Ministério da Cultura
e Redecard apresentam

 13 a 23 
 de Março 
 de 2025 

13 a 23 de Março de 2025

MITbr - BRAZIL PLATFORM

I Have a Story That Seems Like Mine

ARTIST: Tetembua Dandara

120 min | Age Rating: Free (children welcome)

© Werner Strouven

March 21 & 22 (Friday & Saturday) | 7 PM

Centro Cultural São Paulo

SYNOPSIS

This work spans different generations of artist Tetembua Dandara’s family. It is brought to life through the encounter between the performer and her grandmother, Dirce Poli, with interventions from her mother, Neuza Poli, and her sister, Mafoane Odara. The installation invites the audience into a space reminiscent of a grandmother’s living room, a backyard, or even a 1990s party. Here, narratives are reconstructed through voices, flavors, and gazes, allowing the audience to move freely through the space and stories for as long as they wish. The piece originates from the artist’s photo book of the same name, which features blank (and black) spaces, creating a dialogue between images and minimal words.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Tetembua Dandara is a performer, photographer, and cultural producer. She holds a degree in Performing Arts from Unicamp and a specialization in Contemporary Cultural Management from Instituto Singularidades and Itaú Cultural. Working in theater and dance, she is committed to horizontal production formats and is actively involved in artistic collectives such as ciadasatrizes, Cia LCT, Pérfida Iguana, and Grupo do Trecho. Alongside Dirce Poli, Neuza Poli, and Mafoane Odara, she created both the photo book and performance I Have a Story That Looks Like Mine. Her collaborations with UltraVioleta_s, Leandro Souza, and Bruta Flor Filmes seek to challenge systems and bring alternative imaginaries to life.

CRITICAL RECEPTION

“Tetembua’s dramaturgy operates in a highly sophisticated way. Rather than through textual discourse or technical aspects of creation, the performance maneuvers its themes and imagery by tuning the audience into a particular state of presence—a willingness to listen to the voices around them, much like the feeling of being among people we admire and love. Crafting this intricate web is no small task.” Daniele Avila Small

“The performance stands out for its ability to expose the act of theater-making with insight and delicacy, drawing us back into the family and the political statements it carries—between the continuity and rupture of narratives, their affiliations, and their gaps.” Carolina Wos, em Deus Ateu

CREDITS

Concept & Performance: Tetembua Dandara

Performance: Dirce Poli, Neuza Poli & Mafoane Odara

Visual Concept: Daniela Alves, Matias Ivan Arce & Renan Marcondes

Photography: Tetembua Dandara & Mariana Chama

Video: Bruna Lessa & Cacá Bernardes | Bruta Flor Filmes

Lighting: Gabriele Souza

Set & Stage Technician: Matias Ivan Arce

Sound Technician: Cauê Gouveia

Production & Stage Management: Mariana Dias & Tati Mayumi

Production Director: Tetembua Dandara

WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA