We arrived for the first day of spring in Campinas, Brazil for the Bienal SESC de Dança. This year, the first day of spring is equivalent to the hottest day of the summer in the northeast USA. 94 degrees in the shade!
Having experienced the Bienal two years ago in Santos, it was an easier adjustment and more comfortable process to appreciate the flow of the Bienal – the schedule, the SESC environment, and the language. Familiar faces made us feel even more at ease. Connecting with the SESC dance and international staff to discuss ways to develop international opportunities for dance artists has been made much easier by the continued relationships developed over the last several years at various international meetings (ISPA, Tanzmesse, and our own American Dance Recon).
There are many SESCs in Brazil. Each state has several. One might consider them like community centers, but the facilities offer much more, including galleries, cafeterias, sports, theatre spaces, and cultural activities for individuals and families. The Bienal SESC de Dança is curated by SESC staff every other year, runs for two weeks, and presents Brazilian and international dance artists and companies in spaces all over the city in which it is held. We have already seen work by Christian Rizzo (France), Christian Duarte (Brazil), Wagner Schwartz (Brazil/France), and Willy Dorner (Austria), in spaces as varied as an auditorium, a theatre, an abandoned train station, and through the streets of Campinas.
Observers watch a site specific work as part of the Bienal.
American Dance Abroad 
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