With a restructuring process, the Cia de Dança do Pantanal, which turned five years old in March, has “new faces.” Three new dancers joined the company, after the selection process that took place between February and March.
The initial selection, which received applications from participants from all corners of the country, brought together the candidates who took part in a week-long immersion at Moinho Cultural. The immersion included the presence of the company’s patroness, dancer Beatriz de Almeida, and the director and choreographer Chico Neller.
“We didn’t want to just look at the company, but also make an impact on the lives of these dancers. Even those who weren’t selected received something from us. It was an intense week, with a lot of exchange of experiences, learning and, of course, evaluation,” recalls Márcia Rolon, discussing the restructuring.
“We reached five years with the company and saw it was time to restructure. Dance deserves our best. That’s why we ran such an intense, and at the same time unifying, selection process,” Rolon adds.
The “new faces”
One of the dancers selected was Grasielly Juvêncio. A resident of Ourinhos (SP), she trained at the Escola Municipal de Ourinhos (Ourinhos Municipal School), under the direction of Teresinha de Paula, Narda Jorosk and Alexandre Cardoso. At 24 years old, she has already been part of the Companhia Brasileira de Ballet and the Ballet Jovem de Ourinhos.
“The immersion had a lot of learning, a lot of knowledge and a lot of exchange. It was very good for me. I loved every moment with the teachers, dancers, and I hope the experience at the Cia de Dança do Pantanal is as wonderful as the immersion was. I believe joining the company will contribute a lot to my professional growth,” says Grasielly.
Among the trio, the only male dancer selected, Márcio Júnior de Souza Silva, 30 years old, lived in Brasília (DF) until being selected by the Cia de Dança do Pantanal. He started ballet at age 21, and has not stopped since. He has already been part of dance companies in the federal capital, including the Scala Companhia de Dança.
“I thought it was amazing to be selected, I wasn’t expecting it. During the pandemic, I thought about dedicating myself only to teaching classes. Until the company’s opportunity came along, which was unique. Now, I want to grow more and more and I think the company is a place for that,” says the dancer.
For the third dancer selected, Yasmin Rodrigues, joining the Cia de Dança do Pantanal is a “blossoming,” referring to a new phase in her life, both professionally and personally.
“It’s my first professional contract and I believe this is the moment most awaited by every dancer. The feeling of gratitude is very strong, especially after these pandemic years, which were hard for us artists. I already followed the company and was very interested in the work developed. Now, being able to enjoy this is, for sure, a great professional achievement,” said the dancer.
