On the Power of Delicacy in the Collaboration of Marlene Monteiro Freitas with Dançando com a Diferença

For ÔSS, choreographer Marlene Monteiro Freitas collaborates for the first time with the inclusive dance company Dançando com a Diferença. Founded in 2001 as a pilot project in the autonomous region of Madeira, its aim was to establish inclusive dance activities on the island, where none had previously existed. Since then, the project has grown into a professional company with several objectives, foremost among them the opportunity for people with and without disabilities to come together on stage and dance. Under the artistic direction of Henrique Amoedo, Dançando com a Diferença has become an important international reference point for inclusive art over the past 15 years.

The encounter with Marlene Monteiro Freitas results in a truly unique work. The title of the piece refers, on the one hand, to the Creole word "ÔSS" for "bone." In physical architecture, bones structure and support the soft and fragile elements of the body. On the other hand, the word also recalls an expression widely used among karate practitioners, relating to concepts such as pressing, pushing, and supporting. The work is also described as an exploration of the firm and the soft, the internal organs and the skin, which the performers investigate choreographically. This perspective on bodies as constructs of bones, flesh, tendons, and skin can also inspire us as spectators to view bodies from a different angle, beyond societal norms.

What we see here is a true ensemble piece. In a kind of tableau vivant, both scenery and performers are in constant transformation: a baby becomes a police officer, paper cups turn into beaks, and the clattering of a cup becomes music. Microphones in stockings first resemble elephant trunks and then morph into rifles—everything is in perpetual motion. For most of the evening, as in many of Marlene Monteiro Freitas' works, a concentrated, disciplined, yet playful space prevails, where everyone knows exactly what they are doing—even if it seems utterly absurd. Here, nothing is done "wrong," and everything happens with complete conviction. The sequences of movement create images that engage with representations of strength and authority. The piece explores leadership and submission, power and powerlessness. It highlights softness that is, in fact, strength, and muscles that relax when not tense. In their tactile exploration, the performers find and reinvent each other, supporting and uplifting one another. Throughout, the rhythm of movement intertwines with the sound of the evening. Not only does the trembling hand's cup set the tone, but breathing and cries also weave into the music.

Toward the end of the piece, a sudden musical impulse penetrates the heart more deeply than anything before. For the first time since the beginning of the performance, everything on stage is still—the dancers lie motionless, covered as if sleeping. At this moment, one performer begins to sing a love song in a technically distorted voice. One might surrender to the sentimentality of the moment—it is admittedly beautiful—but, just like the images of togetherness before, this moment, too, is immediately disrupted. Beauty, love—what are they?

It matters who is speaking here, who we see, who takes up space on this stage. And yet, precisely because Marlene Monteiro Freitas' work does not make difference its central theme in this encounter with Dançando com a Diferença, it is so deeply moving. This work exemplifies the diversity and quality of inclusive artistic productions, which, particularly in today's world, are once again being politically challenged. On their homepage, the company articulates their vision: "to develop the creative and productive potential and the professional valorization of inclusive groups; to stimulate teamwork and the evolution of societies towards the valorization of abilities and the non-discrimination of people with disabilities, with their inclusion in the most varied social sectors."

ÔSS once again demonstrates that artistic quality does not depend on standardized abilities of artists but on the creative engagement with these abilities. Artistic education, permanent positions in arts and cultural institutions, and visibility for artists with disabilities must become a given.

By Filo Krause (Theatre Education for Accessibility, Münchner Kammerspiele) and Theresa Schlesinger (Dramaturgy, Münchner Kammerspiele)

ÔSS is presented by the International DANCE Festival Munich in cooperation with Münchner Kammerspiele.

Dançando com a Diferença
 Dançando com a Diferença, founded in Madeira in 2001, promotes inclusive dance and integrates people with and without disabilities. Under the direction of Henrique Amoedo, the group has performed in over 70 cities worldwide.

Marlene Monteiro Freitas 
 Marlene Monteiro Freitas (Cape Verde, 1979) studied dance at P.A.R.T.S. and in Lisbon. She collaborates with renowned choreographers and founded P.OR.K. in 2015. In 2018, she was awarded the Silver Lion in Venice. In 2025, she will open the Cour d’honneur in Avignon and become part of the artistic leadership team at Berliner Volksbühne.

Credits:

Co-production: CENDREV–Teatro Garcia Resende  

ÔSS, a piece created from an invitation from Henrique Amoedo to Marlene Monteiro Freitas, director of the Cia. Dançando com a Diferença, after different meetings between the choreographer and the company.

The Dançando com a Diferença is an organization funded by the Portuguese Republic - XXIII Government / Directorate-General for the Arts (2023 - 2026), the Madeira Regional Government, and the Funchal City Hall. It is a resident company at the MUDAS. Contemporary Art Museum of Madeira and a resident project at the Teatro Viriato in Viseu.