Two performers weave dance with storytelling to call on the women who came before them.
Mothers, Grandmothers and unnamed ancestors whose histories stretch across oceans from Africa to Europe.
Lives marked by colonial displacement, erasure, tenderness and resilience.
Sticks, cloths, phone lines & sea shells whisper questions, asking:
What does it mean to belong, and not belong, in the places you call home?
Raised in Portugal and classically trained from childhood, the daughters were shaped by strict postures, tight
ballet shoes and quiet control. Now they return to class to unravel the colonial legacies that live on in their bodies and minds. The dance masters of their youth are met by the rhythms of family parties, in a scintillating fusion of classical form and Afro Portuguese culture.
The work is a multilingual conversation held in Portuguese, English, movement, music and song. Standing in the
shoes of their elders, these diasporans dance with the tensions of longing and inherited silences. They move with care, mischief and openness, calling for the ancestors to tell them who they are and how they belong.
Previous participants' Feedback
‘It was like meeting my ancestors and starting to discuss with them intergenerational traumas and inherited patterns of behaviour, starting to figure out who I am, what I am made of, what importance does my heritage have in how I position myself in the world, society, community.’ Ana
‘I think this has been really revolutionary for me and my own journey of acceptance, self love and connection to my heritage. I think this is a fantastic opportunity for anyone with a similar background.’ Anahi
‘These workshops and this specific group of women helped me immensely to join the dots between my experiences and those of my ancestors, an incredibly valuable connection, which I don’t think I would have found as easily without this.’ Ellie
‘The workshop has benefited my well-being yes, it was great to connect with others and have a shared language of colonialism and the impact that has had on community and individuals. Fae
‘It made me realise that my creative process is connected to my healing and that I should see them as intertwined, that my experience in this lifetime is influenced greatly by what my ancestors went through.’ Lerato
This project is currently being developed through the Turn Prize award (2024), a development commission supported by Company Chameleon, Dance Consortia NW, hÅb + Project Auske; and a Metal Liverpool Artist Residency to develop this project.
We’re Here Because They Were is the practical component of my Practice as Research doctorate thesis, at Liverpool Hope University through a scholarship dedicated to decolonial studies and performance.
Created & performed: Fabiola Santana
Devised & performed: Jessica Morgado
Director: Will Dickie
Previous commissions
A Divergency micro-commission - hÅb
DIY 2020 | Live Art Development Agency | Supported by the Museum of London