Paula Rego The Dance 1988 The Four Elements as part of our life… During the 1980s Rego created paintings inspired by her early life in Portugal. While the scene here could represent a memory of folk festivals or 'festas', it also has a more profound symbolic meaning. The dance can be read as a dance of life, representing the stages from a girl's childhood to old age. The rhythmic movement of the figures contrasts with the stillness of the setting, suggesting the balance between perpetual change and the essential continuity of existence. Rego's painting has an eerie, dream-like quality typical of her work, which often refers to childhood fears and fantasy… August 2004 http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/rego-the-dance-t05534 Arts Teacher responsible: José Sinde 2 3