NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION
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The audience, which filled the theater twice, was delighted with such dancing energy and exuberant joie de vivre. At the end, they cheered the 14 dancers - as in 2011 - with a round of applause and enthusiastic whistling.
In "Trama" choreographer Rui Moreira delineates magical and mystical portraits that through exotic, powerful and expressive dance make the company awaken to a vibrant life. Dances of invocation enter the scene: ecstasy, fantastic costumes, acrobatic leaps, and guttural vocal hymns intensify in a crescendo of frenetic movements.
MAIN POST, MANFRED HERKER, SCHWEINFURT, GERMANY, 03.04.2014
Pure pleasure! The dancers from the Cisne Negro company seduced the audience and drew applause.
"Sabia" is a hit by the singer Maria Lucia de Godoy and the two soloists unleashed in their Pax de deux all the erotic tension of this fascinating relationship between two expressed in dance with all possible shades, changes, caresses and miscreations.
"Calunga" With folkloric costumes and simple but affecting requisites, such as an umbrella and a fluttering blue cloth, the dancers were always creating new and ravishing pictures, rooted in Woodoo belief and atavistic rites, and provoking fascination and almost stunning.
The audience left for the break with the feeling that this would have already been the absolute highlight of the evening.
The great choreography by Frenchman Patrick Delcroix, who was for many years a member of the Nederlands Dans Theatre should then be something very special and this expectation was indeed fulfilled with Além da Pele, music by Eddie Fowlkes, Doctor L, Liam Farrel, Subba, Arnaldo Antunes and Muki.
At the end the audience seemed paralyzed until bursts of applause and shouts of bravo, cadenced clapping demanded the curtains be opened repeatedly.SALE ZEITUNG, BAD KISSINGEN, GERMANY, MAY 05, 2013
Black Swan Dance enchants
Brazilian rhythms and the joy of living and dancing typically Brazilian determine in an involving way the unfolding of "Trama" - choreography by Rui Moreira, a former member of the company.
RP ONLINE, GERT HOLTMEYER, VIERSEN, GERMANY, APRIL 2013
Explosion of emotions
Ehingen. Africa and South America converged in the dance theater of "Cisne Negro" at Lindenhalle. The spectators witnessed an emotional and eruptive dance.
You can dance with potatoes, too. The Brazilian company "Cisne Negro" proved it in the ballet "Fruto da Terra", which describes life in the countryside laden with tension. The São Paulo dance group, with twelve dancers in breathtaking formations, constantly showed new sketches, leading the Lindenhalle audience to fascination. With perfect lighting, a poetic and magical story of peasant life was created. An important role was played by the potatoes, which suddenly fell from the aprons and rolled across the stage.
On their tour through Germany, the ensemble, under the direction of Hulda Bittencourt, presented different pieces. At the beginning was "Elgar", being the only staging in which the dancers performed the classic tip dance. The scene showed love stories and dramas involving couples. In "Beyond the Skin," the dancers pulled on their shirts, symbolizing tsunamis through their bodies. They thus celebrated an unreal presence. The staging of "Trama" was lively and joyful. It was reminiscent of a folk festival, ritual dances in a circle, and spontaneous fun. The group's physical preparation, strength and expressiveness visibly impressed the audience. It was the great dance theater that went from Brazil to Ehingen.
SÜDWEST PRESSE, CHRISTINA KIRSCH, EHINGEN, GERMANY, MAY 11, 2011.
Cisne Negro Dance Company at the Apollo: With a presentation of exceptional choreography, the company from São Paulo impressed this weekend at the Apollo Theater in Siegen. And with enormous body control!
...Hulda Bittencourt, the founder and director of the group for more than 33 years, has thus been able to develop a fascinating and varied program that, through body language, expresses the feeling of Brazilian life, the joy of living, but also the misfortunes. Cisne Negro Cia. de Dança does not work with a fixed choreographer, but rather relies on the creative ideas of different young choreographic talents.
SIEGNER ZEITUNG, SIEGEN, GERMANY, MAY 02, 2011
"...The very well trained 14-member cast of "Cisne Negro" presented, in three choreographies signed by different choreographers, yet another realization: young Brazilian modern dance is full of energy and optimism..."
"...in Rings...the final thanks was extremely sincere and full of temperament..."
MANNHEIMER MORGEN - MONIKA LANZENDÖRFER. LUDWIGSHAFEN, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 11, 2006
Metal Dancers
... Cisne Negro Companhia de Dança São Paulo certainly achieved its goal of making a very difficult work look like child's play during its four-part performance as the attraction of the May International Festival at the State Theater of Wiesbaden... This Brazilian group, founded in 1977 by Hulda Bittencourt, enchanted the audience with a style all its own...
Their strong dance, continuously enriched with lifts and acrobatic movements, seems perfectly natural, as if during the performance, the dancers simply let their bodies spontaneously respond to the rhythms of their homeland...."
FRANKFURTER RUNDSCHAU - KATJA STURM. FRANKFURT, GERMANY, MAY 3, 2000
How to make a choreographic work with potatoes
This perfect combination of different movement techniques, apparently contradictory, is the trademark of this Brazilian company, which strives to accentuate its own independence... The four choreographies demonstrate muscular control down to the hair. They reveal the South American temperament and an exemplary group spirit... A young, talented, committed group from São Paulo whose development should arouse much interest among us as well.
