16 Years of Grupo Corpo at BAM

Brazilian dance troupe Grupo Corpo is no stranger to the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House stage. On Jan 31, the troupe returns to BAM for the fifth time for the US premiere of Bach & Gira, a two-piece performance that is both fresh and referential of Grupo Corpo’s decorated history and choreographer Rodrigo Pederneiras’ gift for boundary-pushing dance. Founded in 1975, Grupo Corpo sits at the forefront of Brazilian contemporary dance and is internationally renowned for blending idioms from modern dance and ballet with traditional Brazilian movement, while also continuing to challenge current understandings of how bodies relate to music and sound. Here’s a look back at 16 years of masterful performances.

In Context: Bach & Gira

Photo: Jose Luiz Pederneiras

Brazil’s foremost contemporary dance troupe returns to BAM for the 5th time with Bach & Gira, a distinctive double bill that showcases the company's breadth. Like the company itself, the program foregrounds classical technique, traditional Afro-Brazilian movement, and a current choreographic language. Choreographer Rodrigo Pederneiras renders the baroque beautifully modern in Bach, set to Marco Antônio Guimarães’ interpretation of Bach. Then, the ensemble transports us to its home country with Gira, featuring a soundtrack by São Paulo band Metá Metá. Context is everything, so get even closer to the production with this curated selection of related content. After you've attended the show, let us know what you thought by posting in the comments below and on social media using #GrupoCorpo.

Choreographer Rodrigo Pederneiras on the Inspiration Behind Bach & Gira

Brazil’s Grupo Corpo brings Bach & Gira to the Howard Gilman Opera House (Jan 31—Feb 2). Choreographer Rodrigo Pederneiras answered some questions about the productions.

Q: What inspired you to pair Bach and Gira?

A: Bach is a piece from 1996, and the main idea was a tribute to Johann Sebastian Bach. Starting from there, we wanted something superior, elevated, that transmits the greatness of the German composer. Gira, a view of Afro-Brazilian religions, has a spiritual characteristic. From this angle, we have the elevation of spirituality throughout both pieces, and it seemed interesting to present them together.

2019 Winter/Spring Preview

Pepperland, photo by Gareth Jones

The 2019 Winter/Spring Season at BAM is an intriguing, diverse line-up of performances. They share at least one thing in common—they were chosen by Joseph V. Melillo as his final BAM season. The executive producer of more than three decades stepped down from his BAM position at the end of December, but has curated programs through June of 2019. This swan song slate embodies many of the singular talents and genres that have captivated audiences throughout his tenure.