Lampadinha Curriculum
“The Penafiel City Hall awards Lampadinha Academia de Dança, Lda the Golden Merit Medal, for the valuable cultural contribution to the County.”
Since its foundation, Lampadinhahas gone through various transformations always seeking to grow, expand, modernize and is always concerned about adapting to social and educational changes.
Creation and Foundation: Lampadinha Study Rooms and Activities – 1st of September of 1984 – Foundation.
From 1985 to 1986, in each School Year, Lampadinha promoted exhibitions of its Painting Atelier; Space Decoration (Inauguration of the Palácio da Justiça of Penafiel).
Inicially, Lampadinha Study Rooms and Activities worked with children and youngsters during their free time. Organised and promoted School Plays (Ballet and Music); has taken part in Penafiel Secondary School’s Cultural Weeks, since 1988; in the inauguration of Penafiel’s Sports/Gym Pavillion with Penafiel City Hall (1991); Felgueiras Preparatory School, on D. Manuel de Faria e Sousa’s 4th Centennial in Felgueiras (1992).
After that, the institution’s directors turned their educational objectives to the field of arts, with the Creation and Inauguration (1st of July of 1992), of Lampadinha Academia, with its headquarters being in downtown Penafiel.
In 1995 (16th of December), the LampDance Dance Group was created, which had, and still has rewarding talent and the pupils’ evolution as an objective and Maria de Fátima Valle de Veiga was the first choreographer and her first presentation was at ACIP.
Initially, Lampadinha dedicated itself to School Support and After-School Activities. Later, this plan gave way to a broader one: Tutoring, Dance School, Music, English Pre-Institute and Institute. The Dance School associated itself with the Royal Academy of Dance, from London, (RAD) and started to have English Programmes, teachers and examiners and a RAD Certification. The Music School dedicated itself to the teaching of Piano, Electronic Organ, through the Technics Music Academy Programme and Courses, from Osaka, Japan. The Pre-Institute was aimed at children from the age of 6 and had as a support the “English Today” English Language Initiation Programme, from the University of Cambridge. The English Institute, was articulated with Oporto’s British Council, with Programmes and Exams by the University of Cambridge.
Promoted and organised Conferences and Speeches:“A Música como Expressão Humana” (Professor Mário Anacleto, of the Oporto Music Conservatorium); “Os Segredos do Teclado” (Maestro Pereira Pinto); “A Importância da Dança no Desenvolvimento da Criança”, “A Dança”, “Estórias da História da Dança”, given by Dr. Ruben Marks (2006); “A Expansão da Língua Inglesa” (Professor Tom Bill); with Oporto’s British Council, organized English Teacher Training Courses; promoted a WorkShop, for the musical “Mamma Mia”. Took part in the Festival Regional de Música (Technics Music Academy Portugal), at the University of Minho Auditorium, in Braga (1996); Festival Nacional da Technics Music Academy, in Oporto (1997).
In March of 1997, Lampadinha Academia inaugurate its own space, on Rua Alíbio Miranda, Edifício Pedro, in Penafiel.
Throughout the years it has promoted, organised and taken part in artistic events in the many artistic spaces of Penafiel: Commercial and Industrial Association Auditorium (ACIP); Assembly Hall of Penafiel; Noble Hall of Penafiel City Hall; Padre Américo Public Garden; S. Martinho Cine Theatre; Municipal Assembly Hall Auditorium; Penafiel Secondary School Auditorium; Vale do Sousa Hospital Centre; Fernanda Ribeiro Sports/Gym Pavilion; Municipal Library; Fair and Expo Pavilion; Penafiel City Park.
Lampadinha has performed on multiple stages throughout Portugal: Carlos Alberto National Auditorium, Campo Alegre Theatre, Helena Sá e Costa Theatre; Rivoli Theatre, Studio 400, in Oporto; Olival Cultural Centre Auditorium, Municipal Auditorium, in Vila Nova de Gaia; Eduardo Brazão Cine Theatre, in Valadares; Lethes Theatre, Figuras Theatre, University of Algarve Auditorium, in Faro; Sá de Miranda Municipal Theatre, in Viana do Castelo; Vila Nova de Cerveira Municipal Auditorium; Vila Flor de Guimarães Cultural Centre; Europarque in Santa Maria da Feira; Gondomar Municipal Auditorium; Lousada Municipal Auditorium; Eurico de Melo Auditorium, in Santo Tirso; Auditorium of Casa das Artes in Felgueiras, amongst many others.
