiarity. The proposal is based on this position of outsider who arrives at a place trying to understand its codes and its people, approaches the history of that place and crosses it with his life path. If Loulé is an enthusiastic and major protagonist of Carnival, the choreographer, despite never having yielded to the events, often masks himself on the stage and does not disdain to embody some of the local figures; not being a believer, a procession like that of the Sovereign Mother exercises a deep fascination on him; and pedalling on a bicycle is, on the other hand, a taste that he shares with so many Loulé people. Challenged to make a creation by thinking of the city of Loulé, the choreographer returns the challenge and, in turn, asks the spectators to identify who is Francisco Camacho.  

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Credits

concept and performance - Francisco Camacho

technical direction - Hugo Coelho

production - EIRA

co-production - DeVIR/CAPa (a commission from Festival “encontros do DeVIR”)

special thanks to - José Laginha, Diego Lasio, Luís Guerreiro, Luísa Martins, Luís da Cruz, Horácio Ferreira 

EIRA is a structure co-funded by República Portuguesa - Ministério da Cultura / Direcção Geral das Artes

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Bio Francisco Camacho

Since 1988, Francisco Camacho’s shows have been presented in several European, American, Asians and African countries.Founding member and artistic co-director of EIRA, choreographer and dancer, he was awarded the ACARTE / Maria Madalena de Azeredo Perdigão Prize of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation in 1994/1995. In 1995 and 1997, with the Bordalo Prize of the Press House, in the area of Dance. He choreographed and performed the solos "The King in Exile", "Our Lady of The Flowers" and "E PUR SI MUOVE", among others. He directed several group pieces, namely "First Name: Le" (1994/95 ACARTE prize), "Dom São Sebastião", "RIP", "ANDIAMO!" He developed the projects "Anonymous Performers" and "Private Dances" for non-conventional spaces. He presented shows in co-authorship with choreographers Monica Lapa, Vera Mantero, Carlota Lagido, Vera Mota and Aldara Bizarro, as well as with the stage directors Fernanda Lapa and Miguel Abreu. He danced with several choreographers, including Meg Stuart / Damaged Goods, Alain Platel / Les Ballets C de la B, Paula Massano, Carlota Lagido and Miguel Moreira / Uterus. He studied dance, theater and voice in Portugal and in New York, namely at the Merce Cunningham Dance Studio and Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute.

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