GIESSENER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG - BRITA STEINER-RINNEBERG. WIESBADEN, GERMANY, MAY 4, 2000
These dancers are not of this world, these dynamic, flexible beings must come from another planet.
The highest concentration, almost acrobatic movements and sophisticated portés took the breath away from many spectators.
A treat for any modern dance fan.FELLBACHER ZEITUNG, BRIGITTE HESS, FELLBACH, GERMANY, 10.04.2014
The troupe thrilled the almost full house audience. At the end the 14 dancers were cheered in thanks.
Israeli choreographer Itzik Galili narrated life in the countryside with his "Fruit of the Earth," where 7 women work on harvesting potatoes in their simple dresses in earthy colors.
..... With songs by the Argentine singer Mercedes Sosa, suggestive pictures are created, and also with a pinch of humor when the reaping rolls out to the audience or is played backstage.
In opposition in the second choreography "Calunga" the element of water becomes an impressive theme. ....mas then plunges into a wave of a huge blue silk cloth that floods the dancers like a tsunami...After this storm the doll of the deity is brought with tranquility, which has a special meaning in the performance of the ritual. ..Dolls also play a big role in Moreira's second choreography, "Trama", presented at the end of the evening. Here, too, the audience is drawn into the world of Brazilian folkloric festivals, where religiosity, mysticism and contagious joie de vivre merge.
..... once again the enormous ability of the troupe, which dances lightly, was shown. Earlier "Beyond the Skin" by Patrick Delcroix also proved this wonderfully. In this work by the choreographer of the Nederlands Dans Theatre the company developed highly aesthetic pictures of people, who don't feel good in their skin - and in the end want to get out of it. This was conveyed to the audience in an almost physical way.
VILLINGEN-SCHWENNING, SUDWESTE PRESS, VILLINGEN, GERMANY, MAY 02, 2013
Ovation: Cisne Negro Cia. de Dança de São Paulo Theater of Schweinfurt: An Ecstasy of the Senses
... "14 dancers from the "Cisne Negro Cia. de Dança São Paulo" bewitched the audience on Saturday in the packed theater. Frantic applause was heard from the first choreography. When looking for an adequate description for this performance, the elements common to these Brazilian formations quickly impose themselves: passion and delivery, precision and lightness, power, rhythmic energy and aesthetic irradiation."
MAINPOST WÜRZBURG, MANFRED HERKER, SCHWEINFURT, GERMANY, MAY 11, 2011
The influence of the company's director, Hulda Bittencourt, one of the greatest choreographers and representatives of Balé do Brasil, who founded the company more than 30 years ago, can be seen again.
WORMSER ZEITUNG, CHRISTIAN MAYER, WORMS, GERMANY, APRIL 30, 2013
Romanticism and Brazilian aesthetics
... The choreographies by Patrick Delcroix, Rui Moreira, Dany Bittencourt, Itzik Galili, and Victor Navarro Capell were, above all, this: poetry and folklore.
Geniusfully combined music and costumes were presented as the foundation of the choreography: world music and pop alternated with classical music and swing. Sometimes characteristics of the musical and "normal" theater were unruly. These stripped the pure dance of some of its arrogance, but left it with the pride and elegance without which no ballet in the world can function. Besides waving black coats and earth-colored skirts, I had to see shimmering dresses reminiscent of the Brazilian carnaval - or the dancers' corporality was accentuated by almost total nudity. All together it was above all this: pure aesthetics.
LEVERKUSENER ANZEIGER NO. 106, LEVERKUSEN, GERMANY, MAY 7, 2011
It was a dance that expressed the enthusiasm of the movement and the mastery of the body. At the time of the improvised encore, thousands of people gave a standing ovation, whistled, applauded for several minutes - the Brazilian company scored once again with its style. It is strong and elegant. It goes back to the roots of the country, without softening them. It follows the strict line of modern dance without getting lost in ivory towers.
KOELER STADT-ANZEIGELEVERKUSNER ANZEIGE,INGEBORG SCHWENKE-RUNKEL, LEVERKUSEN, GERMANY APRIL 24, 2009
Athletes with an artistic soul
The first performance of the Brazilian company "Cisne Negro" at the "Internationale Mayfestspiele 2000" was spectacular. Such a movement has never been seen here, or anywhere near here. They are young, post modern, but nothing like a show. They show magnificent technique with high artistic expressiveness. Fascinating figures are created from the group's roots. They have an athletic style combined with a creative soul and show no mannerisms whatsoever....
RHEIN-ZEITUNG - A.PECH. WIESBADEN, GERMANY, MAY 2, 2000
At the end, the audience in the Staatstheater's large hall goes into a frenzy of excitement. With Cisne Negro you don't have to have too many thoughts about the content, you simply relax and enjoy the fulminating and fierce dance.
WIESBADENER KURIER - DR.ROLAND LANGER. GERMANY, MAY 3, 2000
From abandonment to archaic poetry
You can feel the heat of a summer evening, when the women stretch out sensually, like provocative felines. Later, when their peers are dancing, the dance turns into an erotic power play. "Bailantas" cites elements of Brazilian folklore and finds in it images of archaic poetry. The growing enthusiasm of the Wiesbaden ballet lovers has reached Brazilian temperatures...