In Spain, Congreso Mar Auditorium Palace of Vigo, Caixa Auditorium of Vigo, Garcia Borbón, in Vigo; Villagarcia de Arosa Municipal Auditorium.
Among many events, we highlight “Snow White and Seven Dwarves”; “Alice in Wonderland”; “Pinocchio” Childrens Play (1995); Dance, Music and Puppet Show Theatre (Homage to Beatrix Potter), in Oporto (1997) and, by an invitation from the Ordem Terceira da Igreja do Calvário, we took part in “Cristo Total” (1997).
Our Repertoire consists of Ballets of our own Productions: “Snow White and the Seven Dwarves; “Cinderella”; “As Camponesas”; “Coppélia”. Variations on Classic Ballet: “The Firebird”, “Swan Lake”, “La Bayadère”, “The Nutcracker”, “Dom Quixote”, “Paquita”, “La Esmeralda”, “Sleeping Beauty”, “Dying Swan”, “Le Corsaire”.
Original Shows, with Self-Production and Direction, we highlight: “O Tempo da Dança, na Dança dos Tempos”, “Maria e as Pontas Mágicas” (7th of March of 2009), in Commemoration of its 25th Anniversary, Lampadinha’s “Silver Jubilee”, in the Vila Flor Cultural Centre, in Guimarães; “Aurora” (Oporto, 2013); “Minha Doce Mary” (Oporto, 2014); “Lampadinha Vs Littlehelper” (Felgueiras, 2016).
Performed Adaptations of the Musicals: “Fame”, “Chicago”, “Cats”, “The Lion King”, “Mamma Mia”, “Grease” (2011), “Mary Poppins”, “The Sound of Music”, amongst many more. Adaptation of the Movie “Step Up” (Hip Hop: 2007).
Produced and directed “Cultural Soirées”, since the beginning of its activity, until 2011; “Expressões 1 (2008); 2 (2009); 3 (2010)” (Dramatic and Musical); Work Exhibitions: Creative Dancing, Dramatic and Musical Expression, Piano, Singing and Musicals; Concerts; Theatre: Adaptation of the Shakespearian Play “King Lear”.
Through protocol with Penafiel City Hall (2007 to 2009), Lampadinha organised, promoted and directed the LampDanceFestival 1 (2007); 2 (2008); 3 (2009), in Penafiel’s City Park, where many dance schools and groups from Portugal and Spain took part in.
Took part in the International Dance Course, “Summer School”, in the National Dance Conservatorium, in Lisbon, organised by the Royal Academy of Dance, in London (RAD, 1996), a course taught by English teachers, among them Lynn Wallis, the current Artistic Director of RAD.
Promoted and organised the Dance Workshops: Contemporary, Jazz, Hip Hop and Ballroom Dancing (2011); Contemporary, Jazz, Hip Hop and Oriental Dance (2012), for a French Rhythmic Gymnastics Club “Les Club Paquerettes”, at Lampadinha.
With the show “O Tempo da Dança, na Dança dos Tempos” (December of 2006), a new era dawned on Lampadinha.
In 2007, took part in receiving the Bishop of Oporto, by invitation of the parish priest of the Mother Church; by invitation of the MCDance Troup Company, in the “Arte e Dança” event; “Maio Abirl” (Abragão); in the Ballet “Emilia Chá de Tília” (Vila Nova de Gaia); in “Alice in Wonderland” with the original Ballet “Dança das Flores” (Oporto, 2009); in the Release of the Anthology, “Amantes das Leituras 2010” (2010); in the Fashion Show : “Penafiel está na Moda”; in the Ballets: “À Volta do Mundo” and “O Mar e os Sonhos”, both in Vila Nova de Gaia.
