European Projects
FRAGILE is a meeting of two worlds in which dancers and performers with visual impairments seek to develop a shared language while exploring their own individual voices.
Vo'Arte (PT)
Bærum Kulturhus (NR)
Salamanda Tandem (UK)
A European project dedicated to the inclusion of blind and visually impaired people in the performing arts, through the development of a movement language created in collaboration with professional dancers. Implemented between 2011 and 2013, it brought together Vo'Arte (Portugal), Bærum Kulturhus (Norway) and Tallinn University (Estonia), and was co-funded by the European Union's Culture Programme.
Based on the body awareness method for visually impaired people developed by Kjersti K. Engebrigtsen, the project merged artistic research, pedagogical practice and contemporary creation, involving choreographers, performers, directors, musicians, lighting designers, educators and specialists in the visual impairment field. The international collaboration was rooted in the local communities of each partner country, promoting the exchange of knowledge and inclusive practices.
Workshops and training (2011-2012) - Held in Portugal, Norway and Estonia, the workshops brought together participants with and without visual impairments, exploring floor work, contact, improvisation and body awareness practices. These sessions served as a forum for research and selection of performers for subsequent productions, promoting the dissemination of the method within each national context.
Artistic creation (2012-2013) - Each choreographer developed an original piece for a mixed cast of professional dancers and visually impaired performers, exploring a theatrical language that challenges predominantly visual paradigms. The final show featured three works: Edge (Ana Rita Barata), Plexus (Kjersti K. Engebrigtsen) and Touched (Ajjar Ausma).
Presentations and public reflection (2013) - The premiere took place at the Joaquim Benite Municipal Theatre, followed by presentations in Norway and Estonia. The project also included the international symposium FRAGILE? Dance, Arts & Visual Impairment, dedicated to interdisciplinary reflection on dance, inclusion and artistic education.
FRAGILE demonstrated the aesthetic and professional viability of inclusive dance practices, established a replicable methodology for working with blind performers, and expanded international networks for artistic cooperation in this field. The project also resulted in the production of documentaries in the partner countries, ensuring the documentation, dissemination and critical continuity of the work carried out.
