Premiered in 1992 by the Companhia de Dança de Almada, the performance established itself as an essential reference in the history of contemporary dance in Portugal, undertaking an extensive national and international tour. Its relevance remains fully current, as demonstrated by the successive revivals carried out by professional companies and dance training institutions.
In O CANSAÇO DOS SANTOS, Clara Andermatt delves into the most primal and archetypal dimensions of human emotions. It is a work of strong symbolic charge, where ritualistic and religious icons are interwoven with intense physicality and assertive sexuality. The piece constructs a theatrical portrait of two characters in a constant state of searching — for themselves, for one another, and for answers that remain suspended.
The revival of O CANSAÇO DOS SANTOS thus represents a gesture of heritage valorization and the preservation of choreographic memory, allowing audiences to revisit a work that retains full artistic and cultural relevance more than three decades after its creation.
| PERFORMANCE HISTORY |
[1992] – PREMIERE
Cineteatro de Almada, Portugal
Performers: Cláudia Dias and Paula Tavares, Companhia de Dança de Almada
[1992]
Sommertheatre Festival – Cologne, Germany
Performers: Amélia Bentes and Mónica Lapa, Companhia Clara Andermatt
[1993]
National Tour
Maratona Para a Dança, Teatro Maria Matos – Lisbon, Portugal
Danças na Cidade 93, Central Tejo – Lisbon, Portugal
Festas da Cidade – Loures, Portugal
Municipal Auditorium – Guarda, Portugal
Centro Cultural de Belém – Lisbon, Portugal
Performers: Amélia Bentes and Mónica Lapa, Companhia Clara Andermatt
[1994]
European Tour
New Moves Festival – Glasgow, Scotland
Lantaren Venster – Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Performers: Amélia Bentes and Mónica Lapa, Companhia Clara Andermatt
[1995]
European Tour
Time Festival – Ghent, Belgium
Festival aan de Werf – Utrecht, The Netherlands
Performers: Amélia Bentes and Mónica Lapa, Companhia Clara Andermatt
[1996]
United States Tour
Dance Theatre Workshop – New York
Wagon Train Project – Lincoln, Nebraska
On the Boards – Seattle
Performers: Amélia Bentes and Mónica Lapa, Companhia Clara Andermatt
[2000]
Restaging
Tanzhaus NRW – Düsseldorf, Germany
Performers: Panja Fladerer and Vera Sander, Vera Sander Art Connects Company
Restaged for the German company Vera Sander Art Connects
[2010]
Restaging
Teatro Municipal Joaquim Benite – Almada, Portugal
Performers: Carla Jordão and Débora Queiroz, Companhia de Dança de Almada
Restaged for Companhia de Dança de Almada as part of the commemorative programme marking 20 years of activity of CDA, “Revisiting the past, envisioning the future.”
[2013 – present]
Academic Context
Part of the repertoire of the Escola Superior de Dança within the course Portuguese Repertoire Studies, taught by Amélia Bentes.
[2014]
Academic Context
Fontys Dance Academy – Tilburg, The Netherlands
Performers: Yente Burlage and Zoey van Mierlo
Graduation performance
Direction and Choreography CLARA ANDERMATT | Performers MARIANA GONÇALVES and SARA LOPES | Interns DÉBORA COELHO and VERÓNICA SAMUEL | Artistic Assistant and Rehearsal Director AMÉLIA BENTES | Rehearsal Director – Interns MATILDE RODRIGUES | Set Design CLARA ANDERMATT | Music LAURENT PETITGAND | Costumes CARLOTA LAGIDO | Lighting Design CRISTOVÃO CUNHA, based on the original design by Cristina Piedade and Rui Marcelino | Production ESCOLA LUGAR PRESENTE and COMPANHIA CLARA ANDERMATT | Support PORTUGUESE REPUBLIC – CULTURE, YOUTH AND SPORTS / DIRECTORATE-GENERAL FOR THE ARTS; INTERPRESS – HUB CRIATIVO DO BAIRRO ALTO; ESCOLA SUPERIOR DE DANÇA | Media Partners ANTENA 2, COFFEEPASTE | Age Rating 6+ | Approximate Duration 15 min
The performance O Cansaço dos Santos was originally created in 1992 for the Almada Dance Company