WIESBADENER TAGBLATT - SIEGFRIED KIENZIE. WIESBADEN, GERMANY, MAY 3, 2000
...The highlight of the evening was the performance of Cisne Negro Cia. de Dança from São Paulo, a legend of South American dance that visited Germany for the first time.
BONN INDEPENDENT DAILY - GENERAL-ANZEIGER. GERMANY, JULY 1998
Fruto da Terra is the name of the first choreography that causes admiration, with its strong visual and sonic expression.
The Cisne Negro Company magically unleashes a pyrotechnic dance on stage, full of passion, with five choreographies.
Hulda Bittencourt, is the founder of the Company, which risked the experience of bringing together some ballet students and Physical Education students, which resulted in a characteristic style, impregnated with strength and precision, lightness and elegance. Working together with famous choreographers from all over the world creates tension and expectation, modernity and tradition merge in symbiosis.
...At the end the dancers entertain the audience with comic effects in the choreography Trama by Rui Moreira...thunderous applause and ovations at the end of this grand ballet evening.ALLGEMELINE ZEITUNG COESFELD, URSULA HOFFMANN, COESFELD, GERMANY, 09.05.2013
Poetic, harmonic, funny!
Cisne Negro showed strong and creative choreography.
The dancers captivated the "Oberrheinhalle" audience from the very first moment. And they even danced in the acknowledgements as if the evening had just begun, but they had already been on stage for two hours, each choreography lasting half an hour.
Through its poetic force the choreography by Itzik Galili from Tel Aviv (Fruit of the Earth) touched deeply. Successful beginning, which the audience rewarded with due applause.
MITTELBADISCHE PRESSE, ZEITUNGEN DER ORTENAU, OFFENBURG, GERMANY, APRIL 27, 2013
The sensational Cisne Negro Cia. de Dança
Leverkusen. At the end, the packed house exulted. And the particularly enthusiastic applause from the dance audience of Leverkusen's cultural scene was by no means only for the last of the four pieces this evening, the German premiere of "Calunga," an Afro-Brazilian choreography by Rui Moreira.
Fascinating was the entire performance, at the Forum Theater, by the Cisne Negro Cia. de Dança do Brasil. In ten varied movements, "Calunga" evokes a traditional action, a mixture of popular festival and religious procession to the sound of national concert music with popular themes. Although the choreography ends somewhat theatrically, with a flag carried forward and a floating blue cloth, which had previously waved like waves of water or been placed, like an over-long shawl, around the neck of a madonna figure, the dance work that seemed to flow softly and lightly and without gravity nevertheless fascinated. Calungas are wooden or wax dolls that are carried through the streets on this occasion by a few ladies of the palace. Rui Moreira took advantage of this traditional element to create particularly impressive scenes. As if she had become a wax figure, a ballerina, for a long time, kept her balance high in the air. Held only by her feet, she was carried in the hands by a dancer and then passed to other hands again and again. These were sensational moments in the performance of a group that showed its classical training, for example in the dancing on points in the opening piece "Elgar", and pushes the boundaries between dance and acrobatics.
Likewise in the choreography "Forrolins" by Dany Bittencourt, daughter of the company's founder, Hulda Bittencourt. The energetic piece lives from elements of show dance that were charmingly developed beyond this genre. The dancers descend to the floor like rubber bugs. An effect as fascinating as the great shimmering at the beginning of the piece "Beyond the Skin" by choreographer Patrick Delcroix. This one made the company tremble, as if electrified, between poles with spotlights lowered onto the stage. Sensational!
RHEINISCHE POST, MONIKA KLEIN, LEVERKUSEN, GERMANY, MAY 8, 2011
Explosive Dance of São Paulo (Tanz-Feuerwerk aus São Paulo)
Cia. fascinated with a modern, large, bewitching, and technically impressive dance theater, since it worked only partly with a folkloric tradition approach. It was a performance with four different choreographies, all united by an artistic lighting direction full of effects. Again an evening with unique and seductive images.
The contagious Brazilian "feeling alive" was conveyed by Rui Moreira's choreography "Trama". A bit of irony and grace spiced up this piece, as had already been experienced during the first performance of the evening. Itzik Galili portrayed the plight of the peasants with strong images of working the land and planting potatoes in his choreography "Fruto da Terra". Efforts that follow established principles of order. And if they are broken, potatoes roll over the ballet stage. A wonderful evening from top to bottom of the highest level of dance.
RHEIN POST, MONIKA KLEIN, LEVERKUSEN, GERMANY APRIL 24, 2009
Free from self-pity
... The group uses European modernity as an element of Brazilian history as well as more traditional dance forms. Folk dances and martial arts give the classical inspired lines a noticeable electricity. The result is an explosive combination of ancient and modern - giving an absolutely contemporary effect. The four spectacular choreographies presented in Wiesbaden - each with a different treatment - refer to the tension between a supposedly simple people's life and its true complexity. This tension breaks down over the dancers' bodies in multiple waves of movement.... "Cisne Negro" is stunning-thanks to its excellent dancers and clever choreography-a reflection of the hybrid nature of our culture..."
