ABOUT

Originally from Cork City, Luke is a performer and choreographer based between Cork, New York and Brussels.

Luke has danced with Ultima Vez since 2014 touring internationally in productions of In Spite of Wishing and Wanting, Booty Looting and Spiritual Unity and Punchdrunk since 2009, performing leading roles in the original casts of Sleep No More in Shanghai (‘16-‘17), New York City (’11-‘15) as well as productions of The Drowned Man in London and Sleep No More in Boston. In addition he has danced in the companies of Martha Clarke, Kate Weare, Pavel Zustiak and in projects with John Kelly, John Scott, Jonah Bokaer, Erik Hawkins Dance Company and Bill T Jones/ Arnie Zane Dance Company.​

Luke’s own work has been supported by various commissions, awards and residencies internationally including Arts Council of Ireland, Cork City Council, CultureIreland, New England Foundation for the Arts National Dance Project, Kaatsbaan International Dance Centre, Pavilion Theatre, Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Irish Arts Centre, Foundation for Contemporary Arts, DanceLimerick, Cork County Council, Tipperary Dance Platform, Tribeca Performing Arts Centre, Duo Multicultural Arts Centre and others. 

He has created and performed four evening length works throughout Ireland, UK and USA (Drenched 2012, Icarus 2013, Your Own Man/Mad Notions 2015, On Triumph and Trauma 2016). 

Luke founded Attic Projects in 2014 as an umbrella for his various independent projects in dance, film and theatre. Luke is the producer and director of The Catch8 Workshop Series in Cork City.

Attic Projects is Company-In-Residence at Firkin Crane where Luke also serves as Dancer in Residence for Cork.

Luke trained at Point Park University where he earned his BFA in Dance and English in 2009 and University of Chichester where he earned an MA in Choreography in 2017

Fernanda Prata is an interdisciplinary artist working across Theatre and Dance for over 20 years. She has worked in collaboration with companies such as Punchdrunk, Vincent Dance Theatre, Protein, Stan Won’t Dance and Jasmin Vardimon. Other collaborations include working with the director Lucy Bailey as assistant choreographer for productions at The Globe Theatre and Regents Park Theatre, Tom Morris for London National Theatre, Dan Allum for the Romany Theatre Company and Sarah Dowling for the Royal Opera House.

Selected Choreographic works includes ‘The Drowned Man’ for Punchdrunk Company, ‘Nos’ commissioned by Horniman Museum and Gardens, ‘Midsummers Night Dream’ for Karamel Club Theatre in London, ‘I will do all that I can’ commissioned by London Contemporary Dance School, ‘No Contact’ commissioned by The Place, ‘An Open Book’ commissioned by NSCD.

As a Lecturer she has worked in main Dance Conservatoires and Universities in the UK such as Trinity Laban, London Contemporary Dance School, London Studio Centre, St.Mary’s University, Westminster College and Millikin University (USA). Currently Fernanda is the MA Course Leader on the Dance and Creative Enterprise at Northern School of Contemporary Dance and also a Lecturer in performance, choreography and contextual studies for their BA Programme.

Fernanda received a PhD scholarship at De Montfort University and currently researching The Dancer Training Within an Integrative Approach – A Transpractice Methodology, looking into performances practices between dance and theatre with a particular focus on Psychophysical training and Actioning Technique. She is investigating on how to offer a methodology for Contemporary Dancers with an integrative approach and ways that this methodology could offer potential for creating work.

Website – www.fernandaprata.com

Jack graduated from London Contemporary Dance School with a 1st BA (hons), continuing further movement research at Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance (AUD) and Espacio LEM (ARG). He has extended teaching experience, co-leading a new site-based module for National Youth Dance Company in 2018, and an alumni guest teacher on the Exeter and Swindon Centres for Advanced Training (CAT) schemes.

As a freelance performer, Jack has worked with National Portfolio Organisations, Luca Silvestrini’s Protein and Vincent Dance Theatre making high calibre art across different regions in the UK (England, Scotland and Ireland), alongside other artists Gary Clarke, Victor Fung (HK), Stephanie Schober, Stacked Wonky, Sally Marie, Jenny Hill and Bittersuite. He is currently young associate artist with Swindon dance and Creative Youth Network based in the South West of England, Bristol.

Jack devised the role for The Pilot in Protein’s The Little Prince in 2018.

Martin has a varied career as an actor, singer and musician. He performed as singer/guitarist in local rock bands from the age of 16, then trained as an actor at East 15.

After three years of rep he portrayed ‘Joseph’ and went on to play other title roles including Tommy in The Who’s rock opera, both Jesus and Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar and specialised as Frank ‘n Furter in The Rocky Horror Show, appearing in five different productions in the UK, South Africa and Europe over a 15 year period. He has played principal roles in the West End shows Les Misérables, Godspell and Return to the Forbidden Planet.

He continues to have a long association with Opera Della Luna and since 2012 has been a member of The Flying Pickets.

Martin performed in Protein’s May Contain Food.

David Lloyd graduated from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) in 2006. He joined Buzz Dance Theatre Company in Perth Australia, works include: Colourwheel, Chrissy Parrot’s Terminal Velocity, Amy Smith’s Refund Policy, Cinderella Dressed In Yella regional WA Tour and Rabbit Australia Tour. He joined Yellow Glass Theatre/Eventainment’s production of Hair the Musical and RENT. David moved to London in 2008, working with Luca Silvestrini. Shows include: On Display for Birmingham International Dance Festival 2008; Protein Dance Company’s Dear Body (UK tour 2008-09), Gary Clarke Dance Company for Coal (UK tour 2009); Mad Dogs Dance Theatre for new work(2009); Neon Dance Company for Falling from Trees (2010)The Intention (2011-2014) Empathy (2014). Barebones Dance Company Barebones Decade Show (2011), Jean Abrue Dance Company Inside (2011), Finn Walker City Film Productions, Mitridate (2016) Royal Opera House. Film and Tv credits include BBC Atlantic series 1 Playing the role of Nereus and Paramount Pictures World War Z.

David started Mischief Company in (2014) Premiering RED in 2017 presenting the work at Surf The Wave (2019) following a South UK touring commissioned by Pavilion Dance South West and funded by Arts Council England. Other Company works include Purgatory: Nothing to say commissioned for JV2 and Paradise (2015), Dogtown (2016) and Blackrock (2017) commissioned by Cumbria University. David joined Jasmin Vardimon Company in 2009 for the creation and performance of 7734, Yesterday, Freedom, Justitia, Park, Tannhauser (ROH) and played Geptepto in Pinocchio. Davidbecame Course Leader for JV2 in (2017 – 2019) David choreographed ‘Neverland’ for the JV2 2019 tour performing at Sadler Wells (2019). David performed Pinocchio in South Korea, Hong Kong, Soul and Macau. David started a new Research and Development for Mischief Company’s new show BLUE working alongside Dance City, PDSW and Gulbenkian with funding by arts Council England. David has now becoming the Artistic Director and Programme Leader for the MA Course at Dance City. 

Anders Duckworth is a Swedish/British non-binary, performer and choreographer and grew up in South Devon.

In 2014, they graduated from London Contemporary Dance School and joined Maresa Von Stockert’s Tilted Productions for 5 years working alongside dancers and circus performers in both indoor and outdoor work.  They have also danced for choreographers including Lea Anderson, Kasia Witek, Jose Agudo and Requardt & Rosenberg, and in their own work, most recently, Well Lit, which premiered in Sweden in 2020.

Anders is an associate artist at The Place.

Jenna Anne is a freelance dancer, model and poet. She mainly works as a performer with various dance theatre companies nationally and internationally. 

She is curiosity-led and inspired by her observations of the world around her. She seeks to record her interactions and experiences and their impact on her inner world through integrated artistic mediums, combining poetry, photography, modelling, dance, and film. She shares her perspective with a spirit of generosity. She seeks to create and be a part of work that will inspire, provoke conversation, and encourage connection between people. She has a passion for teaching and believes community engagement is vital to creating meaningful work. She teaches dance in schools, and youth centres and has facilitated workshops with various community groups and charity groups specifically supporting Refugee and Asylum Seekers in the UK. 

