In 2011, returning to Porto, Cristina initiates desNORTE meetings together with Pedro Rosa, Elisabeth Lambeck, Susana Otero, Andreas Dyrdal and Vitor Hugo Pontes. This initial nucleus becomes flexible from 2012 on, engaging several other artists from the city. desNORTE, would meet nomadically around the city’s dance spaces once a month, and each meeting would be co-organized by 2 local artists. Neither a group, neither a collective, the initiative, hard to define by not defining itself, soon became a very important mo(ve)ment in the city, attracting attentions from media and cultural institutions due to its “artists only” character. Artists alone, no producers, no funding, no selection, able to reflect freely on the state of the arts in the city of Porto.

During this period, several other initiatives came to life upon ignition of desNORTE, such as the contemporary classes at Lugar Instável (that continue until today) and Mostra desNORTE that took place annually from 2013 to 2016 at Mosteiro São Bento da Vitória, with the vital support of Teatro Nacional São João under direction of Nuno Carinhas.

desNORTE had a profound impact in the city, stirring a scene that has always been there, resisting and developing with its natural cycles.

In 2017 desNORTE had a last meeting at Mosteiro São Bento da Vitória /TNSJ in the shape of a residency with the theme Porto - what future? The present members decided to move on to other ventures, in other shapes - the funeral was held on the 14th July 2017.