The Fundação de Cultura e Arte Aperipê (Funcap) has officially opened the registration period for two of Sergipe's most anticipated folk dance events: the Concursos de Quadrilhas do Arraiá do Gonzagão and the Arranca Unha. These competitions form a central part of the state's official June festival programming, celebrating the rich tradition of quadrilha dancing.
Interested groups must submit their entries exclusively through the Novo Mapa Cultural de Sergipe platform. The registration window is tight, with the deadline set for May 10. This centralized system aims to streamline the process for all participating quadrilhas.
The schedule for the competitions is now confirmed. The Concurso de Quadrilhas do Gonzagão is slated to run from June 8 through June 14. Following that, the Concurso de Quadrilhas do Arranca Unha will take place from June 22 to June 28. All performances for both events will be hosted at the Centro de Criatividade.
Performance times are structured to accommodate different days of the week. From Monday to Friday, presentations will begin at 8:00 PM. Saturday shows are scheduled for 6:00 PM, while Sunday performances will start at 5:00 PM. This schedule is designed to maximize audience attendance throughout the festival period.
The competition has specific eligibility criteria. Only adult quadrilhas with members aged 12 and older may participate, with minors requiring parental authorization. Each group must have a minimum formation of 32 dancers, organized into at least eight pairs on each side of the formation. Groups that perform with fewer than the required number of dancers will face a penalty of five points deducted from their total score.
Each contest will select a total of 28 quadrilhas to compete. Selection will be based on a set of criteria including the number of pairs, the theme of the presentation, the group's history and portfolio, the list of participants, locality, responsible party details, and necessary documentation for receiving payments. Additionally, groups must submit a release detailing their quadrilha's theme, which is an indispensable item for validating the registration on the Mapa Cultural.
Financial incentives are substantial. All quadrilhas that qualify for the competitions will receive an assistance fund of R$ 14,000, split as R$ 7,000 for each contest, conditional upon their performance. The final prize money will be awarded to the top eight scoring groups. The prizes range from R$ 8,000 for eighth place up to R$ 37,000 for the champion. Second place will receive R$ 27,000, and third place will take home R$ 22,000.
The competition culminates in a grand showdown. The winning quadrilha from the Centro de Criatividade contest and the champion from the Gonzagão contest will face off in a duel for the title of "Quadrilha Junina do País do Forró." This final match is scheduled to take place at the Barracão da Vila do Forró, located in the Praça de Eventos da Orla de Atalaia. The ultimate victor of this duel will receive an additional prize of R$ 50,000.
Based on reporting from g1.