Born in Essex, UK, Eryck trained at The Royal Ballet School. Eryck’s dance career has seen him work for companies including Rambert Dance Company, Michael Clark Dance Company, Humanoove, Luca Silvestrini’s Protein, Company Chameleon, Alexander Whitley Dance, New Movement Collective, Musemotion, and Hong Kong Ballet. He has performed works by Christopher Bruce, Itzik Galili, Richard Alston, Merce Cunningham, Siobhan Davies, Luca Silvestrini, Garry Stewart, Mark Baldwin, Andre Gingras, Darshan Singh Buller, Paul Taylor, and many others.

For Protein, Eryck performed in Border Tales and was rehearsal director during May Contain Food. Eryck has also worked on movement development for numerous West End musicals including Charlie & the Chocolate Factory, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, Groundhog Day and Frozen. In addition to dancing Eryck teaches yoga and Vedantic thought and trained under renowned teacher Claire Missingham. He teaches at studios across London.

Patsy Browne-Hope studied musical theatre at Phil Winston’s Theatreworks before graduating from Northern School of Contemporary Dance where she worked with Debbie Johnson, Niamh Condron, Matthias Sperling, Mobius Dance Theatre and Ace Dance and Music.

Patsy first began working with Protein in 2010 for (In)visible Dancing, performing and teaching on the streets of Birmingham as part of International Dance Festival Birmingham. She also performed in Protein’s acclaimed work LOL (lots of love) for its international tours in 2011 and 2012. Other performance credits include the Akram Khan Dance Company for the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympics in London. Patsy is also a keen teacher and regularly works in primary schools in her home city of Birmingham and runs professional classes within the city centre.

Bonnie Bird Choreography Award winner (2005), Temitope Ajose Cutting has created and staged works for venues such as Royal Opera House and ROH2. She has been commissioned by The Place Prize Bloomberg, and exciting dance producer Eckhard Thiemann at the Lowry. Her works have been performed at DanceXchange, RichMix, Dance base in Edinburgh, Swindon Dance and the Soho Joyce (New York).

As a dancer, Temitope has worked with Punchdrunk, director Carrie Cracknell at The Gate Theatre and very recently at The National Theatre, director Amy Hodge, Boxd productions, Theo Clinkard and Lea Anderson, Joe Moran and Sue Maclaine. in addition to this she has been part of the performance team re-staging Joan Jonas retrospective at the Tate Modern, working with choreographer and curator Nefeli Skarmea for artist Megan Rooney at the Serpentine Pavilion and now working closely with Megan Rooney for her solo show at Kunsthalle and most recently the Lyon Bianale.

Temitope continues to make her work producing a show at The Southbank this autumn with director Jo Tyabji working on the politics of public speaking with an extraordinary cast.

Temitope performs in Protein’s Border Tales and co-delivers Protein 21 Reimagine, creating works across the UK in response to Protein’s repertoire.

At the age of 16 Nathan started dancing with a local Hip Hop crew in Eersterivier, Cape Town, South Africa. In 2011, following 3 years of training in that genre, Nathan received a dance scholarship for a senior bridging programme during which he received 2 years’ formal classical dance training under the direction of Phillip Boyd and Christopher Kindo.

In 2013 Nathan was awarded a scholarship to study performing arts at the Cape Academy of Performing Arts under the direction of Debbie Turner. There he was trained in multiple performing arts disciplines and took advantage of the great opportunity to learn and perform the repertoire of the Cape Dance Company (CDC). Nathan completed three years of studies and graduated with a Senior Diploma with Distinction in 2015.

Nathan has worked in many productions both nationally and internationally. He has worked with great choreographers and working for such incredible choreographers has taken him to many stages and festivals around the world. He recently worked with Protein Dance Company on the PRU project in Stockton, England, as well as working with the company as a cameo performer in their 2019 season of Invisible Dance.

Nathan is the co-director of the company CAN Creative and has toured with his company to many countries and cities including Botswana, South Africa, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, New York, Las Vegas, Belgium, London, Senegal, and San Fransisco.

Nathan co-delivers Protein’s Real Life Real Dance programme, engaging students from pupil referral units in dance and Protein 21 Reimagine, creating works across the UK in response to Protein’s repertoire.

Nathan has worked with companies including: Ballet Nimba, Wales, Magic Beans Theatre Company, Botswana Ace Dance and Music, UK MUDA Africa, Tanzania Sarah Cookney Academy of Dance, South Africa Cape Dance Company (CDC), South Africa HereManje Productions, South Africa/USA Mzansi Cymru, Wales/South Africa, Tshwane DanceTheatre, South Africa, MNET Glo-Caf Awards, Nigeria, Waterfront Film Studios, South Africa, Darkroom Contemporary, South Africa Grahamstown National Arts Festival, South Africa Edinburgh Arts Festival, Scotland Dance For All, Young Inspirations, South Africa Alonzo King Lines Summer School, USA, Next @ Martha Graham, NYC, Dansen in ‘t Park, Belgium.

Born in London, Antony began performing in works by Royston Maldoom and Rosemary Lee for the Dance Umbrella festival. He then went on to train at the Centre for Advanced Training and subsequently at London Contemporary Dance School, where he graduated with a first-class honours degree.  

He has performed in original works by Pell Ensemble (800 Lifetimes, UR: Human Presence, Locus), Gwyn Emberton Dance Company (Raft. Nominated for ‘Best Production’ and ‘Best Choreographer’), Didy Veldman, Kerry Nicholls and he danced in Crystal Pite’s Polaris as part of Thomas Adés: See the Music, Hear the Dance at Sadler’s Wells Theatre. Antony also has an interest in design and is a self-taught costume designer.

Chris Knight grew up in Herefordshire and started out breaking with mates as a teenager. This was moulded into an early form of 2Faced Dance Company with the friends touring shows up and down the country. Chris then went on to complete his professional training at The Northern School of Contemporary Dance and London Contemporary Dance School, where he graduated in 2012 with a BA (Hons). He has since performed in and out of the UK for Companies and Choreographers including: Company Decalage, Balletto Civile, Matthias Kass, Maura Morales, Shumpei Nemoto, Robin Dingemans and Sweetshop Revolution.

Chris performed in Protein’s (In)visible Dancing and Windows in Progress. 

Wilf is a London-based trombonist, pianist and
improviser. Wilf is active on the thriving London
jazz scene and is currently writing original material
for a new quartet. He has performed at venues
such as Ronnie Scott’s, The Vortex, EartH Hackney
and the Southbank Centre and is an alumnus of
World Heartbeat Academy, Centre for Young
Musicians and Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music
and Dance (2017 -2021). Wilf teaches trombone
and music theory and is available as a session
musician, composer and arranger

Neus Gil Cortés is a Spanish dancer, choreographer and dramaturg based in UK. With more than ten years of experience as a dance artist, Neus previously danced in companies such as Hofesh Shechter Company, National Dance Company Wales and Dance Works Rotterdam, amongst others. In 2015 Neus created the company Nua Dance to support her choreographic work. Neus’ creations have been presented in Holland, U.K., N.Y. and Spain.

Neus performed in Protein’s (In)visible Dancing in Canterbury 2016 and Hull 2017.

Ruby is a trumpeter & singer and studied at
Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester for five
years before attending the Royal College of Music
where she is a Jane Barker Scholar. Ruby was a
member of the National Youth Orchestra of Great
Britain (2017 – 2018) and enjoyed playing at
prestigious venues, including The Royal Albert Hall
for the BBC Proms. She played with the National
Youth Music Theatre (2016 – 2017) and performed
her West End Debut on A Christmas Carol at the
Dominion Theatre. She’s currently a chair holder of
the National Youth Jazz Orchestra and offers
private instrumental & vocal tuition.

Read about Sally Marie’s work on: www.sweetshoprevolution.com

Charlotte trained at The Royal Ballet School and Elmhurst Ballet School. After Graduating, she joined Northern Ballet Theatre under Christopher Gable’s direction,  becoming a Principal Artist and dancing roles such as ; Carmen, Cinderella , Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Odette/Odile in Swan Lake and Kitri in Don Quixote. 

