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.

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.