The project "Between Mnemosyne and Terpsichore – Heritage Sites and Contemporary Dance for the promotion of critical thinking among pupils" encourages two Historic Palaces (in Portugal and Poland) to reconsider the narratives of their permanent exhibition with the aim of developing an open space for discussion and reflection with local communities, here represented by two local schools. However, the efforts endeavoured by heritage sites to change their narratives can only produce social transformation if supported by interpreters and mediators. Therefore, this projects includes a Contemporary Dance association and a private company with expertise in pedagogical digital tools that will aid pupils to develop their own opinions and reflections about the heritage. Dance, as a form of expression of emotions and individual interpretations, can act as a powerful means of heritage interpretation. This is where the Greek goodess of memory, Mnemosyne, meet the muse of dance, Terpsichore. This project will produce one main Intellectual Output, which is to create the structure of two new guides to visit the National Palace of Sintra and the Wilanow Palace Museum. This structure will be the result of the joint effort of all partner organisations and it will be used to create a general guide book to the palaces, a set of workshops with local schools aiming at developing individual interpretations about heritage through contemporary dance, and a digital app to allow users to develop their own interpretations during their visit to the heritage sites. Thanks to this main Intellectual Output, it will be possible to create an open space for discussion and social engagement within the facilities of palace museums, allowing pupils to develop critical thinking competences to express their own interpretations in solid and creative ways. In short, this project focuses on creating a space for developing critical thinking skills thanks to the formation of a chain of strategic partnerships linking two historic palaces (Portugal and Poland), two local schools (Sintra and Warsow), one contemporary dance association, and a digital content company that will allow this project to continue into the future thanks to the creation of deliverables that can continue to be used by pupils well beyond the project's conclusion.
This project had three main objectives: • To enhance the role of heritage sites, namely historical palaces, as spaces for critical thinking; • To enhance the participation of local communities in hitherto mass tourism sites; • To enhance the role of contemporary dance as a powerful means of heritage interpretation.
European historical palaces are among the most visited heritage sites in Europe, acting as important means for the reinforcement of national or cultural identities. However, the institutional discourse often misses the inclusion of multiple voices, making of the heritage site a temple of erudite knowledge in which communication only occurs in a top-down direction. The need to consider the role of local communities in hitherto mass tourism sites has long been identified, but the pandemics have reinforced their relevance for the sustainability of heritage sites. This project encourages two Historic Palaces (in Portugal and Poland) to reconsider its narratives with the aim of developing a common ground for discussion and reflection with local communities, here represented by two local schools, through the mediation of contemporary dance and augmented reality. In particularly, dance, as a form of expression of emotions and individual interpretations, can act as a powerful means of heritage interpretation. This is where the Greek goddess of memory, Mnemosyne, meets the muse of dance, Terpsichore.