Malmenats Cia Mariantònia Oliver, Dance Company (Mallorca) Malmenar: To maltreat. To mishandle, to handle without care. To treat violently, cruelly, to treat with no delicacy. Malmenats: the artistic project The starting point Our present struggles between stagnancy and accident, normality and exceptionality. It is a present without narration or direction, constantly under the threat of the idea of rupture, catastrophe, interruption. This applies to both micro and macro levels, to work contracts, human relatinos or the national security system of a developed country. We rw always on the verge of breaking down, about to be broken, tethered to a present that we fail to understand, that we don t knw how to handle.
Marina Garcés All the dancers in this piece, the 4 of us, share the impression that we're living in a time, in a social, global context in which we feel like we re being handled with no care at all. This sensation is present in our lives, as individuals that are part of a society that has been struck severely by crisis -individuals inside a complex system which seems to be organized specifically for that very purpose- for maltreating. We share a feeling of being pushed from side to side, of drifting from one place to another, of surrendering to forces which make impact on us and move us in a brutal, harsh, abrupt manner. During the first weeks of work together we used Continuous Movement Practice to get us strated and as a source of inspiration. This is a practoce that combines free movement and free writing. It is a way of accessing the unconscious, without having to decide previously what subject we want to work on and in which way. The participants just need to commit themselves to the practice, moving/writing continuously without stopping or judging or censoring. This training helped us develop a common language and a rich experience as a group. Choreographic research Northamerican philosopher Alva Noë suggests that choreography, just like art and philosphy, is an Organizational Practice. What we do through these disciplines is conduct research upon ourselves. We question and reveal the ways (inexplicable, unconscious, hostile, arbitrary ) in which we re organized as human beings. We confront the fact that we are not the authors of such organization. On the other hand, he claims that being organized is the reason why we can be spontaneous. This idea is somehow present throughout the piece. In the second stage of our creation process we focused on exploring in an intuitive way certain aspects regarding the physical states and qualities of movement that had emerged during our Continuous Movement Practice.
'Malmenar', a form of physicalty We spent some time exploring the physical resonance of the verb malmenar. Does it always imply maltreatment? Can it be done in a loving manner? Can you do it to yourself? Is it necessarily intentional? Does it have to be violent? Could it be delicate? What happens in your body while you re experiencing it? Another physical quality that we found interesting, and that is related to what we just explained, is the idea of dislocation / disengagement. We explored the idea of dislocating parts of our bodies, letting them fall out of place, taking them to their limits, creating unbalance. Going to maximum tension and releasing, abandoning, letting the body find its own response to these challenges. How can we find our way out of forced, uncomfortable, instable situations? What are we expected to do? Which way to go? Can we resist the forces impelling us to move? Where are they taking us? Can we decide when to move? Can we not move?
Unconventional bodies in movement The recent works of Mariantònia Oliver Dance Company show an interest for unconventional dancers, meaning by this that the focus is placed on how movement can be generated beyond the conventions of dance, by people who don t fit in the stereotypes the world of dance. Where lies the logic of movement, where can the truth of motion be found in these bodies, that are heterogeneous, diverse? What is there in them, that can be recognized and shared by the audience? Our intention with this piece is to reveal the most physical part of movement, in a clean, direct way. Without anything extra, even with a rough, raw quality. The performers are three men and a woman. Different ages, backgrounds, stories, careers; different bodies. As we like to put it: this is the body that I have, this is the age that I am, this is the life I ve lived. And that is what we show up with in front of the audience. Those are the only certainties supporting us and, at the same time, those are the risks that we take. Music, light design, costumes and stage concept of the piece are all meant to underline fragility and to question where the limits are between being a part of the piece, in the piece, and being out of it, just being.
Resumés of the performers JAUME MANRESA QUETGLAS (LLUCMAJOR, MALLORCA, 1976) Member of pop band Antònia Font from 1998 to 2013. Studied acting, dance and movement techniques with Eric de Bont, Philippe Peychaud, Tomeu Vergés, Mariantònia Oliver and Philippe Gaulier (París). Composer of music for stage productions such as: nou, by Mariantònia Oliver, Subtalk, directed by Catalina Carrasco, Gabriela i Projecte Riera, directed by Lluqui Herrero and Margalida Grimalt, La vida difícil directed by Carles Pujol, Les Aventures d'en Tres i Mig, directed by Frederic Roda or El Malentès, by Camus, directed by Andrés Lima. As a musician, played with the Acapulco All Stars orchestra, touring with Jaume Sisa, and of Surfistes en càmera lenta for Joan Miquel Oliver. Has also worked as an actor in different productions. Works with Mariantònia Oliver, dancing, composing and assisting in the direction. PEDRO MAS ROA (PALMA, 1971) BA in Performing Arts from the Institut del Teatre de Barcelona (2001). Took a Bunraku Puppet Seminar with Hoichi Okamoto at l École Internationalle de la Marionnette a Charleville-Mézières. France in 2005 and different workshops and courses with Andrès Corchero, Joan C. Bellviure, Konrad Zschiedrich, Mariantònia Oliver. His work as a theatre actor includes plays such as: MORT DE DAMA by Llorenç Villalonga. Directed by Rafel Duran. TNC and Teatre Principal de Palma. Escènica Award to the best stage production of the Balearic Islands 2010, PROVA by David Auburn. Directed by Emilià Carilla.
