“There are peoples who have an understanding that our bodies are related to all that is life and that the cycles of the earth are also those of our own bodies. We observe the earth, the sky and feel that we are not detached from other beings. … It's about memory, a cultural heritage from the time when our ancestors were at one with the rhythm of nature... Everyday life was an extension of the dream. … We must produce other bodies, other feelings, dream other dreams in order to be accepted and dwell in this world.”
Ailton Krenak, Ideas to Postpone the End of the World
«The Presence of the Butterflies» is an artistic examination of the biography of the dancer Raul Martínez with choreographic accompaniment by Belinda Winkelmann.
This dance research is a journey through Raul's biography as well as through the history of Latin America, Africa, the conquests, and the colonies; a journey of the ancestors who sowed, reaped, danced and enjoyed life. A journey of liberation and forgiveness for those who wanted to steal, exploit and destroy the Latin American continent. It's a journey back to where we all belong, a return to dancing with butterflies, to the coexistence of life. It is a journey that hosts many people, many stories, many dreams, many visions and a future for all living beings.
Based on this research, we, Belinda Winkelmann and Raul Martínez, are planning a dance production for 2023.