FRANKFURTER ALLGMEINE ZEITUNG - GERALD SIEGMUND. FRANKFURT, GERMANY, MAY 2, 2000
The joy of movement over potatoes
At the end, the audience in the Staatstheater's large hall went into a frenzy of excitement. With Cisne Negro, you don't have to ponder too long on the content or dramatic turns; you simply relax and enjoy the fulminating, fierce dance..."
WIESBADENER KURIER - DR. ROLAND LANGER. GERMANY, MAY 3, 2000
... The dancers' movements are athletic, fast and complex, and, above all, homogeneous. The ensemble is remarkably harmonious, yet moves with full force. Without ceasing, the ensemble moves with speed and dramaticity, even without music ...
NEUE WESTFÄLISCHE - BIELEFELD. GERMANY, JULY 1998
Impeccable technique can impress audiences. Perfect precision can be extraordinary. But, it is the soul that enchants us - and that happens when performers invite the audience to share their experience. Delighting the audience is exactly what Cisne Negro Dance Company achieved in their formidable performance last week. It left everyone with the feeling of having had a sincere conversation with a bubbly group of people. By leaving, we had appreciated not only their skill, but also their contribution as performers.
PRETORIA NEWS - PINTO FERREIRA. PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA, SEPTEMBER 7, 2004
Tremendous torsos with technical skill
"...tremendous torsos, combined with technical skill, or more intrinsically, a manly dance that doesn't negate classical fundamentals...It's very good and it's here and now and it's a vibrant display of youthful energy. It's not trying to convey any particular message other than to offer a memorable dance."
THE NATAL WITNESS - LYNNE GOODMAN. NATAL, SOUTH AFRICA, SEPTEMBER 15, 2000
The impeccable technique contributes with the unmatched presence of the dancers to produce rhythmic, yet fluid movements that do nothing less than nail the audience's attention to the stage.
DAILY NEWS - DEBBIE HATHWAY. DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA, AUGUST 25, 2004
Brazilian dance is more than just samba...
...Based in São Paulo, this company, which collects unusual dancers from classical and contemporary schools, forms a sophisticated and athletic group superbly prepared to present eclectic choreographies. ... Hulda Bittencourt's policy of regularly employing guest choreographers instead of a resident is wise. She exposes her dancers to different genres, challenges them intellectually and technically, and maintains audience interest. Could we do that here?
CAPE TIMES - SHEILA CHISHOLM. CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA, SEPTEMBER 7, 2000
A mixture of talent and brilliance
"...The cast, handpicked by Hulda Bittencourt, with equal numbers of girls and boys, reflects a unique Latin American blend of talent, athleticism, passion and brilliance. What they do on stage seems easy for them, because it comes from within."
SUNDAY MAGAZINE - TOMMY BALLANTYNE. DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA, SEPTEMBER 17, 2000
The dancers of the Cisne Negro Dance Company, impress with their unique quality of movement... This company's performance earned a standing ovation before the intermission.
THIS DAY - KWANELE SOSIBO. DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA, AUGUST 25, 2004
Bravo, Cisne Negro !
... All seven performances at the Nico Malan Theatre in Cape Town were sold out and it is easy to see why... Equipped with brilliant technique and unparalleled presence, the Cisne Negro dancers have what it takes to "sell" neoclassical contemporary dance - and make the audience love it !
...The "finale", Beyond the Skin, is a masterpiece...the Playhouse Drama Theatre was taken to another dimension...this is a definite must-see show !"
DAILY NEWS - DEBBIE HATHWAY. DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA, SEPTEMBER 15, 2000
A memorable evening at the Playhouse
"...What an impressive evening was offered to us last Wednesday (September 13) at the opening night of this energetic dance group from São Paulo, Brazil. ...More nights like these keep me away from my cable TV, and would give me the courage to go to the theater more often.
DAILY NEWS - MS. MARGARITA FULLER. DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA, SEPTEMBER 21, 2000
"Flock" showed interesting designs, within a style strongly influenced by a classical technique, in which the Cisne Negro dancers demonstrate rigorous training.
"Trama" pays homage to Brazil, the colorful joy that its inhabitants show. Choreographer Rui Moreira united rhythm and humor to weave a complex "plot" by the variety of its characters, supported by the excellent costumes designed by Eduardo Ferreira. The highlight was the scene in which the dancers, converted into "living dolls," are manipulated by their peers and the visually appealing entrance of the dancers walking backwards on hands and feet.
Spontaneity, energy, and virility are three characteristics that Director Hulda Bittencourt wanted to be distinctive to Cisne Negro Company, and which were demonstrated on this third visit to Buenos Aires.
LA PRENSA, PATRÍCIA CASÃNAS, BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA, MARCH 16, 2008
From Brazil, a world populated with wings and colors
With its proverbial energy, the Brazilian dance company Cisne Negro has returned to Buenos Aires with an intense program that shows its style.
Flock: Are they angels or birds? These beings that flap their wings and tilt their heads as if stretching the neck of a bird, wear a black tutu, and this reference to a classic ballet icon integrates them into the mythology of dance.
