CIA ÁGUA NO DESERTO
Since the 1990s, the founders of CIA Água no Deserto have been following a path where time dissolves into the here and now.
For us, the only real time is this: the moment of conscious improvisation, governed by the laws of listening, rhythm, play and full presence.
Our language
With three decades of experience in the field, we have developed our own grammar. We do not distinguish between the past and the future, nor between the traditional and the contemporary; we merge them.
We use the street as a stage and the mask as a mirror, combining sound with the freedom of those who make art their livelihood and their form of resistance.
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Disconnecting from Machines: In a world saturated by the virtual and manipulation, we propose a pause.
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Animal Consciousness: Returning to the essence. Being just another animal, but an awake and conscious animal.
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The Art of Adaptation: We are all the audience. We do not impose creation; we adapt to the pulse of squares, crosswalks, schools, and communities.
Our purpose
We believe that art cannot be commissioned — it is born. We create in the moment, using all the tools necessary to humanise the space, be it a hospital, a remote village or a large festival.
Through theatre, clowning, buffoonery, circus and, of course, music — that ‘queen’ that touches us without needing to be seen — we navigate between the surreal and the real.
In an invitation to alert and light-hearted reflection, we choose to touch, feel, cultivate and pause. Through simplicity, we reach the end that justifies all our movement: human connection and the transformation of the space around us.
‘It is enough to exist to be complete.’ — Fernando Pessoa
Pedro Charneca
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
TÂNIA LOPES
MUSICAL DIRECTOR
ARTISTIC TEAM
PEDRO CHARNECA
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
TÂNIA LOPES
MUSICAL DIRECTOR
Born in Beja, Portugal, in 1976. From an early age, he was involved in staged readings, radio and theatre. He enrolled in the performing arts and crafts course (Chapitô, 1998), where he studied various artistic disciplines, including dance, music, theatre, circus techniques, acrobatics and human motricity. Some of his most influential teachers were Rysnard Kot Kotesch, Antonio Pires, Nuno Carinhas, Avila da Costa, Carlos Zingaro, Antonio Tavares, Sofia Neuparth, Peter Michael Dietz, Joao Martins, Antonio Benedites, Bernardo, Jon Beedell, Greeg Moore, among others. He trained as a clown with Jon Mowat, Daniel Rovai, Lila Monti, Laura Hertz, Pepa Diaz Meco, Peter Shubs, Jango Edwards, Jef Johnson, Sergio Claramount, Jan Raga, Eric de bont, Ami Habatt, Esther Harlan, among others. He was a student at the mask school at Casa da Comédia in Lisbon, directed by Felipe Crawford. He is a founding member of: “Gazua Street Theatre Company” 1999 ‘Intemporais’ static theatre 2003 ‘Remédios do riso’ Association of Clown Doctors (Hospitals of Faro, Évora, Setubal and Cuf Descobertas) 2006 ‘Companhia Água no Deserto’ Theatre-Circus Music 2020 He participated in Maria de Medeiros' film ‘Capitães de Abril’ (Captains of April). He has acted in short films. He has worked as an actor on several occasions with the English company Desperate Men, in the shows (CSI clown investigation and Factor E). He has presented his solo shows at various festivals in Portugal (mainland and islands), Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria and France. Theatre/clown trainer and director. For the last 25 years, he has worked in the performing arts, having performed in shows, staged productions, given lectures and provided training. For the last 15 years, he has worked at the Remédios do Riso Association as a hospital clown, manager, fundraiser, teacher and instructor (in hospital and artistic matters).
Born in Lisbon in 1982, she began her musical career at the age of 14 in the field of traditional Portuguese percussion, playing with the Toca Rufar Orchestra. In 1999, she began her training as an instrumentalist, studying with: Afro-Mandingo percussion: Gueladjo Sané (Guinea-Bissau), Roderick Jackson (USA), Conny Kadia (TamTam Mandingue-Germany) Afro-Brazilian percussion: Éden Moreira (Cortejo Afro) in the Pirajá and Pelourinho neighbourhoods of Salvador da Baia (Brazil); Afro-Cuban percussion: with teacher and percussionist André Gonzalo in Havana, where he deepened his skill on the bongos (2006) and Osvaldo Pegudo (2004-2012). He participated in artistic residencies with the group Coetus (Barcelona) in Iberian Percussion - Menorca (Spain) - 2016. Intensive training in Musical Improvisation with Santiago Vazquez (Argentina) - 2022 - 2024 His academic musical training also included the Academia de Amadores de Música, which he completed at the Escola Villas Boas – Hot Club de Portugal with the 4th year of the Full-time Course in Afro-Cuban Percussion (maracas, guiro, bells, bongos, timbales, congas and batá) with Professor Osvaldo Pegudo and the 2nd year in Jazz Drums with Professors Pedro Viana and Bruno Pedroso. In 1998, she began her musical work in parallel in the field of education as a teacher of traditional percussion in social/community projects, providing training in solo percussion orchestra and accompaniment for bagpipes. She has worked with organisations such as Tocá Rufar (2012-2017), Associação TradBalls (2010-2012), Associação Gaita de Foles de Lisboa (2012-2014), Xuventude da Galicia (2016-2017), CIRAC (2017-2019), Casa Pia de Lisboa (2006-2025), SKOOLA (2026) and Núcleo de Pais em Rede (2026). She developed his professional experience in various fields, notably: Plays: Menino ao Colo (2002), Viriato (2004); Television: The Voice band (2012) on RTP1 and on ‘Sábado à Luta’ (2013) on SIC. Special appearances with: Amélia Muge, Né ladeiras, Sara Tavares, Gaiteiros de Lisboa, Afonso Pais, Adufeiras de Monsanto, Ronda dos 4 Caminhos, Luar na Lubre, Sétima Legião, Rodrigo Leão, Jorge Fernando, Lura, Pedro Moutinho, Simone de Oliveira, Amor Electro, Janita Salomé, Rita Redshoes, Filipa Cardoso, among others Projects: Toca Rufar (1998), Dumdumba (2001), Gaitafolia (2002), Dazkarieh (2002), Tucanas (2006), Transatlantistas with Afonso Pais (2009), Luiz e a Lata (2009), Farra Fanfarra (2009), Homens da Luta (2014), Celina da Piedade (2014), Jorge Fernando (2015), TRABUCOS (2019), Pedro Mestre (2025)