The United Dance Festival 2025 begins this Friday (5th) in Campo Grande, and Corumbá is making its presence felt with representatives from the Instituto Moinho Cultural Sul-Americano (South American Moinho Cultural Institute). The city will be represented by the Cia Infanto-Juvenil (Youth Company), dancer Marcos Souza in the Senior category, and the Cia de Dança do Pantanal (Pantanal Dance Company), with Izabelle Paiva. Since March, the groups have been rehearsing classical and contemporary repertoire choreographies, preparing for the big stage.

The audience will be able to see “Mirlitons” and “Paysant,” pieces from the classical repertoire, the male variation “Esmeralda,” a highlight of the Prêmio Onça Pintada (Jaguar Award), and the jazz solo “Fuga,” performed by Marcos Souza since 2023. The Cia de Dança do Pantanal premieres “Rito,” an original contemporary solo created and performed by Izabelle Paiva especially for this edition.

“Taking part in United represents a moment of sharing and growth. I’m an artist from the countryside and I know how symbolic it is to be in this space, bringing my solo as a voice of representation. It’s also an opportunity for recognition and visibility, both through my individual performance and by supporting the institution’s children who will take their first steps in a competition. I’m going as a dancer, but also as support, believing that every achievement, individual or collective, strengthens dance as a place of encounter, visibility, and belonging,” said Izabelle.

Among the participants from Corumbá, four children are traveling to Campo Grande, accompanied by Marcos Souza. One of the highlights is young Danilo, 11 years old, taking part in his first competition outside the city. For the first time, he and his family are traveling together, living a unique moment of emotion and support.

“It’s his first time and he’s super excited, the whole family is too, we’re all going to be there for him! Danilo is very responsible, he’s very dedicated to dance. Look, he’s quite calm, I confess I’m more anxious than he is! But he’s quite confident, everyone praises him, the teachers and at home too,” said his mother, Mariana de Sá Lopes.

For the Moinho Cultural team, taking part in the festival is a rare opportunity to experience big stages, exchange experiences with other dancers, and broaden horizons, something still uncommon in Corumbá.

“Taking part in competitions like this is essential. In Corumbá, we still lack proper stages and infrastructure, so the festival becomes an opportunity to give our participants a dignified experience, with lighting, space, and contact with other dancers. It’s also a rich moment of exchange and learning,” said Aline Espírito Santo, the Institute’s dance coordinator.

The United Dance Festival runs through Sunday (7th), at the Teatro Glauce Rocha. Among the attractions is the presence of Cícero Gomes, principal dancer of the Theatro Municipal do Rio de Janeiro. With one of the largest prize pools in the Center-West, R$ 50 thousand, the event is promoted by the Ministry of Culture, with production by the Associação Motirô and sponsorship from Emgea, reinforcing the commitment to inclusion, diversity, and artistic training in the country.

Friday (09/05)

• Paysant – classical variation (Maria Fernanda de Oliveira) – Cia Infanto-Juvenil do Moinho Cultural

• Mirlitons – classical ensemble piece – Cia Infanto-Juvenil do Moinho Cultural

• Esmeralda – male repertoire variation (Marcos Souza) – Instituto Moinho Cultural

• Rito – contemporary solo (Izabelle Paiva) – Cia de Dança do Pantanal

Saturday (09/06)

• Fuga – jazz solo (Marcos Souza) – Instituto Moinho Cultural

• Ecos do Invisível – contemporary solo (Marcos Souza) – Moinho Cultural