CPBC

What CPBC does

CPBC (Companhia Portuguesa de Bailado Contemporâneo) is a private contemporary dance company founded in 1998 in Lisbon, Portugal, by choreographer Vasco Wellenkamp and Graça Barroso. The company operates as a repertoire-based dance organisation, building, maintaining, and touring a body of choreographic works created by Wellenkamp, guest international choreographers, and company dancers. Its core offering consists of live contemporary dance performances presented across Portugal at partner venues such as CineTeatro Garrett in Póvoa Varzim and Centro Cultural do Cartaxo, with historical international touring spanning Europe (Netherlands 21-city tour) and South America.

The company's business model blends transactional revenue from ticket sales and event programming with institutional sponsorship. Allianz Portugal serves as Principal Partner, complemented by institutional support from Câmara Municipal de Lisboa, Fundação Millennium BCP, and RH Mais. Distribution is direct through venue partnerships and touring, while marketing relies on standard digital channels (website, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, email newsletter, calendar exports). The company has no proprietary technology, no app, and no disclosed AI capabilities; its principal assets are its artistic repertoire, the brand identity associated with Wellenkamp's aesthetic line, and its physical infrastructure.

Beyond its core performances, CPBC operates two ancillary programmes. Armazém da Dança (launched 2020) provides rehearsal and presentation space (Black Box, Foyer, Studio) to independent artists and small performing arts structures that lack their own facilities, functioning as a community anchor within the Portuguese dance ecosystem. The CASA programme, under the Rota dos Pequenos Palcos initiative, presents works from multiple choreographers in smaller venues to broaden audience reach. The company is led by Artistic Director Susana Lima (since December 2024), with Founder Wellenkamp, Rehearsal Director Cláudia Sampaio, Technical Director Ricardo Campos, and Executive Producer Armando Guilherme on the management team. Customer segments are primarily the general public attending performances, cultural venues hosting CPBC productions, and independent artists accessing Armazém da Dança.

Name

CPBC

Legal name

Companhia Portuguesa de Bailado Contemporâneo

Website

https://cpbcontemporaneo.pt

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CPBC is a Lisbon-based private contemporary dance company founded in 1998 that creates, maintains, and tours a choreographic repertoire across Portuguese and international venues. It serves general arts audiences, cultural venues, and independent artists through performances, the Armazém da Dança community space, and the CASA programme.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts

NAICS

Dance Companies (711120), Performing Arts Companies (7111)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHSACAHAD

Dancers, Choreographers & Dance Troupes Booking

Home & Personal Services/Event & Personal Concierge Services/Entertainment Booking & Talent Management

Keywords

• Contemporary dance
• Performing arts
• Ballet company
• Live performance
• Dance repertoire

Headquarters

HQ city

Lisbon

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Performance and event revenue: Revenue is generated from ticket sales for live performances, shows, and events presented by the company at venues across Portugal.
2. Institutional funding and sponsorship: The company receives financial support from its Principal Partner (Allianz), as well as support from the Câmara Municipal de Lisboa, Fundação Millennium BCP, and RH Mais. These partnerships and public/private sponsorships constitute a significant portion of the company's operational funding.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Companhia Portuguesa de Bailado Contemporâneo (CPBC) is a repertoire-based contemporary dance company that creates, produces, and presents live contemporary ballet performances nationally and internationally. The company maintains a vast choreographic repertoire built since 1998 by founder Vasco Wellenkamp and guest choreographers, and presents this repertoire through scheduled shows at theatres and cultural venues across Portugal and abroad. In addition to its mainstage performances, CPBC runs the Armazém da Dança project, providing rehearsal space and presentation opportunities to independent artists and small performing arts structures.

Product overview

Companhia Portuguesa de Bailado Contemporâneo (CPBC) operates as a contemporary ballet company with a repertoire-based model. The core offering consists of live dance performances and productions in their portfolio, complemented by Armazém da Dança (a space-sharing initiative for artists) and the CASA program under the Rota dos Pequenos Palcos initiative. The company presents works both domestically and internationally, maintaining a diverse aesthetic line with choreography from founder Vasco Wellenkamp and guest artists.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Armazém da Dança: A project that welcomes artists from various performing arts disciplines, sharing rehearsal space and providing conditions for their research and creations. Also hosts informal public presentations of projects that fit the logistical and technical possibilities of the space.

Products and services

• CPBC Performances The core offering of the company featuring contemporary ballet performances and repertoire pieces created by Vasco Wellenkamp and other international choreographers, presented in Portugal and on international tours for general arts audiences.
• CASA A multi-piece performance program featuring works from six choreographers (César Fernandes & André Mesquita, Miguel Santos, Beatriz Mira & Tiago Barreiros, and Vânia Doutel Vaz), presented under the Rota dos Pequenos Palcos initiative to bring dance to new audiences and venues.
• Armazém da Dança A community project that provides rehearsal space (Black Box, Foyer, and Studio spaces) to performing arts artists and small companies lacking their own creation or presentation spaces, with optional informal public presentations of projects in residency.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Armazém da Dança – Artists and StructuresminorOthersThe Armazém da Dança project is a community initiative by CPBC that provides rehearsal space and presentation opportunities to performing arts artists and structures that lack their own space. Artists submit proposals via [email protected].

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Cullberg Ballet: Swedish contemporary dance company under Riksteatern with a strong repertoire and guest-choreographer model. Direct comparable to CPBC in artistic line and touring repertoire approach.
• Rambert: UK-based contemporary dance company with a broad repertoire, active touring, and significant institutional partnerships. Comparable to CPBC in repertoire scale and European touring footprint.
• Batsheva Dance Company: Israeli repertoire-based contemporary dance company with a strong founder-driven artistic identity (Ohad Naharin) and substantial international touring. Closely comparable model to CPBC's repertoire/founder approach.
• Companhia Nacional de Bailado: Portugal's national ballet company, based in Lisbon. Direct comparator as a Portuguese classical-and-contemporary repertoire dance company with national institutional backing and touring activity.
• Ballet Contemporâneo do Teatro San Martín: Argentine contemporary ballet company housed in a public theater, presenting repertoire works. Comparable as a publicly supported contemporary dance company with a repertoire and touring orientation.
• Nederlands Dans Theater: Dutch contemporary dance company built around a deep repertoire of commissioned works and international touring. Comparable to CPBC as a repertoire-led, internationally touring contemporary dance ensemble.
• Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch: German dance theater company with a vast founder-defined repertoire that continues to tour internationally after its founder's passing. Closely mirrors CPBC's founder-identity and repertoire-leverage model.
• Hubbard Street Dance Chicago: US contemporary dance company built on commissioned works from international choreographers and active touring. Comparable as a repertoire-led company featuring diverse guest-choreographer programming.
• Quorum Ballet: Contemporary ballet company founded in Portugal with an active touring circuit across Europe and an established repertoire. Direct comparable in scale, geography, and repertoire-based contemporary dance positioning.

Broad incumbents

• English National Ballet: Established UK ballet company with classical and contemporary programming, broader scale and larger venue infrastructure than CPBC. Broad incumbent reference point for institutional and touring comparison.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/cpbcpt
• Facebookfacebook.com/CPBContemporaneo
• Instagraminstagram.com/cpbcontemporaneo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/companhia-portuguesa-de-bailado-contempor%C3%A2neo

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CPBC