Mario Lopes

About Mario Lopes
Mario Lopes is a Brazilian based in Munich choreographer, articulator and master student at DAS Choreography - Amsterdam University of the Arts. After more than 15 choreographic works realised in Brazil, Germany, France, Mexico, Switzerland and Finland, he is now working on the last part of his trilogy called "Movimento" in collaboration with artists from São Paulo, Munich, Maputo, Helsinki and Lyon. Due to the pandemic, "Movimento III_Celebration, post-tsunami foams", became a choreographed film, premiered in August 2021 at FRESTAS, Contemporary Art Triennial of SESC São Paulo, in Brazil, and embraces the concept of Afrotranstopia, which Mario keeps developing with the support of a large collective of Afrodiasporic artists. At the moment, besides developing a digital platform for dance creation with his partner Victor Pardinho, CEO of Sense of Space, he is working on the adaptation of the film for the stage.

About Salivating knots generating foams
Salivating knots generating foams is a performance that is born from Mario’s research on Afrotranstopia, a space of conviviality and creation that is built around the intersection between life technologies, existences and afro transcendences. Afrotranstopian technology does not only mean technical or digital resources - means that we also use in the creation process. In Afrotranstopia, technology is thought of as mobilisation and activation of knowledge, ways of life (existences) and of matriarchal, ancestral, indigenous and Afrodiasporic forms of resistance. Afrotranscendence is the multiple strategies for staying alive, even when it seems impossible. Afrotranscendence is not survival: it is living, existing and creating futures. Reactivating these technologies means building spaces of training and sharing that support the manifestation and dissemination of these technologies, but also spaces of creation, speculation and overcoming.

In this performance we will experience Afrotranstopia in the body on stage. Our first activation is to train the salivating knots of our bodies. From this, we will try collectively to produce a wave of sound and gravitational resonance against the tsunami that threatens life. After the tsunami, what remains are regenerating foams that pave the way for reconstruction.  

Credits 
Mario Lopes - Articulation and Choreography
Amie Jammeh, Candelaria Fernández, Dandara Modesto, Kalil Joigny, Mario Lopes, Priscila Hilário, Rafa Barreto and Victor Pardinho - Performance
Rafa Barreto - Soundtrack and Composition
Victor Pardinho - Video Mapping and VJ
Luisa Barreto - Dramaturgy
Flavia Pinheiro - Producer
Andrea Arobba - Physical Preparation
Bouba Dola - Light Designer
Geert Odens - Sound Technician, Juli Sound Consultant
Iah Bahia and ACRE_ Cassio Bonfim - Costume Designers
Flavia Pinheiro and Léo Custódio - External Advisors
Patrícia Black - Video Recording

Socials
@mariolopesvs