Francesco Scavetta

Scavetta has developed a reputation on the international dance scene for his wildly inventive work, playful humour and subversive intelligence and his company is at the forefront of the Nordic dance scene. In 1999 he established in Oslo, together with Gry Kipperberg, the dance company Wee and, since then, has produced 22 performances and experienced an extensive international activity, touring in 37 countries -in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, North, Central and South America.

Wee’s creations have changed in format and aesthetic, yet they have continuously explored what theatre and performance can mean in contemporary life and what kind of dialogues they can open with the audience. Scavetta’s theatricality has often been associated with the atmosphere of a weird dream or to a playful world of a child: strange, funny, poetic and, at the same time, surprising. The core of the company’s investigation deals with fragility and paradox, epiphany and dream, empathy and surprise, avoiding narrative and physical cliché, while questioning reality and identity with humoristic disbelief.

“Wee creates performances that can engage and amaze, can evoke empathy and twist expectations, that can be both poetic and unusual, and that we experience as a challenge first of all for ourselves: that surprises us, as much as it talks to us and about us.”

“A Surprised Body” (workshop)
“Francesco Scavetta proposes a personal approach to release technique and contact improvisation, influenced by his experience as a dancer/choreographer and as well by his practice of Tai Chi Chuan, that links a deep transformation of the body to delicate poetic of movement.

Already the title, “A Surprised Body” defines a metaphorical space – the image of a body in a constantly alerted state, able to surprise itself, escaping from a habitual daily body and from any kind of routine.
Awakening the internal and external supports we will allow isolation in the limbs and flow in the movement. Through different tasks for improvisation, we will aim for mental relaxation and a physical openness: a willingness to play, being totally engaged in what we do and see.

The research that led to the creation of the “Surprised Body Project” will ground the workshop.
The SBP is a piece that has been developing, as an ongoing creative process, since its première in 2010. It has been successfully presented, in different versions and with different constellations of dancers and musicians, in 27 countries in Europe, Asia, Central and South America.

CV (Teaching)
Born in Italy, Scavetta studied at National Academy of Dance of Rome, graduated in Theatre and Performing Arts and Post-graduated in Sciences of Communication.

Scavetta has been giving workshops among others at: P.A.R.T.S./Brussels, IMPULSTANZ/Wien, Henny Jurriëns Foundation/Amsterdam, SEAD/Salzburg Experimental Dance Academy, Greenwich Dance/London and in many dance/theatre festivals in 46 countries around the world.

Anika Edström Kawaji

Anika Edström Kawaji (Sweden) works with dance and performance. After her studies at P.A.R.T.S. (Brussels), she was engaged as a dancer at Rosas/Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker (Brussels) where she performed in several works between 2016 – 2020, such as Rain, Drumming, Rosas Danst Rosas, Achterland, Bartók/Beethoven/Schönberg, The Dark Red Research Project and Brancusi. She has recently been working with Fieldworks (Brussels) and have been collaborating in the projects: GRAY with (together with percussionist Andrès Navarro Garcìa & viola player Victor Guaita, Brussels), and Breadth (together with Robin Haghi, Erik Eriksson & Dalasinfoniettan in Borlänge, Sweden) in 2020. She is currently collaborating with Robin Haghi, a colleague from studies at P.A.R.T.S. and from Rosas, developing their own work and practices.

Robin Haghi

Robin Haghi (Sweden) studied at P.A.R.T.S. (Brussels). After graduating in 2016, he has been engaged in work with Rosas/Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker (Brussels) where he performed: Work/Travail/Arbeid, Rain, Zeitigung, A Love Supreme, Achterland, Bartók/Beethoven/Schönberg, The six Brandenburg concertos and Dark Red Kolumba between 2016 – 2020. He has also collaborated with choreographers: Salva Sanchis, Louis nam Le Van Ho and Vera Tussing. Robin participated in the making and performing of Breadth (together with Anika Edström Kawaji, Erik Eriksson & Dalasinfoniettan) which was performed in Borlänge, Sweden 2020. He is besides performing with Rosas currently starting to make work of his own together with Anika Edström Kawaji, with whom he has collaborated during studies (P.A.R.T.S.) and on stage (Rosas).

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