The Grupo Dançando com a Diferença (Dancing with the Difference group) has born from an initiative called Projecto Dançando com a Diferença (Dancing with the Difference Project), developed from September - 2001 to June – 2007 by the DREER – Direcção Regional de Educação Especial e Reabilitação (Regional Direction of Special Education and Rehabilitation). Since then, this initiative, by Henrique Amoedo responsibility, develops it across the “Associação dos Amigos da Arte Inclusiva – Dançando com a Diferença” (Inclusive Art Friends Association – Dancing with the Difference).

    The innovation and boldness, between others, are characteristics from Contemporaneous Art and consequently they are present in this work. Not in a fortuity and inconsequent way, but with a posture that we only can contribute for the change of handicap people social image, if we know to ally and present them to the public, in a way that we can confront them with this reality.

    Those some characteristics were able to open the doors so that different collaboration protocols were established between us and others institutions. We  distinguish  the residence protocol in the “Centro das Artes Casa das Mudas” (Mute House Arts Centre) established with the “Sociedade de Desenvolvimento Ponta do Oeste” (Development Society west Point, and the creation  of small dancing groups for older population, in a protocol established with the “Câmara Municipal do Funchal” (Funchal City Hall).

    This ample project with educational, artistic actions, and therapeutic support, works with seventy nine persons between children, young people, adults and old peoplet, and we pretend to continue growing up and extend our participation and competitively in the “dance market”, because we work with dancers it is that dance “with the body” and no “despite the body”.

Henrique Amoedo