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João André da Rocha: transcript Editor's note: Here is a transcript of João André da Rocha's response in our DVD, 'What can be asked? What can be shown? British theatre and performance in the time of climate instability'.
We have a 'translate' facility on each page, at the bottom of the left-hand column, which will translate this into Portugese.
I am João Rocha, 34, performer, teacher and associate producer of Peoples Palace Projects in London and a group, Nós do Morro, in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.
Since 2005, I have mediated partnerships between British and Brazilian companies and artists involved in human rights and in environmental issues.
Thinking about agriculture in Brazil is quite different than talking about agriculture in the UK, Europe or the United States.
Thinking how about how could we reunite agriculture and performance, I’m trying to find some ways. This question is stimulating me to think creatively about this matter.
Some ways we (could) use to rescue the rural culture - and we could understand the agriculture as well and connect that to performance - is rescuing some movements and shapes from the countryside, for example. When teaching Brazilian popular dances in Brazil, and I use that in the UK and United States as well, we could look for people that live in the countryside, that work in the countryside, and take shapes of their bodies, for example, and we will find a way to dance Brazilian dance.
The culture in Brazil is quite close to the countryside still, because still 50% of the population in Brazil live in the countryside.
To be practical and quick, I think one way to reunite agriculture and performance is in discussing and talking about how food is being produced nowadays. How we get this food. How countries are selling food and producing food, transferring food to other parts of the world.
When we talk about Brazil, for example, we need to think, it’s true nowadays, people are fighting for the right to have some land to produce food for their family. People are still dying in Brazil because of the Landless Movement.
When we talk about Amazonia for example – the deforestation is not about only destroying the nature. It’s about technology it’s about how we are producing food.
For sure this is a really strong matter to talk about.
Reuniting agriculture and performance, we will not only talk about political matters, but, for sure, we will find new ways to perform, really innovative ways to perform.
My question is a trick. Because talking about climate change and the environment nowadays, could it be fashion?
It is easy to talk about a disaster for example.
I would like to ask about your personal life, practically, day by day, what are the steps you are taking to decrease the impact of your life in the world? return to the feature story
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