André Uerba
Choreographer and Bodyworker
André Uerba is a neurodivergent Choreographer and Bodyworker with a particular interest in interweaving the fields of dance and holistic practices. He investigates ways in which an holistic approach can be transferred into his choreographic work, creating within that context a sensorial and sensitive space where both audience and performers coexist. Since 2018 his research is largely focused within the potentialities of an encounter, slowness and the concept of rehearsing intimacy in a performative and social environment. At its core, his body of work is about sharing unapologetically emotions as a political gesture.
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WORKS
Bio
His engagement with practices of touch began in 2018 during the rehearsals of his project “Burn Time”, funded by the Senate Department for Culture and Europe (DE), supported by O Espaço do Tempo (PT) and PACT Zollverein. “Burn Time” was presented in Portugal, Germany, Sweden, Spain, Slovenia, Indonesia and Taiwan. Since then, his research is focused on the multi-layered subject of human encounters and the distinct layers of intimacy: with intimacy he denotes a place where one can be seen, heard and embraced. His work investigates the emergence of togetherness and how it manifests in his own and other bodies. In 2019, in the frame of a residency at Flutgraben Performances (Berlin), he developed “Fire Starter”, a performance that invites the audience to touch and to be touched. Later, he created and hosted “Pool of Emotions”, a performative event and simultaneously an intimate gathering that is on its 5th Edition. In 2021 during a 4 weeks residency at Radialsystem, he created the film “Inviting Moments of Stillness” and later the performance “A hole the size of your touch”, presented at the Biennial of Contemporary Arts in Lisbon. Both projects display alongside a choir, explorations of proximity and touch-based modalities of togetherness. In 2022 he developed “Æffective Choreography”, in which practices of self-touch are explored, marking a new chapter in his research, reinforced by his training as a Sexological Bodyworker by the Institute for Somatic Learning, Sexuality and Bodywork (ISB Berlin). “Æffective Choreography” was funded by the National Performance Network – Stepping Out and presented at Radialsystem (Berlin), Tanzbiennale Heidelberg and Halle am Berghain (Berlin).
André has been developing group projects since 2018, often engaging with the local community by working with professional and non-professional dancers. He recognises the importance of the creative process and he gives equal attention to both the final object and the process. His previous experience within groups was initiated in 2012 as artistic collaborator and group coordinator in “Atlas” (2012-2018) from Ana Borralho & João Galante, a project with 100 local amateur performers on stage.
Among others, André performed in projects from: Tino Sehgal (This is so Contemporary), Bernardo Chatillon (Reindeer Ager), Antonija Livingstone (Male Breast Feeding), Clément Layes (The Eternal Return), Alexandra Pirici (Aggregate), Naufus Ramírez-Figueroa (The Print of Sleep), Miguel Moreira (Se eu não puder dançar esta não é a minha revolução), Carlota Lagido (Monster), Ana Borralho & João Galante (Sexy MF).
In 2021 Uerba was part of the “Re-Think”, a one-year program focused on creating strategies for more sustainability and accessibility in dance and performance, hosted by the Swedish Institute and Norrlandsoperan. In 2022/2023 André is a grant holder of the Tanzpraxis Stipendium (Berlin) during the period of 18 months. In 2023 he is a Pina Bausch Fellowship. His practice unfolds into mentoring, facilitating workshops and as a practitioner.