In 2000 Charlotte joined Cullberg Ballet in Stockholm and danced the role of Aurora in Mats Ek’s Sleeping Beauty. Among other Ek works she also worked with choreographers, Ohad Naharin, Stijin Celis, & Jiri Kylian. 

Charlotte retuned to London in 2005, where she became a freelance artist, performing the works of Cathy Marston and Will Tuckett, Javier De Frutos, Luca Silvestrini & Matthew Bourne. 

Charlotte also performed as an actor in Dr.Faustus, and The Shakespeare’s Globe, and Shakespeare’s Two Gentlemen of Verona. Both directed by Matthew Dunster.    

In 2012, Charlotte Co-founded HeadSpaceDance with Christopher Akrill. They co-produced, together with The Royal Opera House, two productions ; Three & Four Quaters, and If Play is Play. They  commosioned choreographers ; Luca Silvestrini, Mats Ek, Didy Veldman, Javier De Futos & director Matthew Dunster. They also collaborated with Arthur Pita for Stepmother-Stepfather. In 2018 HeadSpaceDance won The Critic circle National Dance Award for Best Independent Company.

Charlotte also choreographs & directs movement for theatre productions, which include; Comedy of Errors & Loves Sacrifice at the RSC, The lightening Child, Much Ado About Nothing, Macbeth, Richard II & Nell Gwynn at The Globe, Midsummer Nights Dream at Regents Park Theatre, Twelfth Night, The Sum & Sweeney Todd at The Liverpool Everyman, Home I’m Darling, at The National Theatre and The West End. 

Louise has been performing since she was 16, but returned to study jazz at the Guildhall School of Music in her late twenties. Apart from singing jazz, Louise had a hit record in the 1980s touring Europe and making several appearances on TV, including on ‘Top of the Pops’, working alongside artists including DuranDuran, Spandau Ballet, The Smiths and Jermaine Jackson.

Her career took a new turn when she joined vocal ensemble The Shout, a mix of vocal genres put together by Orlando Gough and Richard Chew. The Shout has performed in many European countries, America and closer to home at the BBC Proms. Louise recorded her debut album in 2008, ‘Things in Life’, which has been featured on Jazz FM. She has worked with singer/songwriter Ronnie Haar promoting his album, ‘Songs about Birds’. Louise is also a qualified Yoga teacher and teaches singing on the performing arts degree course at Colchester Institute.

Louise performed in Protein’s May Contain Food. 

Anthar Kharana is a well-known Colombian musician, composer and multi-instrumentalist from the small town Ocaña. He comes from a line of musicians and is self-taught from the early age of eight. Anthar delivers a wide range of music styles and has a deep understanding of melody and complex rhythms, thanks to his passion for music from the world wide over.

He has been sharing traditions from his homeland in Europe for over fourteen years, as well as directing music projects and bands. Anthar runs musical workshops and performances, and collaborates with dancers and choreographers including Luca Silvestrini’s Protein, Vocab Dance and SinMan Dance. He is also a regular music accompanist at London Contemporary Dance School in London.

Uniquely, Anthar has mastered a wide range of vocal abilities from mellow feminine tones to deep growled Mongolian throat singing. Further to this, he is also a Sound Therapy Practitioner (British Academy of Sound Therapy) using his understanding of music and sound as a healing tool. He runs workshops, sacred music concerts, traditional ceremonies, private sessions and musical retreats worldwide.

Anthar is the Director of Tribal Sound Healing UK and Colombia, and is Co-Director of the first school of Sound Healing in Scotland: ANSU School of Sound and Tribal Healing Arts.

Currently Anthar can be seen performing with Luca Silvestrini’s Protein in Border Tales.

tribalsoundhealing.com

Mette is from Norway and is currently based in London. She graduated from Northern School of Contemporary Dance in 2020 and completed her Masters as part of EDGE at London Contemporary Dance School in 2021. Mette has performed in several opera productions at The Royal Ballet and Opera , such as Macbeth by Phyllida Lloyd, and The Marriage of Figaro and The Magic Flute by David McVicar. As one half of The 12th Floor she has choreographed and performed “I’m sorry to disappoint you all” for Resolution Festival at The Place and been supported by Code Dans, a Belgian platform for emerging choreographers. Mette joined Protein in November 2024 for The Little Prince.   

Anna is a versatile and creative freelance Tuba player and educator based in London. Graduating from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 2019 with a degree in Classical Performance, Anna has been fortunate enough to play with orchestras, ensembles and bands in prestigious venues across Europe.

Although specialising in Classical Tuba, Anna also has a keen interest in jazz, experimental and contemporary music and enjoys having the opportunity to experience new genres and musical challenges.

George is a London based saxophonist, composer, arranger & improviser.
Previously, he was Musical Director for Protein’s Invisible Dancing (2019) & En
Route (2021).

George can be heard playing a diverse range of jazz and improvised music
around the UK as either bandleader or sideman. He writes and performs original
contemporary music with his band Ideasthesia and experimental co-led
guitar/saxophone project Solmonath. Past performances include Ronnie Scott’s,
Royal Albert Hall, Birmingham Symphony Hall, Snape Maltings and Cafe OTO.
He is an alumnus of Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance
(2017-2021), Aldeburgh Young Musicians (2014-17) and currently works with the
National Youth Jazz Orchestra (2020 – present). He offers private woodwind and
improvisation tuition and is available for gigs, recordings and compositional
commissions.

Born in Greece, Fania, studied at the State School of Dance in Athens. She joined the National Theatre of Northern Greece and after 3 years she moved to London to become a freelance artist.

She has since worked with PunchDrunk Theatre Company, National Theatre London, The Royal Opera House, Satore Studio,Yorke Dance Project, Maiden Voyage,The Chemical Brothers, Pet Shop Boys and choreographers such as; Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Liam Steel, Fernando Magadan, Cameron McMillan, Lynne Page , Paula Rosolen, Amit Lahav and Alex Reynolds, amongst others.

Film Credits include: The Mummy, How to talk to girls at parties, Les Miserables and Anna Karenina.
She holds an advanced level qualification in Stage Combat(APC).

Fania has returned from Shanghai, China after an extensive period of performing in the immersive theatre show, Sleep No More, with the award winning company Punchdrunk Global.

She danced with Luca Silvestrini’s Protein in (In)visible Dancing, LOL (lots of love), Windows in Progress and The Picnic. 

Saara Hurme is a London-based dancer, performer and personal trainer. Originally from Finland, Saara trained at Theatre Academy Helsinki and continued her studies into an MA in Dance Performance at Trinity Laban Conservatoire in Music and Dance in London, where she was part of the post-graduate company Transitions 2014-2015.

Upon graduation, Saara joined Protein for the development and tour of May Contain Food. Saara’s other work experience as performer includes works by Gingerline and Tavaziva Dance in London, and Brokentalkers in Ireland.

Saara collaborates regularly with her father, Finnish author and theatre maker Juha Hurme, their latest project together being the critically acclaimed play Lemminkäinen in Finnish National Theatre in 2018. Integral to Saara’s practice as a dancer and singer is also an ongoing collaboration with London-based electronic musician Sarah Miller.

Miranda Mac Letten has a 1st class Hons degree from London Contemporary Dance School. After graduating she became an apprentice for Punchdrunk, performing in their collaboration with The English National Opera, “The Dutchess of Malfi”. She has continued to work for Punchdrunk on productions such as “The Drowned Man: A Hollywood Fable” and “Sleep No More”, Shanghai. Interactive and immersive theatre have heavily featured in Miranda’s career.

She has worked with Lucy Ridley Associate Creative director for Secret cinema on productions such as ‘Blade Runner, final cut’and ‘Back To The Future’, but also for a collective Lucy established called The People Pile on multiple occasions, similarly she works for Gideon Reeling a company that produces one off immersive events performing and costuming projects.

