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GROUP PONTO DE PARTIDA

“I belong to the world. I am Minas Gerais.”

Perhaps by bringing its origin gene as a cultural movement implanted in its structure, committed to mobilization and citizenship projects, linked to the various culture areas. Perhaps by vocation or training, the fact is that the Ponto de Partida [Starting Point] grew creating bonds, forming partnerships, establishing alliances.

At the very beginning, when we decided that in addition to a cultural movement, we would also start a theater group, we made a decision that made us determined - we would not move from Barbacena, but would not be bound to the city limits. We would not be emigrants, but travelers and hosts.

A shortcut was established in the opposite direction of Brazilian’s cultural production, which long before, had already set its address and shop windows. We would require three basic conditions to modify this fact: originality, hard work and competence.

There were no paths. We had to open up trails, trace an inaugural route, investigate a language, experiment and systematize processes, devise methods of creation and production. We felt honored to have done it, and to have managed to create a theater with a fresh spring feeling.

We are proud to have traveled throughout Brazil and around the world, bringing great Brazilian  - and Minas Gerais’ - authors to the stage: from Guimarães Rosa to Carlos Drummond de Andrade, from Bartolomeu Campos Queirós to Adélia Prado. Have enacted the work of key musicians, to have journeyed into the backlands and cities in search of the spirit of our people: to have written, sung and told their stories.

In all these years we have strived to weave a plot with the intangible thread that connects the seed to the fruit, grandchildren to great-great-grandparents. We have yanked out roots to build the architecture of the flights. We embrace our atavistic inheritance to be ready to challenge undiscovered paths. We have visited the attic of our memory to celebrate new births.

All work done by Ponto de Partida brings the signature of this Minas Gerais which brought you the style and fuel for the vastness of general amplitudes.

Today after 32 years, Ponto de Partida is known as a reference. Definitely reinstated to its origins as a cultural movement, is is currently responsible for training 268 people in their various projects like Núcleo de Teatro, Bituca - Universidade de Música Popular [Popular Music University] - and Coro dos Meninos de Araçuaí [Araçuaí Children Choir].

However, the overwhelming amount of work this all entails did not steal the passion, humility to respect the mysteries, the patience to wait for dreams to mature, the courage to explore the country, the joy for the great battles, the pleasure of making up stories, the habit of bending the course of things, and the certainty that when you mix dream and work, even miracles become possible.

As you can see, COPASA and Ponto de Partida have joined in this partnership because they share values, strive for the highest mountains, the fresher springs, pursuing excellence and hold human beings and life as its central focus point in its endeavors.

Regina Bertola

Ponto de Partida Director