Plot: In this choreography Cisne Negro shows the mark of its origin, its discipline and the splendor of its energy, a just right balance between the academic and the popular.
...This is the third visit of this prestigious group, directed by the enthusiastic Hulda Bittencourt, which is now receiving well-deserved applause at the Presidente Alvear Theater.
LA NACION, NÉSTOR TIRRI, BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA - MARCH 16, 2008
"...The Cisne Negro Company is one of the most interesting in Brazil. In their works the traditional language of academic dance and the experiences of contemporary dance coexist peacefully, always in search of a transcendent formal and contained discourse for the dance of our days..."
DAILY EL DIA - EDUARDO GIORELLO, LA PLATA, ARGENTINA, MARCH 15, 2008
... The name that identifies a style. The Brazilian dance company, Cisne Negro, has been in activity for over twenty years, characterized by a demanding team work, which places it among the best companies in South America.
LA NACION - BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA, AUGUST 1998
... Cisne Negro directed by Hulda Bittencourt lived up to expectations. Thirteen dancers of incredible technical preparation and optimal physical condition form one of the most perfect companies in Latin America. A repertoire of great richness puts the skills of its members into play in works of distinctive character and style...
FINANCIAL ENVIRONMENT - EDUARDO VINCEN. BUENOS AIRES - ARGENTINA, JULY 1998
Cisne Negro exposes itself to the new with care
The company's investment in young Brazilian choreographers is unusual and fundamental to the development of art...The courage to expose oneself to the new, with the same care with which one cultivates the unknown.
FOLHA DE SÃO PAULO - INÊS BOGEA. SÃO PAULO, JULY 14, 2003
Cisne Negro, with beauty and innovation
...the new "Abacadá" refers to the best moments of the Company: In "Abacadá" the dancers of Cisne Negro make explicit which dance they are interested in. They are movement drawings that refer to a compilation of the best moments of what they work with, confirming, in their personal contributions, the understanding of dance as an arrangement of steps....O Cisne Negro aims to form new audiences and, for this, bets on the balance between innovation and beauty.
HELENA KATZ, NOTEBOOK 2, THE STATE OF S.PAULO, SÃO PAULO, NOVEMBER 24, 2009
About the show H.U.L.D.A - Commemorative 40th anniversary of CISNE NEGRO CIA. DE DANÇA
In celebration of its 40 years of activity, Cisne Negro Cia. de Dança turns to the figure of its founder, Hulda Bittencourt, and creates a show that reflects her taste for dance, and the admirable persistence to remain for all this time a private dance company. To create this work, the company brings together a group of remarkable artists, and with frequent personal relations with the company, directed by Jorge Takla, and choreographed by Dany Bittencourt and Rui Moreira...
What is special about this tribute is the reflection - deserved - on a dominant and determining individual in the São Paulo dance scene. And there, it makes a lot of sense that the special guests are not stage versions of Hulda, but something even greater: more than a reflection on Hulda, H.U.L.D.A. is a speech about dance, about our dance, about our history, and, above all, about the love for dance - and, for this reason, a precious proposal.
HENRIQUE ROCHELLE, FROM THE FOURTH WALL, MAY 7, 2017
Cisne Negro has never had a resident choreographer. Instead of harming the group, this condition benefited the group, which began to stand out for the versatility of its dancers, capable of dealing with the various proposals of guest choreographers..
VALOR ECONÔMICO - ANA FRANCISCA PONZIO. S.PAULO, APRIL 8, 2002
... Recognized for her talent in forming casts of irreproachable professionalism, Hulda Bittencourt repeats the feat with her current group of dancers, strong and confident, who make clear the fairness of the quality of their training and the efficient work of Dany Bittencourt's direction assistance.
THE STATE OF SÃO PAULO - HELENA KATZ. SÃO PAULO, APRIL 26, 2001
... You either dance or you don't. The "Swan" did it beautifully!
THE NEWS - SUZANA BRAGA. JOINVILLE, JULY 1997
... Cisne Negro's cast is the company's best asset!
THE STATE OF SÃO PAULO - HELENA KATZ. SÃO PAULO, MAY 1998
The best was outside the official exhibition circuit
It should also be noted that the year ended in a way that was unprecedented in the city, presenting, for the first time, four simultaneous productions of the ballet The Nutcracker. No one will be surprised if a new "tradition" is being started here, given the success achieved by this first season. The good thing will be if this "tradition" is consolidated with the two Typical São Paulo Nutcrackers, one of them is from Cisne Negro Cia. de Dança, which has existed for 26 years... It is not a question of parochialism, but of identifying in them strategic responses for dance, especially for dance that is organized far from the repertory classics. They materialize forms of autonomy, and autonomy is all that Brazilian dance needs at the moment.
HELENA KATZ, NOTEBOOK 2, O ESTADO DE S.PAULO, SÃO PAULO, DECEMBER 31, 2009
Cisne Negro Reviews 30 Years of Beauty
"... Company has developed a particular path in which it prioritizes order, symmetry, balance and classical concept of beauty."
O ESTADO DE S.PAULO, SÃO PAULO, HELENA KATZ, DECEMBER 5, 2007
... a cohesive, strong company that oozes energy... a very strong cast and balanced in its distribution of competencies.