TIC Teatre Produccions, AMFITRIÓ 38, by Jean Giraudoux. Directed by Emilià Carilla. EIX49 and akadèmia Teatre, ADIÓS NONINO Cia A Cel Obert. won the award to the Most innovative show at the Fira de Titelles de Lleida 2002. Europuppet Prix al Festival Decouvertes Images et Marionnettes de Tournai 2002, Bèlgica, LOS LUNNIS. Teatre Capitol de Barcelona, LÚNIA by Marta Barceló. Cia En Blanc, PETIT BALL by Andrea Cruz. Cia AU MENTS. Escènica Award to the best stage production of the Balearic Islands 2010, and LA CASA EN OBRES by Blai Bonet. Directed by Pep Tosar. Projecte Alcover Award 1998. Barceloba critics award 1998. Has taken parti in several TV series: VALTERRA, MOSSÈN CAPELLA and EL MÓN D EN GUAI d IB3 and PORCA MISÈRIA, for TV3. PEPÓN PRADES ROBLES (BARCELONA, 1962) An Economist, works as copywriter and creative director in different Advertising Agencies. Studied acting, dance and movement techniques with a number of teachers. Has collaborated in the creation, direction and as a performer as well, of different pieces with Mercè Boronat, Pere Jané, Mariantònia Oliver and Ona Mestre. With his theatre group, Seregumil, stages the piece Encarnació Involuntària, after short stories by Clarice Lispector. Performs in the production Brossa a la porta. As a professor teaches at BAU (Centre Universitari de Disseny de Barcelona / Universitat de Vic). Has taught workshops at the Università Estiva di Danzamovimentoterapia (Sardegna), at the Facultat Blanquerna de Publicitat i RRPP (Universitat Ramon Llull), at the Escola Superior de Disseny i Enginyeria Elisava (Universitat Pompeu Fabra), at the Facultat de Belles Arts of the Universitat de Barcelona, and the Facultat de Veterinària of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona as well as at the School of Philosophy of the Universitat Alpen Adria (Klagenfurt, Àustria). Author of the article Ideas that are born from the body (2012), included in the book Korporale Performanz, published by Transcript (Bielefeld, Germany). MARIA ANTÒNIA OLIVER RIBAS (SAO PAULO, 1959) After studying acting in Mallorca, moves to Barcelona and obtains a BA in Contemporary Dance from the Institut del Teatre. After which she has continued to study on a permanent basis with different teachers. She soon gets started in choreography forming with María Muñoz La Dux, a company which tours Spain and Europe for 3 years. After that, in 1989, she starts Mariantònia Oliver dance company. Her first piece, Ocho, is awarded several prizes: Biennal Joves Creadors de la Mediterrània and Joves Creadors de Catalunya. She continues to produce new pieces which are shown in UK, France, The Netherlands, Italy, Venezuela and Spain. She was invited as a choreographer to the American Dance Festival and danced for Mark Tompkins La Plaque Tournante and Tomàs Aragay s Natural Piety. In 2000 she moves back to Mallorca. Creates a piece for children, BOBOT, followed by many others: Nou, La Paraula i els peus nus, Las Muchas Has continued to tour Europe and Spain. At present she is also the artistic director of
La Impossible, which manages projects related to contemporary culture, performing arts and pedagogy in Mallorca. She manages Ca Ses Monges creation center, in Maria de la Salut, Mallorca. Teaches dance at E.S.A.D.I.B. (Escola Superior Art Dramàtic Illes Balears). Directed the dance and theatre chapters of R'Rostoll arts Festival during 3 years, in Maria de la Salut. Malmenats has been shown ( work in progress ) at: August 2013: Alart (Nit de l Art, Alaró, Mallorca) September 2013: Sea Arts Festival (Maria de la Salut, Mallorca) November 2013: Circundances Festival (Sala Inestable, València) December 2013: BAU (Centre Universitari de Disseny de Barcelona) i Nun Art (Barcelona). Fabruary 2014: Espai Mallorca (Barcelona) Malmenats has been shown at: March 2014: Teatre de Lloseta. PREMIERE (Lloseta, Mallorca) April 2014: Dies Dansants (Palma and Sòller, Mallorca) April 2014: Festival el Sismògraf (Olot, Catalunya) May 2014: Teatre de Porreres (Porreres, Mallorca) May 2014: Teatre d Alaró (Alaró, Mallorca) September 2014: Fira de Tàrrega (Tàrrega, Catalunya) November 2014: Teatre de Capdepera (Capdepera, Mallorca) November 2014: Teatre Principal (Palma, Mallorca) November 2014: Teatre Sa Màniga (Cala Millor, Mallorca) VIDEO https://vimeo.com/96716563 Performance at Museu Es Baluard Palma, Mallorca
Cia Marinatònia Oliver is supported by: Consell de Mallorca Funds for production costs. Centre Cívic-Cultural Ca Ses Monges The Company has a redience agreement with them since 2009. Es Baluard (Palma s Modern and Contemporary Art Museum) Mariantònia Oliver is a resident artist at Es Baluard (2014-2015). The Museum will host the premiere of Malmenats in March 2014. Graner, Centre de creació del cos i el moviment (Centre for movement creation) The company was selected for a 3-week residency in February 2014. FIDAE Uruguay 2015 After the performance of Malmenats at Sea Arts Festival, the company was invited by Victoria Rodríguez, artistic director, to perform in the 2015 edition of the Festival Internacional de Artes Escénicas de Uruguay. For further information contact: Mariantònia Oliver info@mariantoniaoliver.net +34 659 952 033