Along side performing Miranda has founded her own company Kerfuffle Dance. she has specialised in creating, casting, and costuming performance opportunities for dancers in immersive events work. Mostly based in London, the performances are funded by commercial opportunities and collaborations. 

Miranda is also a keen actress, she has worked for theatre company Shared Experience “Mermaid” and Bold Tendencies “Titus Andronicus” in association with Parkour UK. 

Other companies she has worked with include David Lloyds Mischief company, John Ross Dance, Shaper/Caper, Etta Ermini Dance Theatre, James Cousins Company, Runhoratio, C-12 Dance Theatre, and Bicycle Ballet.

Miranda performs in Protein’s (In)visible Dancing and co-delivers Protein’s Real Life Real Dance project, working with young people excluded from mainstream education. 

Theatre includes: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Original Company (Palace); The Merchant of Venice (Shakespeare’s Globe); Little Shop of Horrors (Royal Exchange Theatre – nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Roles at the Manchester Theatre Awards); The Light Princess (NT); Cabaret (Savoy); Maria De Buenos Aires (Cork Opera House); God’s Garden (Linbury/Royal Opera House – nominated for best Male Performer at the National Dance Awards);

Directing includes: A Darker Shade of Fado and Soul of Fado (Without Walls, Greenwich/UK tour); Pulsar, Ritmo DasEstações (Portugal).

Choreography includes: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Hamburg (Associate – Mehr! Theatre); Ragtime (Associate – Regent’s Park Open Air); Tannhauser, Aida (Associate – Royal Opera House);

Sophie Arstall is a dancer, maker and facilitator, working for choreographers in the UK and abroad: Hagit Yakira, guest artist for Candoco Dance Company, Rosemary Lee, Stacked Wonky, Vanessa Grasse, Annie Hanauer, Attik Dance, Ingri Fiksdal, Rosie Kay, Willi Dorner, Tony Mira, Ben Wright, Charlie Morrissey, for Glyndebourne and Toulouse Opera, Greenwich and Docklands International Festival and the Tate Galleries.

She makes her own work with collaborator Elizabeth Barker under the name Average Height Ladies. Commissions include work for The Horniman Museum, South Bank Centre, Trinity Laban and Channel 4 Random Acts. She also teaches professional and community classes across London and the UK.

Luis spent his early years in the Lake District, beginning his journey into the dance world through the breaking scene and eventually progressing on to the Lowry CAT scheme. He then went to study at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance, graduating in summer 2021. During his training at NSCD, Luis enjoyed working with Anton Lachky and Vicki Igbokwe, as well as touring with Rita Marcalo (Instant Dissidence) in 2020.

Alongside performance-based work, Luis has a strong interest in choreography; co-founding both Evil Alex and Funkified Fried Funk Fries, companies that he is excited to continue working with.

Virginia is a freelance performer and creative. Her experience and training spans from theatre, dance and clowning, as she works independently and collaboratively with practitioners across Europe.

She currently works for Luca Silvestrini’s Protein and BalletLorent and is co-running the project Conducting with The Body. Virginia travels around the UK and Italy teaching dance, live composition and Sound-painting.

Virginia performs in Protein’s FOOD, the remounted Italian version of May Contain Food May Contain You.

Emily is a London based dance artist. Emily trained at London Contemporary Dance School and since graduating has worked with choreographers and companies such as Gary Clarke, Glyndebourne Opera, James Wilton, Aletta Collins for Royal Shakespeare Company, Renaud Wiser, Eleesha Drennan, Rosie Kay, Holly Blakey for Burberry, Tamsyn Russell, Corey Baker, Cathy Waller, Jamaal Burkmar, Pell Ensemble and Tribe Company. As well as performing for choreographer Jorge Crecis,

Emily has acted as rehearsal director and assistant choreographer for Jorge on various projects for Beijing 9 Contemporary Dance Theatre, Intoto Company and for London Contemporary Dance School. Emily works as a movement specialist with choreographer Charlie Mayhew for film and commercial projects such as the films The Mummy, Teen Spirit and various commercial and music video research projects. Emily has also appeared in music videos for Fat Freddy’s Drop and Hollie Cooke and various TV advertisements.

Emily is danced with Luca Silvestrini’s Protein in The Little Prince.

Maria Fonseca is a Portuguese dance artist who trained at London Studio Centre.

As a teenager Maria performed in the touring musical Morangos com Açucar ao Ritmo da Amizade. Whilst training Maria performed in commercial works such as George Sampson – Candy Girl and Kris Menace feat. Emile – Walking on the Moon. In her final year at LSC she specialised in contemporary dance, touring with Intoto Dance and performing works by Ben Wright, Darren Ellis and Nuno Campos.

Since graduating, Maria has worked a great variety of commercial and contemporary artists, including Nuno Silva, Rizzle Kicks, Adidas, Ivan Blackstock, BBC2, Pascal Merighi, Sébastien Ramirez, Jack Murphey, IJAD Dance Company and Jean Abreu Dance. Maria choreographed Red Tears for Resolution 2014 at The Place.

Maria danced with Luca Silvestrini’s Protein in (In)visible Dancing.

Ramin is an Iranian born multidisciplinary artist specializing in music, painting, and calligraphy. He began his artistic journey during his teenage years and has been working professionally in these fields since 2004. Ramin continues to create art and perform music, collaborating with the music group Delband on musical productions and performances. Additionally, he remains actively engaged in producing paintings and calligraphy pieces as part of his ongoing artistic practice.
Ramin has been collaborating with Protein since 2021 and took part in numerous projects as both a participant, team member and guest artist.

Valentina was born in Rimini, Italy. She trained at London Contemporary Dance School where she completed her BA and MA after spending a year touring with the postgraduate company EDge.

Valentina is the Associate Director of Arthur Pita’s Open Heart Productions. She has created and performed roles in Arthur’s productions since 2010, including the Royal Ballet’s Metamorphoses, God’s Garden and The World’s Greatest Show. She is currently touring with the company’s production of The Little Match Girl.

She has worked with Luca Silvestrini’s Protein since 2011, as performer and Assistant Director. With the Company she has toured the globe performing, teaching and leading projects with hard to reach communities. She has also performed extensively with Frauke Requardt, Will Tuckett, Clod Ensemble, David Rosenberg, Daniel Kramer, Royal Opera amongst others.

Valentina guest teaches throughout the country and designs costumes for dance, including productions for Candoco, StopGap, Sweetshop Revolution, Frauke Requardt and NSCD’s Verve.

Vicki Manderson is an award nominated movement director, she also works as a performer and teacher. She is co artistic director of award winning theatre company, groupwork. 

Recent work as a movement director and choreographer includes Light Falls, Queen Margaret, Happy Days, Almighty Sometimes The Royal Exchange; Last Orders at the Dockside, The Country Girls; Jimmy’s Hall The Abbey Theatre; The Afflicted groupwork;Square Go Francesca Moody Productions; Crooked Dances RSC.

Companion: Moon Coney; ear for eye, Instructions for Correct Assembly, A Profoundly Affectionate and Passionate Devotion to Someone (-Noun), The Children Royal Court Theatre; 306 Day National Theatre Scotland; Br’er Cotton Theatre503; Cockpit Lyceum Edinburgh; We’re Still Here National Theatre Wales; See me Now Young Vic; Details Grid Iron. 

As Associate movement director, Let the Right One National Theatre of Scotland/Royal Court/West End/St Ann’s Warehouse; In Time O’Strife, Black Watch National Theatre of Scotland; The Twits Royal Court;The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time NT/West End. 

As a performer she has worked with Frantic Assembly, National Theatre of Scotland, ENO, Luca Silvestrini’s Protein, Stan Wont Dance and Bare Bones.

Folu’s journey into the arts began at Glenthorne High School where he developed an interest in dance and theatre. Following this he decided to take more of a focus in dance where he we trained at The Place CAT scheme and became a member of the National Youth Dance Company from the years 2013-2015.

Folu took his training further when he went to study at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance (2015-2018) where he had the opportunity and privilege to learn from and collaborate with both the faculty of the school as well as his fellow students. Upon graduating Folu has had the opportunity of working alongside various companies and artists, such as Russell Maliphant Dance Company, Teac Damsa, Gavin Coward, National Dance Company Wales and Tribe//.

