Incognitus
About
Helder Seabra
Helder Seabra (b. 1982, V.N. Gaia) began dancing in 2000, studying at Ginasiano (Portugal) and P.A.R.T.S. (Belgium). Early projects included work with Pedro Carvalho, Ronit Ziv, and Javier de Frutos (Companhia Instável). In 2004, he joined Ultima Vez / Wim Vandekeybus, performing in Les Porteuses de Mauvaises Nouvelles, PUUR, Spiegel, MENSKE, and the dance film "Here After" . He assisted Vandekeybus on BlackBiist for Götteborg Danskompani in 2008 and co-created Fica Aqui with Cláudio Stellato.
Seabra has collaborated on various projects, including Macla, a video dance with Inês Cerqueira and Joaquim Carvalho, and movement classes for the Basketball Oporto team. He created In.Tent, IMAGO for Companhia Instável, performed in Mindscaping, and assisted Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui in Dunas. He co-created and performed Rendez-Vous with Victor Hugo Pontes in 2010.
From 2010, Seabra was with Eastman / Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, as performer, choreographic assistant, rehearsal director, and tutor. His performances included BABEL, TeZukA, Anna Karenina, and Puz/zle, among others. He assisted on projects like IT3.0, Automaton for Pilobolus Dance Theater, Siegfried, Götterdammerung, Milonga, and Noetic for Göteborgs Danskompani. In 2013, he assisted Damien Jalet in Les Meduses at the Louvre.
Parallel to these collaborations, Seabra developed his own work, creating pieces such as Compass, Caress, Unfolded, No Man’s Land, FootPrint, ConTinuum, Poisoned Arrow, Coup de Foudre, Six of One, Untrodden Grounds, It Takes a Long Time to Become Young, Tabula Rasa, In Silence We Trust, Concealed Thread, Passer By, NEXUS, Omnia Mutantur, Nihil Interit, VORTEX, Tempora Mutantur, LudumVitae, and Spektrum of Being. He also choreographed for the film Trouw Met Mij by Kadir Balci, the short film One Last Dance with Jonathan Pryce, and teaches his "InnerCore" workshop internationally.
In 2013, Seabra founded Incognitus, allowing him to further explore the potential of body and mind through collaboration. Notable productions include When The Birds Fly Low The Wind Will Blow (2014), In Absentia (2015), LORE (2016), and UrBach (2017), a project mixing urban and contemporary dance with live organ and electronic music. He also acted and assisted in De Passant for Laika company.
In 2018, he coached the solo Missing for TV actor Adams Mensah, choreographed RÖNTGEN for Dance Company of the Staatstheater Kassel, and created HIATUS for Unusual Symptoms and Theater Bremen. In 2019, Seabra co-created and performed The Well in the Lake with Julio Cesar Iglesias Ungo, choreographed Dawn for Kale at DDD Festival in Porto, and "3" for MAD Company in St Petersburg, with ballet dancers from major Russian companies. His works are celebrated and continue to be performed internationally.
In the realm of creation, Helder's journey continues to unfold. Since 2019, he has crafted immersive experiences like Lowlands, a stirring piece for Companhia Instável, and Human Instruction Manual, a captivating exploration with fABULEUS. Under the banner of his own company, Incognitus, he has delved into the depths of human existence with Spektrum of Being, a mesmerizing odyssey through the essence of life itself. As the tapestry of his artistic expression expands, each creation becomes a beacon illuminating new dimensions of the human experience.
Incognitus
After years of studying and collaborating with leading figures in the international contemporary dance theater scene (P.A.R.T.S. / Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker, Ultima Vez / Wim Vandekeybus, Eastman / Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and Damien Jalet), Helder founded Incognitus in 2013. This initiative channels his extensive experience to explore the full potential of body and mind and investigate diverse forms of dialogue through collaboration. He has since established artistic partnerships across various art fields and developed a distinct artistic signature characterized by a palpable and recognizable visual, atmospheric, physical, and theatrical language.
Helder's dynamic style combines high physicality, an experimental dance theater aesthetic, and original live music. Incognitus allows Helder to continuously develop his creative process and maintain unique collaborations with other artists. It reflects Helder's ever-changing and evolving work, serving as the platform through which he creates, performs, and teaches internationally.
Through ongoing reflection on human complexity and the gestures and movements from personal to collective experiences, Helder creates evocative, questioning, inspiring, and emotive theatrical images. His work embodies a blend of artistry and human honesty, delivering touching exquisiteness and emotional depth.