Mapa das Ideias travelled to Mérida to attend the Dancing Histor(y)ies Festival as part of this European project, which runs until the end of 2025.

The intense work of the artistic residency that preceded the shows resulted in two performances by two artistic partners: ilDance (Sweden) and 420PEOPLE (Czechia), both in settings of great heritage, seeking to awaken these historic sites to new communities, integrating their inhabitants and visitors through contemporary dance.

"One Day We Will All Become Statues" was the performance imagined by Israel Aloni in the unforgettable setting of the Portico Del Foro, where the contemporary theme of gladiators was explored. One of the inspirations for this performance was the passion and experience of Fuensanta Blanco (dancer and choreographer) for flamenco and the significant role she has played in its preservation in Spanish Extremadura. However, the big surprise of the evening was the musical accompaniment based on sounds collected during visits to the heritage sites where the Dancing Histories Festival takes place, in a musical arrangement by Didi Enez, whose mastery led us through an unusual experience that could be experienced individually in different ways from the three musical tracks chosen.

420PEOPLE took us to an ancient Greek mythical figure, "Icarus", and led us not to the sun, but to the magical world of dance on the incredible stage installed in the Temple of Diana. The dancers of this Czech company performed together with their Spanish colleagues and for 50 minutes they amazed us with the movements and acrobatics of the gods. It was undoubtedly a performance that brilliantly adapted a classical theme into a contemporary ballet, embracing cultures.

The 2024 Dancing Histori(y)es Festival is not over yet, and more surprises will arise at the festivals in other heritage sites included in this project: Tharros (Italy) and Volos (Greece).