The Caldeirão Highlanders, exercises in fictional anthropology

“This work, created for the Encontros do DeVIR Festival, was developed around the process of desertification/dehumanisation of the Caldeirão Mountain, in the interior of Algarve (south of Portugal). I filmed at the mountain and I also incorporated images of mine in the piece but I mostly used Michel Giacometti’s films, especially the recordings of work songs. With this “broad picture” of the Caldeirão highlanders I address in this piece all the different people that possess a knowledge that we have lost, a knowledge on the link between body and spirit, between ordinary life and art. A knowledge that we can (and should, for our own good) retrieve. My dance at the end, with my precious cork trunk, is my tribute to this knowledge.” —Vera Mantero. 

Vera Mantero studied classical dance with Anna Mascolo and danced in the Gulbenkian Ballet between 1984 and 1989. She started choreographing in 1987 and, since 1991, has been presenting her solo and group work all over Europe, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Canada, Singapore, South Korea and the USA. Mantero participates regularly in international improvisation projects alongside improvisers and choreographers such as Lisa Nelson, Mark Tompkins, Meg Stuart and Steve Paxton. Since 2000 she has also been exploring vocal work, either singing the repertoire of different authors or co-creating experimental music projects. She regularly teaches composition and improvisation.

In collaboration with Teatro Gayarre.