Stuff You Gotta Watch: Brave Dance
In the late 1970s, the doors opened wide in Portugal, a country that had been closed to external influences for over 40 years. Cultural life underwent a sudden and radical change. And while some took the opportunity to copy the latest trends arriving from the US and the rest of Europe, others focused on transforming what Portuguese music could sound like.
This was the case for Heróis do Mar. Landing in 1981 with a resounding boom, their theatrical approach, combined with profound sonic innovations and unprecedented professionalism, was first met with suspicion. The as-yet politically-undefined society, deeply traumatized by decades of dictatorship, initially mistook their quest for finding a voice as right-wing sympathy—something they would vehemently deny for years on end, disgusted at being associated with such ideals.
Nonetheless, their contagious take on post punk and new wave quickly turned them into the hottest act around, both in their home country and abroad—a considerable feat if we remember how hermetic and anglocentric pop music was back then. French magazine Actuel, for example, dedicated a full centerfold spread to the band, eventually flying them to Paris for further interviews and filming, where they also did a residency at Rex Club and opened for Roxy Music. British magazine The Face would go as far as naming them the Best European Band of 1982.
Available for the first time since its theatrical premiere 15 years ago, Brave Dance tells the fascinating story of Heróis do Mar against a backdrop of pivotal sociopolitical changes in Portugal. From their punk beginnings as Faíscas until their eventual disbandment in the late '80s, the documentary details their career through the members’ own testimonies and anecdotes, featuring numerous interviews with friends, as well as previously unreleased footage from several media appearances.
Review by Ana Leorne. Check out the full archive of the Stuff You Gotta Watch column.