Grupo Corpo: Onqoto & Parabelo

Perth International Arts Festival
His Majesty’s Theatre
Perth
March

Sixteen years have passed since Grupo Corpo was last seen in Perth and judging by the demonstrative audience response to the Friday night performance, Perth will not have to wait another sixteen years until they return.  A full-house cheered and applauded throughout.  Such was the demand for tickets that an extra performance was added to their schedule.

Formed in 1975 by members of the Pederneiras family in Belo Horizonte, a northern city in Brazil, Grupo Corpo is a contemporary dance company with elements of classical technique at its heart and the spirit of traditional Brazilian dance rhythms in its soul.

Opening the program was Parabelo, choreographed in 1997 by Rodrigo Pederneiras to a commissioned score of multiple instruments and sounds. Fifteen darkly-clad dancers begin grouped on the floor against black surrounds.  Almost insect-like, they slowly unfold and extend their limbs.

Momentum and pace build as the dancers, displaying extraordinary fluidity, flexibility and athleticism, are seen in smaller groups, singly and then larger groups. Bathed in soft red light the group is shown in shadow and silhouette and an image of five large heads is projected high behind them.

The highlight for me was a woman and man joining for an exquisite, smooth, languid pas de deux showing wonderful strength, control and alignment.
 
Grupo Corpo dancers perform complex, fast choreography with an illusory effortlessness, appearing purposeful yet nonchalant. There is no artifice in their performance but occasionally one or two dancers glance or smile towards the audience or each other, implying a private bond and connection.

Spinning and jumping, the dancers constantly amaze as they stretch, flex, contract and release their arms, legs and apparently boneless bodies. Imagery of a rural Brazilian village and family portraits provide the build-up to an energetic and very colourful finale.

Onqotô, choreographed in 2005 by Rodrigo Pederneiras, followed the interval break. Nineteen tightly grouped dancers sway with fast, free-flowing arm movements using audible stamping steps for sound and rhythm additions to the commissioned score, which includes several haunting solo songs by both male and female voices. A huge curved arc of narrow, dark, vertical, rubber stage-drapes transforms the stage. Thirty softly-toned overhead lights are part of the same structure. This unique design allows the dancers to seemingly melt into the darkness when they exit through the rubber drapes and to re-appear magically when they enter. I’ve not seen such an effective design used before.

A highpoint of Onqotô was a segment with two couples in a sequence much of which is performed seated or lying on the floor. Two females are linked in sensuous moves, which build to an almost aggressive dynamic before returning to calm.  A female and male appear to vie as she is thrown and throws herself in the air over his prone body before he grabs her. The percussive slapping sound as the dancers’ hands, feet and bodies hit the floor intensifies the effect.  It was riveting to behold and to hear.

A lone illuminated shape is then seen slowly moving forward along the floor and this is finally revealed as a naked male figure who gradually unravels and unfolds to a standing position.

Grupo Corpo offer fine performing art with integrity and are highly entertaining. They dance with extreme virtuosity and vitality, mixed with stylish cool, and the plotless, organic work they perform manages to transmit emotion and reflect all-embracing life experiences. It becomes a celebration of the body and a tribute to Brazilian culture and way of life.

- Margaret Mercer