O ESTADO DE S. PAULO - HELENA KATZ SÃO PAULO, SEPTEMBER 25, 2003
Cherché, Trouvé, Perdu plays with the lyrical dimension. He does not try to convince us by impact, but by seduction: his scenes produce fading images that seem more impressions than realities, that hint more than they show, that do not produce aesthetic satiation, but desire for more dance, more poetry, more passion.
STATE OF MINAS - MARCELLO CASTILHO AVELLAR. BELO HORIZONTE, JUNE 13, 2002
Whether wearing high-top sneakers or dancing shoes, the dancers of Cia. Cisne Negro are an asset to Brazilian dance... Cisne Negro has not only survived the difficulties of a dance company in Brazil -which would already be a feat- but has given and gives us a fundamental lesson... With its own accent, and assumed sense of urgency, this company stages, in the middle of the land of forgetfulness, the perennial passion between memory and dance history.
FOLHA DE SÃO PAULO - INÊS BOGEA. SÃO PAULO, JANUARY 28, 2002
For Cisne Negro, the choice of Rui Moreira is one of the best in recent times.
FOLHA DE SÃO PAULO - ANA FRANCISCA PONZIO. SÃO PAULO, APRIL 24, 2001
... The big star of the Company is the cast.
O ESTADO DE S.PAULO - HELENA KATZ. SÃO PAULO, JUNE 1999
... The dancers look so free on stage that you feel like dancing too!
THE NEWS - DEBORAH VILLAS-BÔAS. JOINVILLE, JULY 1997
The Nutcracker in four versions
Cia. Cisne Negro excels in dramaturgy and produces the magic you expect from this Christmas tale.
...Such weaknesses do not exist in Cisne Negro's production because it does not aim to be one among many that try to do the usual model of staging. Throughout the 26 years that it has been performing this ballet, it has been learning how to make its "Nutcracker", and today it excels in the wisdom of not trying to reproduce what cannot be reproduced by a company of its size.
The zeal with each of its many details, the dramaturgy adjusted to a choreography that brings out the best in each participant - it is all of this put together that produces the magic one expects from this Christmas tale.
HELENA KATZ, NOTEBOOK 2, THE STATE OF S.PAULO, SÃO PAULO, DECEMBER 26, 2009ß
...Cisne Negro: it is a creative and daring group that, under the general direction of Hulda Bittencourt, has broadened, in São Paulo, the perspectives of contemporary Brazilian dance, showing alternatives and a lot of creativity, especially because it maintains international relations that allow it to receive international choreographers, such as those shown here.
JORNAL DO COMÉRCIO - ANTONIO HOHLFELDT. PORTO ALEGRE, OCTOBER 19, 2003
Cisne Negro Company Dances Dreams of Dreams (Maybe Dreaming...)
...With high technical quality, the group proposes to work with dance-theater, unusual in its repertoire... The combination of various movements has a force that, from the start, propels the show... the challenge of novelty stimulates the dancers.
FOLHA DE S. PAULO - INÊS BOGEA. SÃO PAULO, SEPTEMBER 21, 2003
A quarter of a century of work makes the Cisne Negro Company an example of seriousness and dedication. Most important of all is to see the Company at full steam, not resting on its well-earned laurels, and willing to take risks for what is to come.
FOLHA DE SÃO PAULO - INÊS BOGÉA. SÃO PAULO, JUNE 10, 2002
... the São Paulo company Cisne Negro fits a role that was lacking in good national groups: the ability to interpret various choreographers, dancers with solid classical training, without it being too apparent, a middle ground....The group's work is coated with vigor. They were confident, with strong steps, determined. They deserve special attention.
GAZETA MERCANTIL - FLÁVIA FONTES. SÃO PAULO, APRIL 29, 2001
... Cisne Negro has revealed itself to be a precious source for the formation of dancers... Hulda Bittencourt, its artistic director, has an uncommon talent for transforming inexperienced dancers into competent professionals.
O ESTADO DE S.PAULO - HELENA KATZ. SÃO PAULO, APRIL 2000
... The important thing is that companies like Cisne Negro bet on Brazilian values!
FOLHA DE S.PAULO - ANA FRANCISCA PONZIO. SÃO PAULO, MARCH 1996
... The success and longevity of Cisne Negro is solidified by the technical improvement and the selection of national and international choreographers, resulting in a comprehensive and quality repertoire!
NEWSPAPER NA PONTA DOS PÉS - JOINVILLE, JULY 1997
... Seeing the Cisne Negro, the heart leaps for joy, this enjoyment of the beauty that is the most powerful tonic !
LE SOLEIL - QUEBEC. CANADA, OCTOBER 1992
The virtuous flight of the Cisne Negro
It has been a long time since a group of the importance of Cisne Negro came to Concepción. The audience that had the opportunity to enjoy this spectacle of the Brazilian company was more than satisfied. Four magnificent choreographies were presented by this excellent group. The first two (Danses Concertantes and 1,2,7), with music by Stravinsky were abstract and elegant, with an interpretation that kept the interest and surprise of the thrilled spectators. The third called Revoada surprises us with a wonderful interpretation, which fills all the spaces. The fourth choreography Trama, movements with an overflowing energy, that invites us to dance with them.
