ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Movement explorer, somatic practitioner, workshop leader, improviser and mum.

Born in Taiwan.

Kuan is interested in looking into daily life movements such as walking, breathing and stretching. The things we do everyday — the rhymes of conversations we have with ourselves and people; and the interactions between other life forms or objects. She observes and practices being with the present moment as her way of tuning with herself and the outside world. She believes movements exist in any forms, moving or stillness. She loves creating and holding space for whoever loves to dance.

Kuan came from strict dance training and found her love of freedom through contact improvisation in University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana during her study there. After university, Kuan has performed, choreographed and taught in New York, Hong Kong and now based in London. Recently, she has a new meaning of life as she became a mum. Dancing with her little ones brings her much joy and inspiration. Family and community means more than ever to Kuan. She would love to gather and support people who need creative spaces to dance and be in their joyful selves.

FOUNDER

Born in Germany. Esther's passion for movement was ignited at the age of 8. Growing up in the village of Umkirch, in the Black Forest, her main interests were nature and being outdoors, not to dance. Yet the encounter with her first ballet teacher Susan Carter opened her eyes and body to new ways of communicating, that from this point onwards remained a central part of her life.

In 2000, Esther moved to the UK to study dance professionally and graduated from London Studio Centre in 2003 with a BA (Hons) Degree in Theatre Dance. Since then she has worked as a freelance dancer, teacher and choreographer in both the professional and community dance sector. Esther’s professional appearances include several productions at the Royal Opera House London, and works with Kate Flatt, Aletta Collins, Jacky Lansley, Michael Keagan-Dolan, Ron Howell, Bernadette Iglich, amongst others.

In 2012 she was awarded a grant to present work at BIG DANCE. In support of this work she published an article called 'What’s the point of Community Dance' in the National Magazine ANIMATED, published by The Community Dance Foundation. Esther is an Associate Artist of the 'Dance Research Studio - DRS' founded by Jacky Lansley. Through her involvement at DRS, in particular, Esther became passionate about Interdisciplinary Performance. She is a guest tutor on the professional development programme ‘The Speaking Dancer’.

TEACHER

Born in Venezuela, Ivan is a non-binary dancer and movement artist. They hold an MA in Dance and Movement Psychotherapy from Goldsmiths, University of London, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in General Psychology, from the Metropolitan University of Caracas. Ivan has extensive experience in classical ballet, contemporary dance, and voguing, having spent five years in Caracas studying classical ballet professionally. Additionally, they have worked with the renowned Spanish circus "La Fura dels Baus," where they honed their skills in integrating movement and performance art. Ivan also has experience as a classical ballet teacher, sharing their knowledge and passion for dance with aspiring dancers.

Driven by a passion for diversity and the innovative potential that arises from inclusivity, Ivan believes that every individual is unique and an expert in their own story. Their work focuses on the intersection of creativity and mental health, utilizing movement as a powerful medium to foster self-expression and connection.

In addition to their therapeutic practice, Ivan regularly engages in Zen meditation, further enriching their approach to mental well-being and holistic health. They are committed to creating safe spaces for individuals to explore their identities and experiences through the transformative power of movement.

CO-FOUNDER

born in Spain. Initially, her social vocation and concern about human matters urged her to start her career as an Occupational Therapist giving her a holistic understanding of the human being.

A graduate in Audiovisual Communication and Advertising & PR from University of Salamanca (Spain), she has been working in media for more than five years as a production coordinator in Spain and the UK.

Cristina is always curious about different matters in life, she followed every opportunity she had to explore new horizons. Her passion to travel and discover new cultures led her to move to London in 2012. This city became a melting pot where all the angles of her life suddenly matched.

In March 2013, Cristina co-founded Dandelion Collective.

In 2015, Cristina moved to Portugal to pursue her calling to a life in nature and faith.