Holland Festival: Marlene Monteiro Freitas - Ôss

About Ôss

Ôss means 'bone' in Creole. The word is also reminiscent of the expression 'oss' known among karate practitioners, which refers to concepts such as pressing, pushing and supporting. In this performance for nine performers, including six dancers, Freitas explores the hard and soft aspects of the body, from the skeleton and intestines to the skin.

About Marlene Monteiro Freitas

The work of the Cape Verdean Marlene Monteiro Freitas is a cross between the grotesque and the magical. In her work, she combines different traditions and influences: contemporary dance, hip-hop, classical music, samba, circus, film and pop culture. For this performance, in collaboration with Dançando com a Diferença from Madeira, she shows how it is precisely in people's unique characteristics that their greatest strengths are hidden. The charismatic performers embody Dançando com a Diferença's motto: "Dance with our bodies, not in spite of our bodies."

Marlene Monteiro Freitas: 'In this performance, we are interested in the bone as the keeper of old secrets. It brings to light anatomical directions and gives structure to soft and vulnerable parts. We build a strong skeleton, where the foot serves as a brain, the heart as the elbow and the knees as a liver and an ear. This is, of course, possible for us since the difference between hard and soft matters little.'