AUGUSTO CUVILAS

Born in 1971, Augusto Cuvilas began dancing at the National School of Dance in Maputo in 1980, graduating with a diploma in classical, modern and traditional dance in 1988. He then went on to study at the National School of the Arts in Cuba, and the University of Paris XIII. After working for numerous years with the National Company of Mozambique, he felt the need to create more personal works. To this end, Projeto Cuvilas was formed, as a space to allow him greater creative freedom. The company sets out to work with young choreographers interested in experimenting with other forms of dance. Based on his experience as a dancer and a choreographer, Cuvilas hopes to create a space which engenders a confrontation and collaboration between Mozambican dance and contemporary dance, and also between choreographers and artists in other disciplines.

Photo by Chico Caneiro



FIN: REMONTAGE
In April 2008, I began a month-long residency in Maputo as Artistic Advisor to Projecto Cuvilas. From Monday thru Saturday, for 6 to 8 hours, I worked with the dancers at Teatro Scala on remounting Augusto's final work. The success of the 25 April Special Open Rehearsal at Teatro Africa for a small audience of 300. It was addressed in the performance introduction for the Teatro Africa performance, delivered by Maria Eliza from the Centre Culturel Franco Mozambican:

Thank You for attending this Special Open Rehearsal of "Fin", choreographed by Augusto Cuvilas.  "Fin" was created entirely by Augusto Cuvilas, Director of Projecto Cuvilas, before he was tragically killed in December 2007.  "Fin" will be performed next week at Harare International Festival of the Arts. 

These occasions mark the continuation of Projecto Cuvilas - Mozambique's first contemporary dance company.  Makeda Thomas of New York and Trinidad & Tobago (Artistic Advisor for this remount) offers the following statement:

"My participation in the development of 'FIN' is an act of love. For it is only love that can bring light to the senselessness and darkness brought about by the death of Augusto Cuvilas. It is an honour to serve these artists -  the dancers of Projecto Cuvilas - to be with them during a process that is, at once, both profoundly intense and painful; cathartic and healing.  I thank these artists for inviting me into this process. And I give thanks to Augusto for having been a consummate dance artist. Art Lives!"

The lively 1-hour post performance discussion that followed the Special Open Rehearsal at Teatro Africa generated the energy and support for Projecto Cuvilas' next programme: to participate in the Harare International Festival of the Arts. The programme included a workshop at The National Ballet of Zimbabwe, a performance at Tetrad Reps Theatre and an artist led discussion entitled, "Artists and Their Determination."  2 days after the preview performance at Teatro Africa, the Company began a three-day journey across land from Maputo, Mozambique to Harare, Zimbabwe.

  

We stopped in Maxixe, Beira, crossed the border at Mutare and finally into Harare. Zim is beautiful!  The theme of this year's HIFA Festival was "The Art of Determination". The artists of Projecto Cuvilas live this! There was 6 of us - myself, Sharonna Joao, Katja Manjate, Marcia Gudo (the dancers), and Panu Kari (video artist) who shared ALL of the driving with Chimene Costa (Artistic Director of Projecto Cuvilas).  We piled into Augusto's trusty Pajero and began our journey. We rolled up to the Crowne Plaza Monomatapa just as the Opening Ceremony for HIFA was bursting fireworks over the gorgeous city of Harare! We made it!  And that Pajero - "the one with the roof rack" - was famous at the Monomatapa during the entire festival!

  

Our 1 May performance at Tetrad Reps Theatre in Belgravia was an act of sheer determination. We had only 2 hours to tech the piece. Agh! But none of that - not the gripey tech crew, not the long travel, not the the theft of Chimene's phone on the first night, not the flat tire, not the unending number of hours spent crunched up in a vehicle - was greater than our collective will. "FIN" was danced and supported by many fellow artists including Rani Moorthy of "Curry Tales", dancers from Zimbabwe's contemporary dance company Tumbuka Dance Theatre and New Orlean's John Allen Project, Carl Johnson from Cape Town's Market Theatre, and many from the general public. The conversations about the work and performance continued until we left Harare.

   

I thank all those whose help has made our work possible: You, whose support was the first line response, Isabel (who appeared like an angel at Africa to translate and transcribe), Maria Pinto Sá and Wacy for hosting the Company in their beautiful homes, Soukaina at HIFA for believing in Projecto Cuvilas, Carlos Cuvilas for giving us permission to use Augusto's images, to the dancers, and to Chimene - whose love for Augusto and commitment to the art of dance is breathing new life into this work.  Que vive a arte!

Photographs by: Makeda Thomas, Panu Kari, Chico Caneiro




ART LIVES! - A grassROOTS & WINGS MOVEMENT!
Financial support for the 2008 remounting of FIN was raised through an online fundraising campaign on Fundable.com.  THANK YOU:  Thomas DeFrantz, Kwame A. Ross, Roba Ofili, Svenn Grant, Alastair Byrd, Joanne Hill, Doug Fox, Aditi Dhruv, Shobana Ram, Anna Whaley, Wanjiru Kamuyu, Melissa Groves, Amy Buckley, Diego Portillo, Camila Valdeavellano, Franka Philip, Shivonne du Barry, Victor de Vries, Cherie Hill, Liana Battino, Gregory Sloane-Seale, Johanna Saum, Lorenzo Harris, Renee Baron-Donatich, and Bridget Babel.  

Read the original Fundable.com collection