Most of the videos aggregated by PédeXumbo were realized in the initiative “A Dança Portuguesa a Gostar dela Própria“, directed by Tiago Pereira with PédeXumbo production. This videographic collection aims to study, record and promote the different forms of traditional Portuguese dances, with ranchos and other groups of dancers, protagonists in the persistence of traditional choreographic practices, but also traditional dances from other places, urban and contemporary, currently danced in the country. Additionally, few videos from the recent PédeXumbo’s project “De Volta aos Bailes Mandados em Portugal” were also made available to Europeana. This project had the aim of promoting the tradition of dancers and “mandadores” (callers) of different call dances in three regions of Portugal, in order to rescue this informal practice and to value the role of callers and the importance of training new callers in different communities.
These videos aim to preserve and relive traditional dance and music, merging them with contemporary elements, making them appealing and accessible to a wide range of audiences. In addition, the collection seeks to stimulate reflection on the role that dance has as a tool for valuing traditional knowledge. Making this content available in Europeana is important for promoting and disseminating globally intangible heritage such as traditional music and dance, also making musical and choreographed practices known in depth, and allowing the discovery of its actors, its spaces, its reasons.