Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-2xdlg Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-04T09:01:33.577Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The “Spontaneous 40” of Lisbon: A Dance Experience for Mature Participants

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 December 2013

Abstract

The present work in the form of a case study aims to identify the contribution of the dance performance “Spontaneous 40” through the personal perception of two ordinary male and five ordinary female citizens, part of a total group of 40, all over 40 years old, who, voluntarily and without any previous experience, participated in the laboratory of Madrid choreographer “La Ribot” at the “Teatro Camões” in Lisbon within the cycle of performance art called “Like You and Me.” This cycle was programmed by the art director of the theater, Mark Deputter, contradicting the idea that art has little to do with people's daily lives, and advocating the replacement of trained and disciplined bodies of classical ballet dancers on stage with the differentiated bodies of ordinary people: some small, big, fat, thin, young, or old. The Spontaneous 40 is a creative and interdisciplinary work in an artistic, cultural, and educational forum that explores the body, laughter, sounds, objects as background music, and poetic visual richness. Following a qualitative methodology, an open questionnaire was used for data collection. The data were subjected to content analysis to phenomenological grounds. The data were then subjected to a content analysis. The results of this study revealed that the unanimated adult becomes alive through dance, reconciling him- or herself with his body, with him- or herself and with others, and exploring his or her creative background and allowing him or her to build self-images of life with more energy, elegance, and creativity, away from the stereotype of aging in our present Portuguese society.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Luisa Alegre, Margarida Moura, and Maria João Alves 2012 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Works Cited

António, Irina. 2010. “Colaboradora na Sociedade Luso-Espanhola da Psicoterapia Gestalt.” Accessed January 12, 2011. Available from: http://www.oficinadepsicologia.com/abordagens_explicadas.htm.Google Scholar
António, Irina. 2011. “Terapeuta Gestalt na Oficina de Psicologia em Lisboa.” Accessed January 12, 2011. Available from: http://oficinadepsicologia.com/consultas/quem-somos/equipa-de-gestao/irina-antonio.Google Scholar
Bardin, Laurence. 2008. Análise de Conteúdo, 4th ed. Lisboa: Edições 70.Google Scholar
Bogdan, Robert C., and Biklen, Sari K.. 1994. Investigação Qualitativa. Porto, Portugal: Porto Editora.Google Scholar
Capllonch, Marta. 2006. “La Programación en Educación Física: Unidad 2 Curso de Extensión Universitaria.” Unpublished paper. Universidad de Barcelona.Google Scholar
Contumélias, Ana. 2007. “Um Salto para a Arena.” Notícias Magazine, January 14: 1.Google Scholar
Cross, Kathryn Patricia. 1984. Adults as Learners. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.Google Scholar
Erickson, Erik Homburger. 1976. Identidade: Juventude e Crise, 2nd ed. Rio de Janeiro: Zahar Editores.Google Scholar
Gil, José. 2004. Portugal, Hoje: O Medo de Existir. Lisboa: Relógio d'Agua.Google Scholar
Lessard-Hebert, Michelle, Goyette, Gabriel, and Boutin, Gérald. 2005. Investigação Qualitativa Fundamentos e Práticas, 2nd ed. Lisboa: Instituto Piaget.Google Scholar
Lilja, Efva. 2006. Movement as the Memory of the Body. Stockholm: University College of Dance, Committee for Artistic Research and Development.Google Scholar
Lincoln, Yvonna S., and Guba, Egon G.. 1985. Naturalistic Inquiry. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publications.Google Scholar
Maslow, Abraham H. 1970. Motivation and Personality, 2nd ed. New York: Harper & Row.Google Scholar
Matsudo, Sandra M. M. 2009. “Envelhecimento, Atividade Física e Saúde. Boletim do Instituto de Saúde 47: 76–9.Google Scholar
Moura, Rui. 1999. “O Processo de Aprendizagem Autodirigida em Adultos.” Master's thesis, Universidade Católica Portuguesa.Google Scholar
Quivy, Raymond, and van Campenhoudt, Luc. 2005. Manual de Investigação em Ciências Sociais, 4th ed. Lisboa: Gradiva.Google Scholar
Ribot, Maria. 2006. Interview by Liz Perales. “La Ribot. ‘Los Cuarentones son Más Auténticos con sus Cuerpos’.” El Cultural. Accessed April 2, 2012. Available from: http://www.elcultural.es/version_papel/LETRAS/18859/La_Ribot.Google Scholar
Rogers, Carl R. 2000. El Proceso de Convertirse en Persona: Mi Técnica Terapéutica, 17th ed. Barcelona: Paidós Ibérica.Google Scholar
Salas, Roger. 2009. “El ideario de La Ribot.” El País. Accessed November 2, 2010. Available from: http://elpais.com/diario/2009/09/12/babelia/1252710367_850215.html.Google Scholar
Sánchez, José A. 1999. “Pensando con el Cuerpo, de J. A. Sánchez.” Accessed January 12, 2010. Available from: http://inquietando.wordpress.com/textos-2/pensando-con-el-cuerpo-de-j-a-sanchez-esp/.Google Scholar
Schön, Donald A. 1983. The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action. New York: Basic Books.Google Scholar
Sousa, José C. 2010. “A Pessoa Humana como Fundamento Antropológico na Psicopedagogia Educacional: Abordagem com Base na Declaração Gravissimum Educationis.” Master's thesis, Universidade Católica Portuguesa.Google Scholar
Stake, Robert E. 2007. A Arte da Investigação com Estudos de Caso. Lisboa: Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian.Google Scholar
Vitória, Ana. 2006. “‘40 Espontâneos’ na Mão de La Ribot.” Jornal de Notícias. Accessed November 2, 2010. Available from: http://www.elcultural.es/version_papel/LETRAS/18859/La_Ribot.Google Scholar
Zinker, Joseph Chaim. 2003. El Proceso Creativo en la Terapia Guestáltica, 2nd ed. Buenos Aires: Editorial Paidos.Google Scholar