Lampadinha collaborated (2007 and 2008) with the “Filipe La Féria” Company, in Oporto’s Rivoli Theatre, with our pupils: Anita Trigueira and Catarina Leão (Briguita), Fátima Moreira (Louise), in the Cast of the Musicals: “The Sound of Music”; “Fiddler on the Roof”, Catarina Leão (Shprintve) and “Annie” (Julie). Collaborated and took part in Musical “Peter Pan”, directed in the (Teatro) d’Avenida Theatre, in Vila Nova de Gaia, a “Famous Produções” Production, with the pupils: Marlon Costa (Michael, Wendy’s brother) and Duarte Fernandes (Indian Chief), in 2007. Musicals where the pupils acted alongside excellent and famous actors and actresses and professionals of our country. In the opera, Duarte Fernandes (at the age of only 17), was a part of “Amor de Perdição”, in the Vila Flor Cultural Centre, in Guimarães.
Lampadinha pupils have attended and taken part in many courses orientated by national and international teachers, in various institutions: Dance Conservatorium of Lisbon, with Denise Winmill, among others from RAD; Dance Internships and Summer Dance Courses, promoted by the Oporto Dance Centre and by Braga Dance School, with Gillian Anthony, of RAD; a course, as part of the XVIII International Dance Internship of Lisbon, promoted by Ginásio Clube Português (2005), orientated by international teachers: Gelu Barbu, Richard Harvey, Cláudia Cenci, Lesli Wiesner, Miguel Montanez, David Azama, a few disciples of the famous Belanchine and Alexander Punskin; Workshops, promoted by the Colégio Nossa Senhora da Bonança in Vila Nova de Gaia; Training Event “A Companhia Nacional de Dança”, given by Dance Master Maria Palmerim, of the National Dance Company of Lisbon, organised by Lampadinha; Attendance, for a week of “Dance Classes”, in London, in the Pineapple and Dance Work Schools, with Ballet, Contemporary, Jazz and Hip Hop Classes; for two days, recording, in the London School of Sound Studio, oriented by the Producer João Freitas Couto and the Soprano Ana Barros.
Throughout the years, Lampadinha, through its LampDance Dance Group, has taken part in many national and international Dance Festivals and Contests, claiming many awards (1st, 2nd and 3rd); among them: Best Female Dancer, Best Group; Best Choreography; Best Choreographer; Best Costumes; Most Fun Choreography; Most Creative Choreography, among others.
Lampadinha annually promotes Open Classes so that the families can accompany the development and evolution of their children.
In 1998, Lampadinha Academia de Dança added its own innovative Programme to its Training Programme: Baby Ballet, for children aged 3 to 5, which years later became Creative Dance (2 ½ - 4 y/o) and Pre Ballet (4 – 5 y/o).
In 2003, Lampadinha created a new Study Plan with its own methodology allied to the Classic training of RAD. It was intended that the technical base would be supported by theoretic and scientific. The Vocational pupils started having History of Dance, Music, Repertoire, Technique and Performance, Ballet, Point Work, Floor Barre, Modern, Jazz and Rhythmic Gymnastics.
Today, Lampadinha Academia de Dança e Artes do Palco (2015), is structured in Dance, Music, Singing, Theatre and Musical Classes, as well as the various Stage Arts: Sound Laboratory with its own Studio – LampStudio; Costumes and Scenography with its Ateliers, Show Characterisation and Production.
Lampadinha Academia is tiered into Pedagogical and Artistic Director, Ana Freitas Couto; Financial Director, António Couto; Marketing and Human Resources Management, with José Pedro Freitas do Couto; Secretariat, Fernanda Lourenço; Teacher Staff in the many artistic specialities and assistants (for the children’s support).
Currently, Lampadinha Academia develops its own Programmes and Methods, where many teaching methodologies are mixed, so that any pupil will be prepared: to evolve as a student, regardless of the line of work they choose; for artistic career prospects; for enrolling in Higher Education (Escola Superior de Dança, Universidade de Motricidade Humana, in Lisbon and ISMAE, Instituto Superior de Música e Artes do Espetáculo, in Oporto) and Auditions in or outside of Portugal. Lampadinha already has many former students, Dance Teachers, Dancers and Dance Company Choreographers, Scene Directors, Music Production, in the national and international plans.
For more than 30 years, Lampadinha has counted on the work of good collaborators that immensely contributed toward its success.
Lampadinha has made news in many newspapers and magazines: Jornal de Notícias, Comércio do Porto, O Penafidelense, Primeiro de Janeiro and other local newspapers; on TV we highlight, the RTPN Programme “Trocado por Miúdos”, on the Occupation of Free Time with the Practice Sports in which the opening of the Program was compiled by footage of the actual Lampadinha’s interview (2004); Porto Canal with Dance Choreography presentations (2014).