Alongside collaborating with other artists as a performer, Folu is also currently developing his own ideas and work in storytelling through the mediums of movement, writing and film.

Rachele Rapisardi graduated from CODARTS (NL) and then relocated to London where she joined EDge11. Since leaving EDge Rachele has worked with companies and independent choreographers such as Lost Dog (Ben Duke), Luca Silvestrini’s Protein, ilDance, Clod Ensemble, Gwyn Emberton Dance, Emma Martin Dance, Theo Clinkard, Quang Kien Van, Emanuel Gat, Jorge Crecis, Jose Agudo, James Finnemore, Christopher Evans and Neus Gil Cortes, spanning across the UK, Sweden, Israel and Ireland. Since obtaining her MA in Performing Arts in 2015, Rapisardi has been also developing her freelance career as a teacher, rehearsal director and associate director in particular with Protein Dance.

Work with Luca Silvestrini’s Protein (2014 onwards): As a performer Rachele has been part of Invisible Dancing (2014-2018). As a teacher and co-leader she has been working with professionals and students (from GCSE to MA) as part of Protein’s educational programme for Border Tales in 2017-2018. As an Associate Director in 2018 for the rural touring of ʻMay Contain food, May Contain Youʼ in theatres, community halls and care homes.

She has also been very involved co-leading and delivering community-based projects as part of Protein’s RLRD programme ‘There and Here’ 2015 – performance with refugees and asylum seekers from the Islington Centre in London. ‘XOXO’ (2016) and ‘These is Us’ (2017, 2019) – performances with Pupils in Referral Units (PRU) in South East London and Stockton-on-Tees

Matthew has been working as a professional dancer and movement practitioner for the past 18 years. He began working with Protein dance in 2012, notably performing in (In)visible Dancing and May Contain Food. In his most recent work with the company, Matthew completed a rural tour of the duet May Contain Food, May Contain You.

His training began at Laban, where he completed his degree with first class honours. He then spent a year at London Contemporary Dance School as a member of EDge, performing works by Trisha Brown, Ben Wright and Kerry Nicholls. After graduating, Matthew went on to work with Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures, Bare Bones dance company, and was a founding member of Ben Wright’s company, Bgroup. He has also worked with Liam Steele and Robert Tannion in their company Stan Won’t Dance, performed in operas at home and abroad, taught a series of classes and workshops in China, and completed his MA at London Contemporary Dance School. In recent years he has worked extensively Casson and Friends, and later this year will continue his work on Sleuth with Zoie Logic Dance Theatre – an interactive film Noir detective story. He has just completed his training to become a certified Franklin Method practitioner.

Parsifal James Hurst (known as Pj) started working for Protein in 2012, in what was his first professional job out of training from London Contemporary Dance School. He performed Protein’s award-winning LOL (lots of love) on two national & international tours in 2012 & 2014. In 2018, PJ performed in Proteins (In)visible Dancing in Stockton-on-Tees.

PJ co-delivers Protein’s Real Life Real Dance programme, engaging students from pupil referral units and people in hospitals in dance which PJ found extremely rewarding and a great privilege to do this for the company.

Teaching: Practitioner for New Adventures delivering workshops across the country including dementia programme Dance For Life, Widening Participants Officer for LCDS’ third year touring company LC3, Guest teaching on the degree course at LIPA, Lecturer at Chester University, Practitioner teaching GCSE dance for James Cousins, Dance Artist for Homegrown Dance Theatre.

Charity events: Performed in the Peggy Hawkins Scholarship Fund at The Robin Howard Theatre The Place and ‘Mr Wonderful’ at Sadler’s Wells.

Films & Videos: Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake, Wake up Leo Friends and It Gets Cold for Eliza And The Bear

Other career highlights: Matthew Bournes Swan Lake UK and International Tours 2013 and 2018- due to finish in 2021, Garsington Opera Death in Venice, In Good Company choreographed by Joel O’Donoghue, Tenfoot Dance Company’s Yira, Fallen Angels Dance Theatre Upon Awakening & Hell Can Wait, Gary Clarke’s award-winning COAL.

From Egypt, dancer and choreographer Salah El Brogy is a graduate of Cairo Opera House Contemporary Dance School Theatre, where he trained in dance, acting, singing, theatre and music. He has a variety of dance backgrounds, from ballet to hip hop, street dance, folklore, Latin, jazz, contemporary and capoeira.

Starting his life with martial arts at the age of eight, Salah eventually joined his home city’s Ismailia Folkloric Dance Troupe in his teens. He subsequently joined the Reda Troupe, the first and biggest folklore dance company in the Middle East. After earning a place in the prestigious Cairo Opera House Contemporary Dance Theatre School, Salah was then offered to join the main Company upon graduating as one of its soloists.

In 2008, he received the Best Dancer Award from Egypt’s French Cultural Centre (now French Institute), and the following year he choreographed, performed and toured his solo Adrenalin. From 2010 until 2012, Salah was lead dancer for Akram Khan Company’s Vertical Road, joining Luca Silvestrini’s Protein in 2013 in Border Tales.

In 2015, Salah was nominated for Dance London’s Emerging Choreographer Award, as part of Salah El Brogy Dance Company. Salah regularly teaches a bespoke Extemporaneous dance class at The Place and Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance.

Salah previously danced with Luca Silvestrini’s Protein in Border Tales which included a successful run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2017.

Kip Johnson is based in Bristol. He began dancing at the age of 16 in the South West of England.

Kip graduated from the Northern School of Contemporary Dance (NSCD) in 2009 and has since worked with Lea Anderson, Vincent Dance Theatre, Tilted Productions, Ultima Vez, Fevered Sleep and Gecko. Kip first worked with Luca Silvestrini’s Protein in 2005 whilst a member of Ludus Youth Company. Five years later he performed in Protein’s piece LOL (lots of love) and subsequent tours during 2011 and 2012. He then performed in Protein’s The Little Prince is 2019.

Stephen Moynihan is originally from Cork, Ireland. Having graduated from London Contemporary Dance School, he has worked for various choreographers and companies in the UK and internationally including T.R.A.S.H., Hagit Yakira, Luke Murphy, BBC, Maxine Doyle, HBO, NBC, Alexandra Reynolds, Stephanie Schober, Yael Flexer, Retina Dance Company, Simon Vincenzi with London College of Fashion, Jean Abreu Dance, Joe Moran Dance, Robert Clark and Tom Dale Company. Stephen also danced with Akram Khan Company in the London 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony. Stephen received a DanceWeb Scholarship as part of Impulstanz in Vienna and has been a member of the Dance Panel for the Olivier Awards.

Stephen performs in Protein’s Border Tales. 

Frank Moon is a British composer and performer. He trained at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and subsequently held a lecturing post at Coventry University before becoming a freelance performer and composer.

Scores for dance include several large works for choreographer Arthur Pita: two orchestral ballets: The Wind (Royal Ballet) and Salome (San Francisco Ballet), plus live scores for The Tenant (Joyce Theater NYC), The Metamorphosis (Royal Opera House), The Little Match Girl (Jerwood Dancehouse / Sadler’s Wells), The World’s Greatest Show (tour), Facada (Segerstrom Centre, CA; Stanislavsky Theatre, Moscow; City Center New York, London Coliseum), The Mother (Southbank Centre, co composed with Dave Price), Run Mary Run (Sadler’s Wells / world tour) and Utopia (International Dance Festival Birmingham). Other scores for contemporary dance include The Little Prince (Luca Silvestrini’s Protein) and The Kingdom of Back (Northern Ballet). Frank was arranger and music director for Whelan/Watson: Other Stories (Royal Opera House, City Center New York).

Commissions for theatre include Merry Wives of Windsor (Shakespeare’s Globe), The Welcoming Party (Theatre Rites / Manchester International Festival), Philip Pullman’s I Was A Rat and The BFG (Birmingham Rep). Frank has also scored several short films, including two dance films for English National Ballet – Curing Albrecht (winner of ‘best soundtrack’ at Pentedatillo festival) and The Last Resort.

