João Oliveira

"My name is João Oliveira and I was one of the dancers of the BOWING project and family. I’m a young man from the north attracted by adventure and fascinated by the unknown. At the age of 16 I moved to Porto where I did my professional training at Balleteatro. In this school I was exposed to the restless dance bug. At 19 I decided to study contemporary dance in England where I learnt the techniques of Cunningham, Release, Graham, somatic dance, as well as developed my own creative work. Since then I have had the privilege of jumping between voice and body, word and movement, often crossing languages. I joined the BOWING project after auditioning to be part of the cast of the BOWING BACK show. It was a highly transformational experience to be able to communicate and contribute to cultures very different to my own. There in Odemira it was possible to create an environment of shared knowledge and practices that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. The creation of friendships was, without a doubt, the best part. I carry Shoaib's hugs, Taranpreet's laughter, Nusaiba's coolness, Helena's affection, Yusuf's pride and all the moments of tenderness, achievement and gentleness that I shared with these people. The dances and languages added to my identity. This creative process expanded and branched out beyond the body and the word. It became a project of connections, of senses. What stays with me is the last hug of Helena Franco in whom I could observe a glow emerging. It was someone who had found a place of her own, took root and flourished in relationships and affection. I hold the experience. I hold the dance, the music. I hold the faces. I hold them and carry them with me."