Today, Lampadinha is an Artistic and Educational Vocational Academy, where a child enters at the age of 2 ½ and starts being prepared to excel in both learning branches: academic and artistic.
May we underline that all of Lampadinha’s participations and collaborations, throughout the years, have been graceful and had the higher purpose of divulging the Stage Arts and raise Public Awareness.
Lampadinha Academia de Dança has scientifically fundamented and evaluated Documental Assets and a small Library.
On the 3rd of March of 2009, Lampadinha Academia and its Director received, in Penafiel City Hall’s Noble Hall, the “Golden Merit Medal, for the valuable cultural contribution to the County” of Penafiel, a tribute given by His Excellency, Mayor of Penafiel, Dr. Alberto Santos.
LampDance Dance Group Curriculum
LampDance Dance Group Curriculum
In 1995, Lampadinha created the Dance Group LampDancewhich had Maria de Fátima Valle da Veiga as its first choreographer.
The LampDance Dance Group collaborated, presented and participated in: the Cultural Activities of “Jornadas Internacionais em Educação do Vale do Sousa”, in Felgueiras, by invitation of the Superior Institute of Educational Science (1998); in the Lousada’s Municipal Auditorium, the Adaptation of the Ballet “Cinderella” (2003), in Three Acts; Excerpts of “Cinderella”: by invitation of the Educational Institutions: the Olival’s Cultural Centre, in Vila Nova de Gaia; Marco de Canaveses’ Fire Department Auditorium, for students of the Escola Básica 2/3 of Marco de Canaveses, on World Music Day; the Paredes’ “Casa da Cultura”, by invitation of the Paredes’ City Hall Social Service; in articulation with the Margarida Valle Dance Studio, in Oporto, in Estúdio 400 (2004); Vila Nova de Cerveira Dance Show, by invititation of Vila Nova de Cerveira’s City Hall (2004); in articulation with Gaia’s Dance Academy, in Vila Nova de Gaia’s Municipal Auditorium (2005); in articulation with the Colégio da Bonança de Gaia, “Convite à Dança”, in Vila Nova de Gaia’s Municipal Auditorium; in Paços de Ferreira’s City Hall, in the Dance Event, inserted in Vale do Sousa’s II Arts Festival, with the Ballet “Markitenka”, followed by various Variations: Solo Classics, in the Professor Vieira Dinis Municipal Library Auditorium, of Paços de Ferreira; Vale do Sousa’s Moto Club, in Penafiel, at the 8th Winter Concentration in the City of Penafiel, in the Exhibition Park of Penafiel; in articulation with Penafiel’s City Hall, in the Padre Américo Garden, inserted in the Municipal Calendar “Sentir Penafiel”, the open air Show “O Tempo da Dança, na Dança dos Tempos” (2006), in the “Noite Branca I, II, III, IV” organised by ADISCREP (since 2002), Evento Largo Volta/Larguito, in the streets of Penafiel (2015), “Serão 2015”, in the Lampadinha, among many others.
The LampDance Dance Group has participated in various Dance Contests and Festivals: Vila Nova de Cerveira’s International Dance Festival – “Dancerveira”, organised by Vila Nova de Cerveira’s City Hall and Associação do Eixo do Atlântico; The Algarve International Dance Contest – “Dançarte”, promoted pela Associação BCC – Beliaev Cultural Centre, Faro; Viana’s International Dance Contest, promoted by the “Casa das Artes” in Viana do Castelo, now called Norte Festival de Dança Viana, organised by Margarida Martins; LampDanceFestival 1; 2; 3, promoted and organised by Lampadinha, in the Penafiel City Park, with help of Penafiel’s City Hall; Oporto’s International Ballet Week, in the António Almeida Foundation and in Santa Maria da Feira’s Europarque.In Spain, in International Dance Contest “Dance in Vigo”, in the Congreso Mar Auditorium Palace in the Vigo, Caixa Auditorium in the Vigo, Garcia Borbón Theatre, in Vigo and in “Stars Dance Galicia”, in the Villagarcia de Arosa Municipal Auditorium.
