Lavagem

Six performers dance with water, buckets and soap bubbles. What is washed and who does the washing? Alice Ripoll turns these everyday activities into the stuff of a choreography that examines the very meaning of washing, revealing its poetic and political significance.

“Different types of ground are possible, as long as they can get wet. The performers must be able to roll and crawl around.” Lavagem converts the stage into a performance space alive with the familiar action of washing – hands, bodies, surfaces. Through their dance, the six performers explore the polysemy of these gestures. In Brazil, the term “lavagem” refers to both the often invisible cleaning activity carried out by housekeepers, and to the act of money laundering. It evokes at once brainwashing and purification rituals such as those practiced in the run-up to Carnaval. Transformed into a choreographic motif, these gestures tell a story about Brazilian society. By probing movements, materials and images, Lavagem offers a poetic experience that doubles as political commentary.

Photo: Lavagem – Alice Ripoll © Renato Mangolin