Instituto Moinho Cultural Sul-Americano (South American Cultural Mill Institute) came away from the Goiás International Dance Festival with awards. Three dancers took part in the festival and had their choreographies recognized.

In total they received five medals, in various categories. Dancer Marcos Souza received three medals, one for first place in the Contemporary category, with the choreography Epiderme, by Pedro Barros; and two for third place: in Jazz, with the choreography Fuga, by Frantiely, and in Classical, with the male variation of La Fille Mal Gardée.

Dancer Yasmin Rodrigues was awarded third place in Classical, with the female variation of the repertoire ballet A Escrava e o Mercador (The Slave and the Merchant). Dancer Pedro Barros also won a third-place medal with the Grand Pas de Deux from the ballet Diana e Acteon, partnered by dancer Yasmin Rodrigues.

For dancer Pedro Barros, despite so many awards, the experience and the learning were the highlight. “While we were there, we met many other dancers, watched them dance in various styles, and had contact with different cultures. We tried to absorb as much as possible,” he says.

“Besides that, we closely followed the connection among the dancers from the other groups. Their strength, their drive, their dedication to doing their best on stage. The support they had for one another. And we also worked as a team. We were a team: we not only danced but also supported each other during each other’s performances. We’re in constant transformation and learning, one more thing we add to our work,” the dancer adds.

Dancer Yasmin Rodrigues explains that the Goiás International Dance Festival was intense. “We had a whole week full of learning, we took classes with renowned teachers, such as Telmo Moreira and Bradley Shelver, we also took part in repertoire variation coaching with teachers Telmo Moreira and Andreza Randisek, and we also enjoyed the wonderful stage of the Centro Cultural Oscar Niemeyer. The festival had a wonderful structure that welcomed us and gave us a marvelous dance experience”.

For the dancer, the awards give visibility to the work developed by Moinho Cultural over the past 18 years. “I was very happy about the recognition of our effort and work, and very grateful to have this institution that believes in and supports our steps,” she highlights.

Dancer Marcos Souza, who won three medals, says he will never forget the experience. “I can only thank everyone who helped me achieve this. It was seven straight days, full of struggle and glory. I hope to take part in more competitions like this one,” he celebrates.

The Goiás International Dance Festival is organized by Studio Dançarte, in partnership with the Government of Goiás and the Brazilian Dance Council (CBDD). Dancers from all over Brazil presented choreographies in classical ballet, contemporary dance, jazz, tap dance, urban dances, popular dances and freestyle. More than a thousand dancers took part in the festival.

Instituto Moinho Cultural Sul-Americano

Moinho Cultural is a civil society organization that has offered, for 18 years, dance, music, technology and computer classes to children and adolescents in situations of social vulnerability in Corumbá, Ladário, Puerto Suárez and Puerto Quijarro. The comprehensive training offered by the institution lasts up to eight years. Moinho also works on training creative performers for young people and adults, through Companhia de Dança do Pantanal, Orquestra de Câmara do Pantanal (Pantanal Chamber Orchestra) and Núcleo de Tecnologia. The institution’s mission is to reduce social vulnerability in the Brazil-Bolivia border region, through access to cultural and technological assets. Since activities began, more than 23 thousand children and adolescents have been served by Moinho.

‌Moinho Cultural currently has master sponsorship via the Cultural Incentive Law from Instituto Cultural Vale, as well as sponsorship from Bellalluna Participações LTDA, Energisa, BRINKS, BTG Pactual, CaraÍ Empreendimentos LTDA, HINOVE, Rodobens, cultural support from Instituto FAR, funding from the Government of the State of Mato Grosso do Sul, through the Fundação de Cultura de Mato Grosso do Sul, in addition to the partnership with J.Macêdo and Fecomércio MS-SESC.

Institutional partners include the Corumbá City Hall, Ladário City Hall, Puerto Suárez City Hall, Puerto Quijarro City Hall, Instituto Homem Pantaneiro, IFMS, UFMS, Acaia Pantanal and other individual and corporate donors.