Protein connects people and everyday life through dance.
One of the most distinctive voices in British dance theatre, Artistic Director Luca Silvestrini has been using a blend of original choreography, text, humour and music to entertain and provoke audiences since 1997. Protein’s shows connect theatrical experiences with the everyday and real-life stories that engage audiences and participants in both on-and-off stage productions.
We believe in bringing the audience closer, inviting them to connect with what’s happening on stage, whether through subject matter, location, or the way performers directly address the audience bridging the divide between watching and participating. The success and impact of Protein’s performance and participation programme has grown nationally and internationally over the last twenty-one years and in 2016, Protein was again nominated (having won the accolade in 2011) for the best Independent Company at the National Dance Awards. We believe in bringing the audience closer, inviting them to connect with what’s happening on stage, whether through subject matter, location, or the way performers directly address the audience bridging the divide between watching and participating. The success and impact of Protein’s performance and participation programme has grown nationally and internationally over the last twenty years and in 2016, Protein was again nominated (having won the accolade in 2011) for the best Independent Company at the National Dance Awards.
Protein has toured throughout the UK and internationally with its acclaimed productions including The Little Prince (2018); May Contain Food (2015), Border Tales in its original version (2013), and LOL (lots of love) (2010). In addition to on-stage works, Luca has created outdoor shows including Windows in Progress (2014) and (In)visible Dancing (2010) which, has now been commissioned fifteen times and reached an audience of over 159,000 people. In 2016 the company was commissioned by BBC World Service (with a global reach of 166 million) to restage an excerpt of Border Tales for their Identity season. Following a successful run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2017 to sold-out audiences and to critical acclaim, Border Tales toured throughout 2018. Protein’s The Little Prince, based on the world-famous philosophical novella by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, premiered at DanceEast in Ipswich in 2018 before completing an extensive spring and summer tour, which included two sell out shows at the International Dance Center Theater in Shanghai. The Little Prince returns for an Autumn tour 2019, before arriving at The Place, London, for Christmas, 2019. The show will be adapted to be a part of the Rural Touring Dance Initiative in early 2020.
2019 is Protein’s 21st anniversary and to mark the occasion, Protein is celebrating those who have made the 21 years possible and inviting dance organisations from across the UK to be inspired by Luca Silvestrini’s past work by creating a contemporary response for today.
