The São Paulo School of Dance ( Portuguese: ''Escola de Dança de São Paulo'' - EDASP), also known as the São Paulo Municipal Theater Dance School (''Escola de Dança do Theatro Municipal de São Paulo'' - EDTMSP) or the Municipal Ballet School (''Escola Municipal de Bailado''), is located in the Brazilian

city of São Paulo A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...

. It is linked to the training center of the São Paulo Municipal Theater Foundation. Currently run by Cristiana de Souza, the school is based in

Praça das Artes Praça das Artes is a Brazilian cultural complex located in the city of São Paulo that promotes performances and exhibitions related to music, dance, theater and visual arts. Inaugurated in 2012, it functions as an extension of the activities of ...

and caters to around 800 students. It is one of the most traditional dance schools in Brazil and has trained generations of artists.

History

The São Paulo School of Dance was inaugurated on May 2, 1940, under the administration of Mayor

Francisco Prestes Maia Francisco Prestes Maia () (19 March 1896 – 26 April 1965) was a Brazilian architect, civil engineer, urban planner, and professor, who served three terms as mayor of the city of São Paulo. Biography Francisco Prestes Maia was born to Manuel Az ...

, as the Experimental School of Classical Dance (''Escola Experimental de Dança Clássica''). The aim was to establish an amateur corps de ballet focused on romantic classical ballet in order to meet the choreographic demands of the national and foreign operatic productions at the São Paulo Municipal Theater. In the first month, the group premiered the opera ''

Aida ''Aida'' (or ''Aïda'', ) is a tragic opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni. Set in the Old Kingdom of Egypt, it was commissioned by Cairo's Khedivial Opera House and had its première there on 24 De ...

''. It operated in one of the rooms at the Municipal Theater. In 1943, the school was transferred to the lower level of the Viaduto do Chá due to the need for more space to accommodate the growing number of students. Initially, it offered a course in Classical Dance for Children and Young People. In 1952, Musical Initiation and Dance History were added. In 1957, Decree No. 3,431 regulated the 8-year training course. In the 1970s, it became known as the Municipal Ballet School (''Escola Municipal de Bailado'') and included Modern Dance as a language of expression. At the beginning of the 1980s, a new teaching program focusing on dance awareness, both physically and intellectually, was created. Decree No. 21.988 of 1986 established the Municipal Youth Dance Corps, which provided a unique artistic development opportunity for the school's students. Decree No. 30.593 of 1991 introduced the subjects of Music, Art History, Modern Technique and Improvisation into the curriculum. In 1987,

Jânio Quadros Jânio da Silva Quadros (; 25 January 1917 – 16 February 1992) was a Brazilian lawyer and politician who served as the 22nd president of Brazil from 31 January to 25 August 1961, when he resigned from office. He also served as the 24th a ...

, then mayor of the city of São Paulo, abolished the course and banned homosexuals from entering the school. After criticizing the measure, Klauss Vianna, a dancer and former director of the school, was attacked in front of his house. In 2011, it was renamed São Paulo School of Dance (''Escola de Dança de São Paulo'') after the creation of the São Paulo Municipal Theater Foundation. Since 2014 it has been based in the Praça das Artes building.

References

Dance schools 1940 establishments in Brazil São Paulo (city) Schools in São Paulo Central Zone of São Paulo {{Portal bar, Brazil, Arts

History

See also

References