A Power Ballad
Mariana Tengner Barros
© Vitor D
A Power Ballad is the new creation by Mariana Tengner Barros / EIRA. A piece co-created and performed by Mariana Tengner Barros and the north-american choreographer and dancer Mark Tompkins.
A POWER BALLAD is a duet for two decadent and eccentric characters dealing with the emptiness of post-fame and the issues of becoming old. The body no longer matches the “ideal”, Western Society’s canons of beauty based on the consumption of goods. Music is a key factor for the work, specially the use of song. The title also originates from a definition of a type of song associated to romantic pop/rock and heavy metal songs, that become mainstream in the early 70’s when rock stars attempted to convey profound messages to audiences. One of the main inspirations for this work is the oldest, still active, burlesque star alive: Tempest Storm, an amazing woman that defies convention and time. A Power Ballad will build itself around the dialectics of power, the dynamics of illusion and delusion, winning and loosing, ageing and survival.
Be a survivor, never stop doing what you love.
Tempest Storm
Credits
Concept Mariana Tengner Barros
Texts, Creation and Performance Mariana Tengner Barros and Mark Tompkins
Set Mariana Tengner Barros, Mark Tompkins and António MV
Costume Design, Video and Assistance António MV
Light Design and Technical Direction Nuno Patinho
Make-up Sónia Pessoa
Photography Vítor D. Rosário
Translation Assistance Elizabete Francisca
Video Bruno Canas
Music Filipe Lopes; "Mother and Unconditional Love" by Mark Tompkins and Mariana Tengner Barros, arranged by Filipe Lopes; "Lonely at the Top" by Mark Tompkins, arranged by Jonny Kadaver
Production EIRA
Coproduction Centro Cultural de Belém e EIRA
Funded by Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian
Supported by GDA Foundation, Neorelva, Nobre, Largo residências
