Dende Collective |
AboutDende Collective – the company and its membersDende Collective was created in 1999 and is a growing culturally diverse collective of artists: directors, writers, translators, actors, designers and technicians. Based in London, all our work to date has had a strong Brazilian flavour to it. Brazilian culture is hybrid and proud of cannibalising other cultures and art forms. Following the same tradition, in Dende Collective different elements, languages, cultures and styles are combined and live together to create experimental but accessible theatre. In 2003, we became an associate theatre company of the Oval House Theatre and our work featured in the Arts Council Decibel booklet ‘Promoting Diversity’. In 2004, we performed THE PIRANHA LOUNGE at Lyric Hammersmith where we started a fruitful relationship, which led to being part of the MIX, a decisive step in our development as a company and in the development of this piece. That same year we collaborated in projects like the War Stories Festival at the Oh! Art Theatre with a staged reading of the Spanish play GUERNIKA. As well as the one-night cabaret CHRISTMAS EVE AT THE PIRANHA HOTEL, in partnership with Oval House. In 2005 we toured ONEFOURSEVEN with the support of an Arts Council Grant, Lyric Hammersmith and Oval House, across the UK. In 2006 we performed DONA FLOR AND HER TWO HUSBANDS at the Lyric theMix season with the support of an Arts Council Grant, the Brazilian Embassy, Varig, Parasol and BCA. It also marked our first project with Contact Theatre in Manchester with their young people company CYAC (CLUB PIRANHA). 2007 has been a very intense year for the company seeing us back the Lyric Hammersmith with two different projects, AGRESTE/DRYLANDS by Brazilian writer Newton Moreno and LUNA CLUB with the Lyric Young Company, based on short stories by Chilean writer Isabel Allende. Also during this year we have collaborated with different artist from different media in the investigation and development of what will be our next piece, MACUNAIMA, mixing elements of puppetry and digital animation.
Core Company Members André Pink – Joint Artistic DirectorHas been working as a professional director in Brazil since 1984 and his work was prized in Brazilian festivals. He relocated to London as a recipient of a Brazilian grant that allowed him to train with Phillipe Gaulier amongst others. In 2001 a Japanese grant allowed him to study Noh and Kyogen in Tokyo. He has been teaching drama at Queen Mary and Westfield College, the Method Studio, School of Science of Acting, Saint Martin’s School of Design, Mountview Academy of Dramatic Arts and courses to young people all over the UK and Brazil. He is also a mask-maker and a mask teacher. As a founder member of Dende Collective he has directed all its plays to date. Montserrat Gili – Joint Artistic DirectorTrained as an actress in Spain and at Ecole Philippe Gaulier in London; worked professionally in Spain, Japan and UK. Theatre Credits include Angel High, Foolhardy, The Suspicious Truth, Girls With Guns, Shakespeare for Breakfast, The Tin Soldier, Dona Rosita the Spinster, The Conference of the Birds and Mother Tongue. With Dende Collective she was assistant director in Two Lost Souls on a Dirty Night and Viva Maria! and appeared in The Piranha Lounge, OneFourSeven, Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands and Agreste/Drylands. She has co-directed with Andre Pink The Luna Club for the Lyric Young Company and Club Piranha with CYAC Manchester. She has collaborated with Contact Theatre, directing the work of young writers and with the Creative Learning department of the Lyric Hammersmith on different projects including with Young People at risk. Other members and CollaboratorsMark O’Thomas – Associate writer Is a British playwright and translator. His first play was commissioned and produced by Soho Theatre Company and opened its new home in Dean Street, W1. This was followed by Salvador at the Man in the Moon, which was Critics' Choice in Time Out, Viva Maria!, The Piranha Lounge with Dende Collective, Down Dog, Edinburgh Festival 2003, Almost Nothing Royal Court and OneFourSeven, national tour. He is currently script advisor to the Royal Court International Department and is engaged in research into the joint processes of adaptation, translation and devised performance. Emmy Alim – Producer, Project Assistant Bob Karper – Actor and Solo Performer
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Dende Collective is supported by: Copyright ©2005 Dende Collective |