TEMPO LIBRE, ARNOLDO WEBER, CONCEPCIÓN, CHILE, JUNE 20, 2008
Dance season enchants the inhabitants of Concepción
With a combination of smooth, fine, and dynamic movements, the Company delighted the audience present at the Theater.
EL DIARIO DE CONCEPCIÓN, CAROLINA ECHAGÜE M, CONCEPCIÓN, CHILE, JUNE 20, 2008
One Hundred Percent Dancing
Beings floating on the magical cloud of the stage, bare feet that seem to touch the sky, and naked trunks that at every moment mingle on the stage, covering every space with strength, energy, youth, and delicious sensuality. A magnificent show at the Temuco Municipal Theater, and why not quote the words of a regional dancer, "a lesson in dance" brought the Brazilian representatives last night. An ecstatic audience followed the coordinated movements.
EL DIARIO AUSTRAL- ARTES Y ESPECTÁCULOS. TEMUCO, CHILE, JUNE 10, 2000
September 2013 is the month of Brazil in China. The initiative is the result of an agreement between the Brazilian and Chinese governments, and will be followed by the month of China in Brazil. On the eve of the celebrations of the 40th anniversary of our diplomatic relations, this is a special occasion to deepen the already existing ties between the two nations. Brazil and China are today important partners in the political, economic, commercial, scientific and technological fields. In the cultural area, however, much still needs to be done to bring the two countries closer together. Our reciprocal image is still shrouded in stereotypes. For this reason, the month of Brazil in China will target the most recent Brazilian artistic production. It will be an invitation to discover what we have beyond soccer and Carnaval, already known worldwide. In this catalog, the reader will find information about some of the new talents in Brazilian music, writers who have stood out, the current national film production, as well as one of our best contemporary dance companies. We bring to China a cultural sample of a dynamic and varied country. A differentiated program will be offered in each city.
VALDEMAR CARNEIRO LEÃO, AMBASSADOR OF BRAZIL
Cisne Negro is one of the most innovative contemporary dance companies in Brazil. In Beijing, they will present a show that contemplates the diversity of the national culture. Calunga shows traditions from the center and northeast of the country. Sabiá brings the music of Tom Jobim and Chico Buarque, and Trama tells the paths of Brazilian joy.
BRAZIL IN CHINA
"The dancers of Cisne Negro, the Brazilian company performing this week at the Joyce Theater, are bright and lovely, full of youth, attractive, enthusiastic and musical..." "...it is a pleasure just to watch most of them just stand: they are so open that their thighs, waists, and faces seem to welcome the audience. They move steadily, with full muscle tone; they use their columns and shoulders with energy; they hold sculptural positions with their arms to great effect; and they angle their legs in a rich texture..."
ALASTAIR MACAULAY, THE NEW YORK TIMES, NEW YORK, USA, AUGUST 16, 2011
"The dancers are refined and extremely talented. They work well together and do what they have to do impeccably."
VIRGINIA DILLON, BEARNSTOWJOURNAL.ORG, NEW YORK, USA, AUGUST 24, 2011
Highly energetic contemporary dance style, modern ballet in its most electrifying form.
FINANCIAL TIMES - HILARY OSTLERE. NEW YORK, USA, NOVEMBER 2005
Black Swan is a modern company admirably open to international influences.
THE NEW YORK TIMES - JOHN ROCKWELL. NEW YORK, USA, NOVEMBER 2005
The Cisne Negro Dance Company, which manages to be admirably disciplined and at the same time have a wild energy, brought four premieres to New York City at the Joyce Theater on Tuesday night. The unfamiliar choreography was worth discovering . And the dancers deserved, and received, warm applause.
NEW YORK TIMES - JACK ANDERSON. NEW YORK, JUNE 30, 2001
"...Calunga, by former company member Rui Moreira, explores the traditions of the African population transplanted to Brazil in an exuberant parade of characters and props..."
ROBERT JOHNSON, NJ.COM, NEW YORK, USA, AUGUST 17, 2011
"...Revoada, made with a mix of Stravinsky scores, managed to extract the energy of the music while showcasing the dancers' worked abs..."
ELIZABETH ZIMMER, METRO - NEW YORK, USA, AUGUST 17, 2011
"In the most amazing choreography, Revoada... by choreographer Gigi Caciuleanu, the company demonstrated the unique ability to mold its dancers in groups of two and three, and as soloists into a series of shapes that changed at rapid, kaleidoscopic speed. 'Michelangelo came back to life' was how dance enthusiast who was close by described the visual experience.
DWIGHT CASIMERE, DWIGHTCONNOISSEUR.BLOGSPOT.COM, NEW YORK, USA, AUGUST 18, 2011
Hulda Bittencourt's group has all the grace and daring of its namesake... These swans are among the most intelligent and hardworking artists I have ever seen in my life.
THE VILLAGE VOICE - EVA YAA ASANTEWAA. NEW YORK, FROM JULY 25 TO 31, 2001
... The dancers, under the direction of Hulda Bittencourt, presented an admirable combination of discipline and vitality... The wonderful energy of the dancers remained worthy of being appreciated...!