Frank’s performance work as a guitarist, oud player and multi instrumentalist is genre hopping and eclectic, and he tours worldwide with a variety of artists.

www.frankmoonmusic.com

Kenny Wing Tao Ho is a performer and artist based in London. He began training and competing in breakdance and then went on to study at London Contemporary Dance School.

Kenny began his career, on the stage of the 2012 London Olympics, with Akram Khan, and has since gone on to work with Hofesh Shechter Company and Gecko Theatre. He continues to work with these companies, as a performer, teacher and creator. More recently with Jose Agudo and Dickson Mbi.

Kenny performs with Luca Silvestrini’s Protein in Border Tales and is part of Protein 21 Reimagine, creating works across the UK in response to Protein’s repertoire.

Tomislav trained as a performer at undergraduate level at The Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance and London Contemporary Dance School and at a postgraduate level at The Oxford School of Drama. He has worked extensively with Punchdrunk on ‘The Drowned Man: A Hollywood Fable’ and ‘Sleep No More’, AΦE (Aoi Nakamura & Esteban Fourmi) on ‘Whist’, ‘The Waldorf Project’ and ‘Kai’, and with Wim Vandekeybus’ company Ultima Vez on ‘Speak Low, if you Speak Love’, ‘Spiritual Unity’, ‘In Spite of Wishing and Wanting’ and the feature film ‘Galloping Mind’. He has collaborated as a movement artist on film projects with artists and directors including BAFTA winning director Joe Wright, acclaimed choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Palm D’or nominee Xavier Dolan and Academy Award winning director Tom Hooper, for the National Theatre London, Warner Brothers Pictures, I-D Magazine, VICE magazine and for brands including DIESEL and AllSaints. Tomislav is a founding member of movement research collective Ferus Animi // Terra Nova and shares their research with companies and institutions internationally.

Simon trained at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance in Leeds, nurturing an early interest in physical theatre and object manipulation. He first appeared as a dancer in several works for Maresa von Stockert/Tilted Productions and with Theatre Rites as a dancer, actor and puppeteer. 

Other works include The Little Match Girl for Arthur Pita, Betrayal: A Polyphonic Crime Drama for I Fagiolini, Mucky Pup for Theatre Alibi, Benvenuto Cellini for Terry Gilliam/ENO.  

For Punchdrunk, Simon has appeared in The Drowned Man: A Hollywood Fable in London, and spent 3 years living in China for their long-running production of Sleep No More in Shanghai.  

Simon has worked with Tom Roden, Lucy Suggate, Fleur Darkin, Sweetshop Revolution, and has performed work for Hannah Buckley, Shobana Jeyasingh, Kim Brandstrup, and Hofesh Schecter.  

A dancer/ choreographer and movement director, Jon graduated from the Northern School of Contemporary Dance. He has performed nationally and internationally with Luca Silvetrini’s protein in LOL (lots of love) and is in the original cast of (In)visible Dancing (2010).

Jon has performed for Ballet Lorent and spent 4 years working with young offenders and those at risk of offending with Dance United. Jon has taught in many educational settings from early years to university degree courses. His passion for teaching, dance and movement has led him to work with groups in Africa (Aduna Dance Ethiopia), Palestine (larjee Centre Bethlehem), and in 2013 Jon was part of the team that worked on the mass movement piece for the opening ceremony of the Rugby League World Cup.

Jon is mass rehearsal director for Akram Khan’s Kadamati and was the rehearsal director for the National Theatre’s public acts production of Pericles. Jon is an associate artist at Hull Truck Theatre and is co-artistic director of Tenfoot dance company.

Michael trained at the Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance, where he won a Wayne Sleep scholarship.

As Movement Director/Choreographer, Michael’s credits include La Forza Del Destino (Teatro Nacional de Sao Carlos), I Capuleti E I Montecchi (The Arcola Theatre), Un Ballo in Maschera, La Forza Del Destino (WNO), Max The Brave (Britten Sinfonia), Simplicius Simplicissimus(Independent Opera), Anna Bolena, Ariadne auf Naxos,Alcina, Tannhauser and Xerxes (Longborough Festival Opera), Lady of Stavoren (Over the Pond Productions), Forbidden Love (London tour) and BBC’s Cash in the Attic. He was Dance Captain and part of the creative team for the opening of the Paralympic Games 2012.

As a dancer, Michael’s credits include We had a black dog (Red Oak Theatre), The Loves of Mars and Venus (Weaver Dance Company), La Serva Padrona (Barefoot Opera), Trapped (Experiential Theatre), The National Battle of Somme Commemoration (Somme 100), The Happiness, The Crutch(Karla Shacklock Dance Company), Mapping the Territory (Time Won’t Wait), Haining Dreaming, The Great Train Dance, 5 Soldiers (Rosie Kay Dance Company), Meeting Mr Book (Darren Ellis Dance), Close Distance (Helen ParlorDance), Wings of Desire, Home (DanceXchange), Dear Body (Luca Silvestrini’s Protein), Happy Together, Ducky Nights.

www.michaelspenceley.co.uk

Stephanie is a dancer, actor and maker from the West of Ireland currently based in Dublin.

Stephanie holds a BA in Dance from the Rotterdam Dance Academy in the Netherlands. Since graduating she has worked for companies and choreographers in the UK, the Netherlands and Ireland such as Protein Dance, Icon Dance, Chrysalis Dance, United Fall/Emma Martin, Dam Van Huynh, Marguerite Donlon, Theo Clinkard, Liz Roche and John Heginbotham.

Stephanie danced with Luca Silvestrini’s Protein in Windows in Progress, 2014.

French-Italian Soprano Chiara Vinci’s multidisciplinary background in the arts has steered her career towards theatre, dance and operas that focus on devising and creating new roles. A graduate of the Ballet Rambert, Chiara also trained at The Arts Educational and the Actors Temple before training in classical singing with Jenny Miller, she continues to study with Arwel Treharne-Morgan.

Career highlights include Calisto/La Calisto (Longborough Festival Opera), Giulietta/I Capuleti e I Montecchi (Grimeborn Opera Festival), Rita/Rita (Opera South), Shepherd/Tannhäuser (LFO), Envy/Beauty and the Seven Beasts (The Opera Story), Bubikopf/Der Kaiser von Atlantis (Loud Crowd) and Gretel/Hänsel und Gretel (PopUp Opera), Lena/Svadba (Waterperry Opera Festival). Chiara has performed with English National Opera, Royal Swedish Opera, Scottish Opera, Independent Opera, Grange park Opera and at Tête-à-Tête.

2023 engagements include Chiara’s debut as Violetta in a new audio described adaption of Verdi’s ‘La Traviata’ with Operar D’draig, and creating the role of Rose in The Wild Horn Fair, a virtual production with MSL Projects. This year she will also be making her debut at The Valetta Baroque Festival with the Weaver Ensemble as Hester Santlow in The Remarkably Talented Mr.Weaver.

Karl is performing in Protein’s The Little Prince.

He was born and raised in Copenhagen, Denmark. He grew up in a theatrical environment with his father running a comedy theatre school. At 18 he quit ice hockey and began his dance training at Sceneingangen in Copenhagen. He continued his training in London where he studied at London Studio Centre and Rambert School. He supplemented his formal training with workshops in Vienna and Brussels with, among others, David Zambrano, Rasmus Ölme, Susan Klein, Miguel Gutierrez and Rootless Root.

Since graduating Karl has been working with among others, Lela McMillan Dance, Arthur Pita, Lucy McCormick, Simon McBurney, Russell Maliphant, Lewis Major Dance, Julie Schmidt Andreasen, Alexander Baczynski-Jenkins, Junk Esemple and Sweetshop Revolution.

Orlando Gough writes music mostly for the theatre – operas, plays, dance pieces, music-theatre – and creates large-scale site-specific work. He is a keen amateur cook.

His cookbook Orlando Gough: Recipe Journal is published by Toast. He writes a food blog for Toast Travels.

