Sharing aesthetic, conceptual, and programmatic affinities, choreographer and dancer Sílvia Real and musician Sérgio Pelágio worked together for the first time in Sob by Vera Mantero (1993). As co-creators, they presented Natasha (1995), Pour Bien (1995) and Road Movie (1996). After the founding of Produções Real Pelágio, their collaboration proceeded with Casio Tone (1997), Assim Vai o Mundo (1998), O Eco do Eco (1999), Handy #23 (2001), Solo para Dois Intérpretes #1 e #2 (2002), Subtone (2003) and Tritone (2007).

 

In 2007, at Culturgest (Lisbon), they celebrated at the 10th anniversary of the character that became their trademark – Ms. Domicília. In 2013, they presented Domicília Magic Show, a revisitation of Ms. Domicília’s imagery, appearing for the first time in an open-air performance (at the Serralves em Festa festival). In April 2015, they premiered Pessoa Invisível as part of the program "Café Orpheu”, which celebrated the 100th anniversary of Orpheu magazine (at Casa Fernando Pessoa).

 

One of the main goals of Produções Real Pelágio since its founding has been the touring of the shows by Sílvia Real and Sérgio Pelágio, who have always sought to reach the various regions of Portugal, assuming cultural decentralization as a strategy for democratising the access to art fruition and for fostering new audiences for the arts. In addition to national touring, they have presented their shows in several countries in Europe, Latin America, and Asia.

 

Alongside their joint creative journey, Sílvia Real and Sérgio Pelágio have also developed artistic work autonomously, and participated as co-creators and performers in other artists' projects.

 

Since 2009, Sérgio Pelágio has been dedicated to the project Histórias Magnéticas, aimed at children and young people, which draws on three work coordinates: artistic education, critical thinking, and art forms intersection. On this project’s 10th anniversary, a compilation entitled Histórias Magnéticas was released in CD format (BOCA – Palavras que Alimentam, 2018).

 

As composer of soundtracks for contemporary dance shows, Sérgio Pelágio worked with choreographers Paulo Ribeiro, Paula Massano, João Galante, Teresa Prima, Vera Mantero and Francisco Camacho. The collaborations with the latter two resulted in the release of Bandas Sonoras para Peças de Francisco Camacho e Vera Mantero 1993-97 (Miso Records, 2002).

 

Sérgio Pelágio plays regularly with bassist Mário Franco, having released Our Door, featuring Mário Franco Trio (2014, TOAP/OJM), and Rush, featuring Mário Franco Quintet (Nischo Records, 2017). In 2021, Sérgio presented his new solo work in concert for the first time (Festival Verão Azul, Lagos).

 

Since the end of the 1990s, the central aim of Produções Real Pelágio’s activities has been the development of critical discourses through the arts, involving children, young people, and adults – a key principle of Sérgio’s work which has materialised in the conduction of workshops for children, stimulating young people’s artistic sensitivity in combination with an approach to human rights.

 

In this context, since 2011, Sílvia Real has been working with children at the school A Voz do Operário, located in the Graça neighborhood, in Lisbon. In 2013, in close partnership with A Voz do Operário and EIRA, the foundations of the Art Training Centre (CFA in Portuguese) were laid at Teatro da Voz (formerly known as Teatro da Graça). Since then, Sílvia Real has taken on the pedagogical/artistic coordination of this ongoing training project for children, which covers several education levels at Escola A Voz do Operário, and has extended to two other schools in Lisbon, Escola Básica do Castelo and Escola Básica de Santa Clara.

 

In 2013, the collective Grupo 23: silêncio! was formed, which is composed of children and young people, and supported by arts professionals, with artistic direction by Sílvia Real. Over the course of five years of intense activity, the collective presented three shows: E Se Tudo Fosse Amarelo? (Culturgest, 2015), Agora, with artistic direction by Bruno Cochat (São Luiz – Teatro Municipal, 2017), and A Laura Quer! (Teatro Nacional D. Maria II, 2019). This experience resulted in the release of the book/DVD entitled Isto É Uma Cocriação! – Antimanual de Criação Artística na Infância (BOCA – Palavras que Alimentam, 2015).

 

In 2019, Sílvia Real, as co-creator and performer, and Sérgio Pelágio, as musical composer and live performer, met on stage in VelhⒶs, a choreographic piece by Francisco Camacho. In 2022, the association Real Pelágio celebrated 25 years of work.

 

Produções Real Pelágio is a member of REDE – Associação de Estruturas para a Dança Contemporânea, having been in charge of its direction in 2021-22.

 

Produções Real Pelágio is an association financed by the Portuguese Ministry of Culture – Directorate-General for the Arts, and supported by the Lisbon City Council and A Voz do Operário.