International Dance Contest Participation: Individual and Collective 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th prize: “Best Female Dancer” (won twice), “Best Group” (won twice), “Best Choreography”, “Outstanding Choreography”, “Most Fun Choreography”, “Most Creative Choreography”, “Best Costumes”, “Best Choreography”, among others.
1st and 2nd Participation Prizes in The Algarve’s 1st International Dance Competition, “Dançarte” (2004), in Faro’s Lethes Theatre, 1st Place awarded to Inês Sousa and 2nd Place to Marta Matos. In Viana do Castelo’s International Dance Competition, in the Sá de Miranda Theatre, 1st Place awarded to Marta Matos and 3rd Place to Inês Sousa; In Viana (2005), The Award for Best Female Dancer given to Marta Matos, with Solo “Dom Quixote”; In 2006, Hip Hop 2nd Place (LampDance), the 2nd Place in Classical Dance was awarded to Adriana de Freitas, with Solo “Paquita” and the 2nd Place in Classical Dance, with “Bonecas” to Francisca Meireles e Maria Freire. Also in 2006, in the International Dance Contest “Dançarte”, in the University of Faro’s Auditorium, in Faro, Maria João Moura was awarded the 5th place in Classical Dance and Contemporary; In the International Dance contest of Viana do Castelo, in the Sá de Miranda Theatre, in 2007, LampDance took home the “Best Group Award”, 1st Prize in Jazz, with “Cats”, 1st Prize in Contemporary, with “Expressões do Mundo”, 2nd Prize in Hip Hop, with “Fusion Style”, won the 1st Prize in Character, with “Dança Húngara”; In 2008, won the 2nd Prize in Classical won by Bárbara Mendes, with Solo “Coppélia”, 1st Prize in Jazz with “Pinochio”, 2nd Prize in Modern, with “Rock” and 3rd Prize in Hip Hop; In 2009, LampKids won the 1st Prize in Character, with “Flauta Mágica”, 1st Prize in Jazz, with “Motoqueiros” and LampDance took home the 1st Prize in Hip Hop with “Step in Time”, the 1st Prize in Jazz with “Afro” and the 2nd Prize in Contemporary, with “Sopro”; In 2010, 1st Prize in Jazz with “Tango”, 1st Prize in Character with “Gopac – Dança Ucrâniana”, 1st Prize with “Árabe Dance – The Nutcracker” in Classical Ballet, awarded to Bárbara Mendes and 2nd Prize in Contemporary, with “Eco”, the LampKids with “I Will Survive” won the 2nd Prize in Jazz;In 2011, LampDance received the Best Group Awardwith“Moldávia”(Character), In the Oporto Ballet Contest, which took place in the Fundação António Almeida and Europarque in Santa Maria da Feira: the “Moldávia” choreography also won the “Best Choreography Award”, in the 1st Pianeses Meeting, which took place in Lousada’s Sports/Gym; In 2012, “Moldávia” was awarded 1st Prize in Character, in the Viana/Porto International Dance Contest, as well as 2ndPrize in character, with “Pintainhos” awarded to LampKids; In Spain, in the International Dance Contest in Vigo, “Dance in Vigo” won the “Choreography Merit Award”, with “Burlesque”, Jazz Choreography (2012); The LampDance obtained the Character 1st Prize with “Laços Latinos” and “Party” was awarded 1st Prize twice in Jazz and “Most Entertaining Choreography”, 1st Prize in Fusion with “Vibrações do Oriente” and “Best Ballerina Prize” awarded to Maria Freire (2014); In 2015, in the Galicia International Dance Contest, “Stars Dance Galicia” received various Prizes in “Most Creative Choreography”, with “Miscelânea” “Best Choreographers”, “Best Costumes”.
In 2007, LampDance collaborated with the book and most famous Portuguese Musical Theatre Company, in the Rivoli Theatre, in Oporto: The “Filipe La Féria Company”, in the opening of their musical “The Sound of Music”, in the Outdoor and Indoor Entertainment of the Rivoli Theatre and, in 2008, in their 500th Show Celebration of the same Musical at the Reception of the Guests and VIP’s.
Today, the LampDance Dance Group is guided by various specialists, in the diverse dance styles and aims to always evolve in and innovative and artistic perspective.