‘Canoa’, by Moinho Cultural, wins award as a highlight in contemporary dance

Performance took place in the junior category of the 7th edition of the Prêmio Onça Pintada

The choreography Canoa, by the Instituto Moinho Cultural Sul-Americano (South American Moinho Cultural Institute), received the contemporary dance highlight award at the 7th Prêmio Onça Pintada (Onça Pintada Award), which took place in Campo Grande earlier this month.

Responsible for the choreography, teacher Wellington Julio states that ‘Canoa’ was inspired by the importance the Rio Paraguai has for hundreds of families. “I began to see the importance of the river. The choreography wasn’t conceived exactly around the building of a canoe, but around the meaning it holds. In the choreography, we tried to show the strength that the canoe has and what it represents for people who live daily alongside fishermen or in places that have a port,” he recalls about the creative process.

The performance took place in the junior category, which brings together adolescents aged 12 to 15. For many Moinho Cultural students, it was their first performance away from home. “It was a very magical trip. The first time I traveled in my life. I liked it a lot, especially since it was with my second family, which is Moinho Cultural. It was great to see new things and I will carry this with me for life,” says Luiz Ricardo, 17.

For student Bianca Silva Guedes, 12, participating in the award brought experience to the group. “For me, the experience was very good. It’s an opportunity, and we gained stage experience as a group in competition. I am very grateful to our teachers and everyone who helped.”

The recognition, according to teacher Wellington Julio, reinforces that the children and adolescents in the cast have a place. “It’s the result of a lot of work. This year was very difficult, painful, we only returned to in-person classes in August, but we achieved a very satisfying result. It shows them that they have a place, even coming from the countryside. The cast was highly praised by the judges and also by other choreographers,” he concludes.

The Instituto Moinho Cultural Sul-Americano
Located in Corumbá-MS for 16 years, the Institute is a civil society organization that offers dance, music, technology, and computer classes to children and adolescents in situations of social vulnerability in Corumbá, Ladário, Puerto Suárez, and Puerto Quijarro; in addition to services promoting social bonds and strengthening ties between the institution, family, school, and participants, and training of performer-creators for young people and adults, through the Companhia de Dança do Pantanal, Orquestra de Câmara do Pantanal, and the Technology Center. Its mission is to reduce social vulnerability in the Brazil-Bolivia border region through access to cultural and technological resources.

In 2020, Moinho was recognized by Instituto Doar with the Selo A, qualifying it as a certified organization. This recognition legitimizes and highlights the OSC’s professionalism and transparency, aiming to further encourage a culture of giving.

Currently, Moinho Cultural has master sponsorship via the Lei de Incentivo Cultural from Instituto Cultural Vale, as well as sponsorship from Itaú Social, Itaú Cultural, VISA, BTGPactual, BRINKS, and Comper, the partnership of J.Macêdo and SESC, institutional partnership with the Fundação de Cultura de Mato Grosso do Sul, the Municipal Government of Corumbá, the Municipal Government of Ladário, the Municipal Government of Puerto Suárez, the Mayor’s Office of Puerto Quijarro, Instituto Homem Pantaneiro, IFMS, UFMS, Acaia Pantanal, and other individual and corporate donors.