THE NEW YORK TIMES - JACK ANDERSON. NEW YORK, OCTOBER 1998
"...Abacadá, by Dany Bittencourt, was inspired by the joyful chamber music of Brazilian composer André Mehmari. The dance features an acrobatic male duet influenced by Brazilian martial arts."
LEIGH WITCHEL, NEW YORK POST, NEW YORK, USA, AUGUST 18, 2011
"The opening number, Revoada... is primitive, visceral and elevated at the same time. Getting into the groove of these steady, powerful dancers is a pleasure. Certainly the visual impression was glorious..." "...Abacadá...was so audacious, Andre Mehmari's music so provocative that you could barely see a pattern, rather than what was printed.... "Dany Bittencourt choreographs... creative proposals that link floor work to the sky, with interspersed falls and pas de deux. It is intriguing and delightful choreography..." "...They are exciting and beautiful dancers, with spice, and a taste of bringing the past into the future."
SUSAN HALL, BERKSHIRE FINE ARTS.COM, NEW YORK, USA, AUGUST 22, 2011
... The result is the hit of the show. An explosion of bodies in space that does justice to the chaotic construction of the score. "Keep Going" is superbly performed by dancers who combine unusual stage presence with attention to formal discipline. Take a good look at these dancers and you will find that they are admirably well trained, shining in their own way!
THE NEW YORK TIMES - ANNA KISSELGOLF (DANCE REVIEW). NEW YORK, APRIL 1988
Cisne Negro, based in São Paulo, is a determined modern company, and gives special treatment to choreography, costumes, and music.
NEWSDAY - SYLVIANE GOLD. NEW YORK, JUNE 28, 2001
Seven wonders of dance and music!
The October performance list begins with the four dances in one act by Cisne Negro Dance Company, which comes from Brazil especially to perform here on October 9 at 7:30 pm. The four contemporary works include Fruto da Terra, Revoada; Sabiá and Trama, by different choreographers.
The dancers in this Brazilian group have developed a unique style, vital, nervous, and showing technical mastery - developed from the unusual intersection of dance training and athletics.
BANGKOK POST - ENTERTAINMENT, AUGUST 27, 2010, BANGKOK, THAILAND
Even walking, Brazilians dance
Cisne Negro Cia de Dança offers a glimpse into the spirit of a nation.
THE NATION, PAWIT MAHASARINAND, SPECIAL FOR THE NATION - OCTOBER 8, 2010, BANGKOK, THAILAND
The "Cisne Negro" takes off!
In Bangkok, a genuine Brazilian production of music, dance and culture
For the first time in 12 years of the Bangkok International Music and Dance Festival, a genuinely Brazilian production of music, dance, and culture will present to the public at the Thailand Cultural Center.
The Company's performance at the Thailand Cultural Center on October 9 was supported by the Embassy of Brazil in Thailand....Showing diverse styles.....the "Black Swans" of Brazil, spread their wings and fly again...
BANGKOK POST, SEPTEMBER 15, 2010, BANGKOK, THAILAND
Birds of different species
On October 9, the audience at the Thailand Cultural Center witnessed an exciting performance by the Brazilian contemporary dance company Cisne Negro.
This private dance company has been showing its agile dance steps in crowded theaters all over the world since the 80's and the recent performance in Bangkok was the first time in the 12 years of the International Dance and Music Festival that a Brazilian dance company went to Thailand.
The Bangkok performance was an excellent combination of classical ballet movements, with international influences, executed with perfection and Brazilian enthusiasm.
REVIEW BY ELLEN BOONSTRA, BANGKOK POST, OCTOBER 28, 2010, BANGKOK, THAILAND
"...The group shows magnificent technique, with great artistic expressiveness..."
"...The choreography demonstrates muscular control to an incredible degree, with a typical unmistakably South American air..."
"...The group functions with homogeneity, moving as a compact whole..."
"...The success and longevity of Cisne Negro is based on the technical aspects and the selection of national and international choreographers that form part of its extensive and extraordinarily varied repertoire.
EL PAIS DAILY - FERNANDO MANFREDI, MONTEVIDEO, URUGUAY - APRIL 24, 2007
... The real revelation was the Brazilian group Cisne Negro, from São Paulo, more homogeneous and brilliant than ever with stupendous choreography...
EL PAIS - MONTEVIDEO, URUGUAY, JANUARY 1999
Bailantas, inspired by the daily activities of people and their relationship with the world and nature, is based on the codes of modern dance through group and individual sequences. This piece shows the interpretive quality of the Cisne Negro Company members.
PROFILE MAGAZINE - MARITZA GUELER. MONTEVIDEO - URUGUAY, JULY 1998
.... Cisne Negro directed for several years by Hulda Bittencourt, a company focused on the contemporary, with insistent visits from renowned teachers and choreographers, has formed a homogeneous group of dancers, where the grace and beauty of the female element and a remarkable technical level of the men stand out, qualities that accompany their expressiveness.
NEWS - ENRIQUE DESTAVILLE. MONTEVIDEO, URUGUAY, JULY 1998
... The members of Cisne Negro are professionals of generous technical and splendid physical resources !
EL PAÍS - E. FRIEDLER. MONTEVIDEO, URUGUAY, OCTOBER 1992