Orlandon collaborated with Protein on May Contain Food.

Born in Nigeria, Femi Oyewole grew up in London and studied at the BRIT School for Performing Arts & Technology before continuing his training at London Contemporary Dance School.

Since graduating Femi has had the opportunity to work with a variety of choreographers and companies, including BlueMan Group, Will Tuckett’s Faeries, Simeon Qsyea, Ivan Blackstock and DV8 Physical Theatre. Femi joins Protein for the company’s new production, Border Tales.

Toril is a percussionist, currently in his first year at
the Royal College of Music (RCM) with a full
scholarship. He twice reached the Percussion Finals
of BBC Young Musician and has worked in a large
variety of musical fields. Toril also composes,
having been highly commended multiple times
and being awarded first prize in the BBC Proms
and Royal College of Music Junior Department
composition competitions respectively. He has
performed solo at many venues including the
Queen Elizabeth Hall and the Royal Albert Hall.
Toril would like to thank the RCM for his Parnassus
scholarship, and the Cherubim Music Trust for
loaning him a 5-octave Marimba. Toril performed in En Route 2021.

Yann Seabra designs sets and costumes internationally for opera, theatre, dance, musicals and film. He trained in Theatre Design at the celebrated Motley Theatre Design in London, directed by Alison Chitty. He collaborates with leading directors and choreographers such as Arthur Pita, Henrique Rodovalho, Yaron Lifschitz, Tamsin Fitzgerald, Rosie Kay, Helen Blackburn, Dam Van Huynh, Michael Moxham, Hubert Essakow, John Fulljames and many others.

Yann worked with Protein in The Little Prince and May Contain Food.

Michael is a London-born multi-genre composer, baritone vocalist and musical director, who studied clarinet and composition at the Royal College of Music 1981-85 and began his professional career as a member of rock group Buddy Curtess and the Grasshoppers from 1985-89.

He has worked in a directorial capacity with the National, Young Vic, Royal Court, Almeida theatres, Leeds Playhouse, Shakespeare’s Globe, Old Vic and Royal & Derngate among others, and as a vocal animateur on several BBC and schools projects. He has both sung and written a number of a cappella ensembles including The Shout and Flying Pickets.

Backing vocal experiences include Diana Ross, Chaka Khan, George Michael, Robbie Williams, Chrissy Hynde, Billy Bragg, Jamelia, Michael Ball, The Pet Shop Boys, Cliff Richard, Dave McAlmont, Ian Shaw, Ray Davies and Renato Zero. He has also been the main or sole support act for Michael Jackson, Roy Orbison, Ray Charles, The Beach Boys, Lisa Stansfield, Aswad, Edwin Starr and many more.

Classical vocal experiences include featured roles with Royal Opera House, Glyndebourne, Ensemble Modern of Frankfurt, Ensemble X, Shiva Nova and Matrix Ensemble, plus appearances in televised operas by Mark Anthony Turnage, Orlando Gough, Jenni Roditi and Jocelyn Pook.

Michael has also provided film and TV vocals for Aladdin (2019), Star Wars (episode 1), Baddiel and Skinner Unplanned, Pop Idols, X-Factor, Saturday Night Divas and the 2006 Honda Choir.

Michael performed in Protein’s May Contain Food. 

Stuart Waters has been a successful performing artist and dance maker for 20 years working at the cutting edge of the devising processes and style of Protein Dance, Motionhouse and Wired Aerial Theatre.

As an integral member of these creative teams, he has been instrumental in realising these choreographic visions, intrinsically understanding the style and tone of each company’s work, involved in making seminal works that developed Dance Theatre and learning how to craft great theatrical works.

A key collaboration was with director Luca Silvestrini, contributing to the shows LOL (lots of love) and Border Tales. LOL (lots of love) toured worldwide, winning the National Dance Awards Best Independent Dance Company 2011 and British Council New Connections Award 2012. Border Tales toured nationally and finished at the Edinburgh Fringe where it received 5-star reviews.

Stuart is a student of Northern School of Contemporary Dance in 1998 and London School of Contemporary Dance where he studied for his MA and has been part of the One Dance UK mentorship programme. In 2011, he was awarded the Lisa Ullmann fund to travel to New York in 2011 to train with Susan Klein.

Stuart began to explore the creation of his own work in 2014, and has been commissioned to create choreographic works for Centres for Advanced Training (CAT) Schemes and BA Performing Arts across the UK. He secured Arts Council England funding to create RockBottom and plans to tour it with rigorous wrap-around workshops.

RockBottom is the first piece where Stuart choreographs on his own body, using his personal experience to tell a story that obviously means a lot to him, but also resonates to a wider audience as it speaks about the tenacity of human spirit to survive what sometimes seems impossible.

Stuart’s performance credits include working with:

Protein Dance, Wired Aerial Theatre, Motionhouse Dance Theatre, Attik Dance, Interplay Theatre Company, Dansconnect, Barebones and Panta Rei Dance Theatre.

Stuart’s creative collaborations include working with:

Liam Steel, Ben Duke (Lost Dog), Pipa Duke, Helen Baggett (Gecko Physical Theatre), Henri Ougike, Sharon Watson, Helen Blackburn, David Massingham, Mike Ashcroft (RSC), Rui Horta, Yorgos Karamalegos, Katie Green, Lois Taylor, Yale Flexer, Kenneth Tharp and Scott Ambler.

Omar Gordon is an experienced dancer with a demonstrated history of working in physical theatre, immersive dance theatre, contemporary dance, teaching (classical ballet & contemporary techniques) choreography, rehearsal directing and video.

Formerly a member of Punchdrunk Theatre Company, (London & Shanghai), Bern Ballet (Switzerland), Richard Alston Dance Company (UK), Lyon Ballet (France), Aterballetto (Italy) and Northern Ballet Theatre (UK) and guest teacher with, Norrdans (Sweden), Carte Blanche (Norway), Greenwich Dance & The Place (UK), Geneva Ballet (Switzerland) and The State Theatre Of Northern Greece (Thessaloniki).

Omar performed in Protein’s LOL (lots of love) and B for Body.

Andy received his BMus from The University of London. Andy’s career began at the Royal Court Theatre in 80’s London, working with directors Max-Stafford Clarke and Danny Boyle.

Border Tales (2013) was Andy’s last major collaboration with Luca Silvestrini’s Protein, after having previously written the music for LOL (lots of love) in 2010.

Andy recently won The Cape Farewell Foundation competition for the public art installation at the Tidal Lagoon project in Swansea Bay. The time based sculpture will feed off the clean energy generated from the tidal lagoon to create a living mist sculpture and sound installation.

Faith grew up in Colorado, USA, when she began dancing at a young age. She went on to train at the San Francisco Conservatory of Dance and furthered her training at Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance.

Since then she has been freelancing in the UK and has had the privilege of working with artists including Arthur Pita, Joel O’Donoghue, Sarah Shorten, Sally Marie, Leila McMillan, and The Royal Court.

Faith is currently dancing with Luca Silvestrini’s Protein in The Little Prince.

Malick was born in Casamance Land (Senegal / West Africa) into the traditional milieu of sacred music of this region. He was raised in Ziguinchor within a griot family of Cissoko, where the mastery of African harp and drumming has had been shared across generations. Malick started to play kora at the age of 5 under his grandfather’s guidance Massen Cissoko, an internationally renowned kora master.

Malick began his career playing African percussions with Tamala, African ballet of Ziguinchor, where he mastered djembe, sangban and dundun while studying alongside Mocoulou Savane and Seckou Keita. In 2007, Malick cofounded a music group called Segourouba Group (formerly ‘Kamben Kefo’) famous for Seguruba percussions and widely recognized in the region of Ziguinchor for its traditional Mandeng music wisdom. In 2017, Malick joined AsuKa Tendeng Family, a traditional Jola music group, as a first korist and percussionist. Together, they were selected for Grand Prix du President de la Republique de Senegal and awarded 4th place.

Throughout his career, Malick spent many years training young musicians and teaching in international workshops along his older brothers. In 2018 Malick came to London to continue teaching and developing his practice. He has played in many concerts and festivals and has become a valued artist within the Southbank busking scene.

