Companhia de Dança de Almada

Short bio about your organization?

Companhia de Dança de Almada is a professional Contemporary Dance company based in Almada, (near Lisbon), led by Maria Franco. Since forming in 1990, it’s been continuously developing the aspects of creating/producing Contemporary Dance shows, supporting emerging projects, vocational training, cultural activities and national and international exchange.

Every year the Company tours Portugal and abroad, presenting its repertoire and new productions for the season, promoting contemporary dance and attracting new audiences. The company has been presented around Europe and in countries like BRAZIL, Cape Verde, or CHINA.

As a cultural association, the Company meets its responsibility participating in community development in the district in which it’s based. Accordingly, the Company interacts directly with various social groups, promoting activities aimed at socio-cultural inclusion, rehabilitation and the physical well being of people, contributing in this way to the maintenance of an increasingly sustainable community, where culture and the physical and mental wellbeing are assets and fundamental rights.

What motivates you to be part of the project?

Interest in exchanging knowledge, ideas and artistic creation with partners from other countries.

How the project can contribute to your local activities?

We would like to include the CLASH events in the program of activities of the company and/or in the Festival. New ideas about audience development, management and dance training may be important for the development of the company

How Clash! can contribute for the international partnerships?

We believe it is important to bring out the contributions of both ballet and contamporary dance into the present artistic scenes. Should they clash or feed each other?

Why CLASH!?

Participation in the CLASH! Festival may be a good contribution for the international visibility of each of the partner’s company.

Interesting story from your last Clash trip in Rome?

It was interesting for me to understand, or to confirm that even if we all work with dance the terminology we use does not mean the same for all of us.