Francisco Thiago Cavalcanti (PT)
52Blue
52Blue
Francisco Thiago Cavalcanti (PT)
Solo performance
Vitlycke - Centre for Performing Arts
Friday, 19 September 19.00
Solo by Francisco Thiago Cavalcanti accompanied by musician Yaw Tembe
A dance solo by Francisco Thiago Cavalcanti, based on the existence of a blue whale called 52Blue. This species, unique in the world, has an anomaly that is still unexplained by science; its sound frequency reaches 52 hertz. An ordinary whale has a frequency of 15 to 20 hertz. Because of this, 52 Blue cannot live with others of its species, as it would be unbearable. Based on this fact, Francisco creates a narrative full of ghosts, loneliness, pain, sadness, illusion, play, enchantment
and imagination. The work is based on: the author's personal archives, dances he has already danced, soundscapes, discursive desires he has not yet experienced, as well as the poetic translation of his neurodivergent condition. Francisco is autistic and Francisco is also a blue whale with very particular frequencies.
Note:
52blue, made its first process opening in the program Càpsula de Creació en Cru, of the creation center La Caldera (Barcelona/ES). It was previewed as part of the Santarcangelo Festival (Santarcangelo/IT), with support from In Ex(ile) Lab - Creative Europe and the European Festivals Fund For Emerging Artists. It premiered in November 2024 at the Teatro do Bairro Alto, hosted by the Alkantara Festival (Lisbon/PT). 52blue is part of a diptych with the piece CANTAR (premiere in 2025). Both are a realization of the independent, multidisciplinary and cross-border collective um cavalo disse mamãe, based in Lisbon and made up of artists of different nationalities; it emerged in 2022 and its driving force is research into non-human animals, their characteristics, ecologies, symbologies and (metaphorical) relationships with human beings.
Artist bios
Francisco Thiago Cavalcanti (1984), Brazilian artist based in Lisbon, queer, non-white, neurodiverse, Latin American migrant; BA in Dance, MA in Education and studying for a PhD in Modern Literatures and Cultures at Universidade Nova de Lisboa. He directs the independent, multidisciplinary and cross-border collective um cavalo disse mamãe. He researches cosmopolitics and animal symbolism, dance-theatre, physical theater, the transformation of the body through exhaustion/repetition and soundscapes. In 2024 he premiered the solo 52blue, produced by Alkantara, and in 2025 he will premiere the collective piece CANTAR, also produced by Alkantara and Teatro Municipal do Porto. He worked for 7 years with the Brazilian choreographer Lia Rodrigues, with whom he created a close relationship and inspiring bases for his authorial creation. His works are: Contra a espada (2005), Cabíria corta o cabelo (2013), Mãe (2015), Um corpo foi achado (2018), Também se matam cavalos (2022), Quando eu morrer me enterrem na floresta (2023) and 52blue (2024).
Credits
Performance, creation and direction: Francisco Thiago Cavalcanti
Live music: Yaw Tembe
Dramaturgical collaboration and directorial assistance: Piero Ramella
Creative dialogue: António Rivotti, Daniel Pizamiglio, Francisca Pinto, Ntando Cele
Light design and technical direction: Luís Moreira C
Set and costume design: Francisco Thiago Cavalcanti
Musics: Vapor Barato (Jards Macalé, Waly Salomão), Tired of Being Alone (Al Green), Love Is a Losing Game (Amy Winehouse)
Video: Gustavo Portela/Varanda Criativa, Rui Palma
Photography: Jamille Queiroz, Rui Palma
Voice and body support: António Rivotti, Laya
Executive Producer: Sinara Suzin (Alkantara)
Production: Alkantara
Suport: Akantara, In Ex (Ile) Lab – Creative Europe, Santarcangelo Festival/European Festivals Fund For Emerging Artists, La Caldera, Teatro da Voz/Real Pelágio Artist residencies: Forum Dança, Alkantara, Teatro da Voz, Santarcagelo Dei Teatri, La Caldera, Porto Iracema das Artes, Hub Porto Dragão, Companhia Anagoor/La Conigliera e Centro Cultural do Mestre Peixinho/Ilê do Seu Peixinho
More information
Instagram: @franciscothiagoc
About: um cavalo disse mamãe / 52blue
Trailer
52BLUE - Teaser