Laura completed an MMus in Jazz Trombone at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance 2020 with Distinction, during which she regularly performed in venues such as Ronnie Scotts with Mark Lockheart’s Contemporary Big Band, and various other smaller jazz ensembles. Laura plays in a plethora of other musical projects and genres including Barnacles, an experimental jazz quintet, and Latin Jazz ensemble The Voodoo Love Orchestra. She has toured with the renowned Giffords Circus, where she played trombone in their orchestra, and runs 11-piece afro-jazz band Yamäya that recently reached the final 8 bands (out of 5600 entries) in the Glastonbury emerging talent competition.

Laura has just received the Arts Council England Develop Your Creative Practice grant to explore her own contemporary jazz compositions and to continue studying under various renowned UK trombonists and composers.

Tom trained in contemporary dance at Laban, London followed by the CCN in Montpellier, France. He has worked with artists such as Hofesh Shechter, Ben Wright, Rosemary Lee, Charlotte Spencer, Yuval Pick and Charlie Morrissey.

Since 2010, Tom has worked on various projects with Luca Silvestrini’s Protein including (In)visible Dancing, To The Bone, Crossroads and Real Life Real Dance, engaging migrants, refugees, and students from pupil referral units in dance.

Tom has an extensive teaching practice that includes dance, movement and nature-based outdoor workshops.

Donna is a classically trained soprano who trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She has performed extensively throughout the UK at venues including the Royal Opera House, Glyndebourne, St John’s Smith Square, and Kings Place.

Donna is a keen advocate for contemporary music, and has premiered many new works by living composers.

For Protein, Donna has performed in May Contain Food and The Little Prince.

www.donnalennard.co.uk

Josh first performed in Ronnie Scott’s aged 15 with a Ronnie Scott’s Big Band project. Since then, he has increasingly found inspiration in the streets of London. He has since had the opportunity to work with inspirational players, such as Sam Leak, The Andrew Linham Jazz orchestra, Jakub Klimiuk, Louise Balkwill, Sam Norris, George Garford, Harry Brunt, Dan McConkey, Hugh Pascall, Huw v Williams, Will James and many more.

Simon was raised in rural Essex and trained in contemporary dance in Leeds. Having made his home in places as near as Bristol and as far away as Shanghai, he is now based in London where his passion for theatre work stretches across the realms of movement, acting and puppetry. For Protein, he has performed in The Little Prince and En Route To Common Ground, and has also appeared in several works for both Theatre Rites and Tilted Productions, as a dancer, actor and puppeteer.

Other work includes Sleep No More – Shanghai and The Drowned Man (Punchdrunk),The Little Match Girl and Ten Sorry Tales (Ballo Arthur Pita), Betrayal: A Polyphonic Crime Drama (I Fagiolini), Mucky Pup (Theatre Alibi), Benvenuto Cellini (Terry Gilliam/ENO). He has worked with Secret Cinema, Tom Roden, Lucy Suggate, Fleur Darkin, Sweetshop Revolution, Hannah Buckley, Shobana Jeyasingh, Kim Brandstrup, and Hofesh Schecter. 

Simone Donati is Italian but he completed his education in London at Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance. He then worked as a dancer for companies and choreographers like Ivan Pérez, Javier De Frutos, Balletboyz, Liam Scarlett, Pontus Lidberg, Russell Maliphant, Daniel Hay- Gordon, B’cause dance company, Contact Dance Company Malta and currently Musiktheater Im Revier in Germany.

During his time in London he co-directed and took part in a few inclusive dance projects in collaboration with SEN schools. Simone is one of the co-founders of P/in The Bucket Collective.

He joined Luca Silvestrini’s Protein in 2018 as a performer of FOOD, the remounted Italian version of May Contain Food May Contain You.

Joel Waters is a Drummer, Guitarist and Educator originally from Bedfordshire, now living in South East London. Since completing his Jazz degree at Trinity Laban, Joel has had many successes touring and recording internationally with various artists. Including the likes of; Olivia Dean, Sultan Stevenson trio, Rae Morris and Mathilda Homer. Joel also shares a huge passion for teaching, and has taught across a wide number of schools, and institutions in the UK.

Trumpet player Celeste Cantor-Stephens plays music that focuses on the creative and exploratory,
embracing a range of practices and traditions, from klezmer to jazz to free improvisation. She is
also a composer, writer and educator-facilitator. Balancing practice and academia, Celeste has
studied widely, including with trumpeter-composer Dave Douglas, at institutions such as the
Conservatoire de Caen (Normandy) and the Creative Music Studio (NY), and gaining postgraduate
degrees from Oxbridge universities.

Celeste is deeply committed to developing the relationship between music and work that is socially
and politically engaged, with human experience at its centre. She focuses, in particular, on human
displacement and borders, and on radical approaches to education, using creative, interdisciplinary
approaches as an expressive, human-led means of exploring and confronting.

Having trained and received BA (hons) in both Theatre and Dance, and a PGDip from the Northern School of Contemporary Dance, with distinction, Andrew performs as a dance artist and actor.

Currently Andrew can be seen dancing with Luca Silvestrini’s Protein in Border Tales and The Little Prince. 

He has also worked with renowned choreographers and UK based Dance and Theatre companies such as Ben Wrights bgroup, Curious Seed, ZoieLogic, Riccardo Buscarini, Jamie Fletcher Company, James Wilton, Casson and Friends, Smallpetitklein, Shaper Caper, Encounter, LaBanda, Steven Hogget for How to train your Dragon 2 and Simon McBurneys The Rakes Progress (Igor Stravinsky) in collaboration with Festival Aix and The DNO.

Andrew has taught for Youth companies, adult classes, Professional class and undergraduate dance courses within Scottish Dance Theatre, National Dance Company Wales Young Associates, Smallpetitklein, KNT danceworks, The Space Dundee, Northern School of Contemporary Dance, Ignite Scotland, GDA, ZoieLogic and Plymouth Conservatoire amongst others. Beyond performing, he is a keen dramaturg, and really enjoys working alongside other dance and theatre makers to realise their visions. He supported Zoielogic, Rendez-Vous Dance and Levantes Dance Theatre on their recent works.

https://www.andrew-gardiner.co.uk/

Originally from Manchester, Carl Harrison graduated from London Contemporary Dance School with a 1st Class Honours and was also the co-winner of the Deutsche Bank Pyramid Award for Contemporary Dance.

He has worked with Punchdrunk Theatre Company in London. His previous credits include working with Aletta Collins (Carmen, Salzburg), Maresa Von Stockert (SEASAW), Colin Poole, Katie Green, Darren Ellis, Junk Ensemble, Fitzgerald & Stapleton and Thick & Tight. He first worked with Luca Silvestrini’s Protein in 2014 on their outdoor piece Windows in Progress as part of the Royal Opera House Deloitte Ignite Festival.

Apart from performing, Carl’s other passions are women’s rights and food. Preferably at the same time.

Elisabetta d’Aloia is a performer, rehearsal director and assistant choreographer.

Born in Italy she trained at The Place and Laban where she gained an MA in Performance. As a movement director and assistant choreographer Elisabetta has worked with Russell Maliphant, Kim Brandstrup, Luca Silvestrini, Cameron McMillan, Alexander Whitley. As a performer Elisabetta has created work and performed with Transitions Dance Company, Bare Bones, Retina Dance Company, Russell Maliphant Company, Stephanie Schober & Dance Company, Sarah Dowling and Theatre Rites.

As a freelancer her credits include Frantic Assembly, William Tuckett, Hofesh Shechter, Akram Khan, Kim Brandstrup, Arthur Pita, Jasmin Vardimon and Javier De Frutos. She has performed and assisted in operas directed by Deborah Warner and Carousel directed by Jo Davies. Elisabetta is the Subject Leader for the Centre for Advanced Training in Birmingham at DanceXchange. She is also a freelance dance teacher. Elisabetta danced with Luca Silvestrini’s Protein in Windows in Progress in 2014.