Meet our winners.

The WE-Award encourages the potential and development of dedicated artists, empowering them through the freedom of unrestricted financial support. The recipient of the WE-Award will be selected among the project proposals of the WE-Open Call by fellows from the movement community.

Abel Moses | Nigeria.

Recipient WE-Award January 2022

Abel Moses is a dance practitioner based in Nigeria who started his journey with Krumping followed by training in Modern Dance and Ballet at S.P.A.N. (Society of Performing Art in Nigeria).

Since 2020, Abel has been practicing his unique style which explores unhindered human movement as dance, a means of communication and a means to create an empathetic space for the participant and the audience. He incorporates innovative combinations of improvisation techniques that adhere to the principles of soul project.

Using dance as a medium to foster collaboration and cooperation, Abel seeks to break down the instinctive distrust and hatred prevalent in his multicultural community to create a warm bubble of harmony and true neighborliness in the community.

His Project.

"Commune and Community" is a dance project with an idea and an answer to the critical question - "how to break down sociocultural barriers?" - which holds back the typical Nigerian community. 

Through short dance films created with children from his community, Abel seeks to speak about oneness, trust, breaking limitations and seeing the beauty and unity in our cultural diversification.

Livia Labrador | Venezuela.

Recipient WE-Award November 2021

Livia Labrador is a Venezuelan dancer and creator. Interested in facilitating the movement culture, she is the founder and director of the Mérida Urbana training platform as well as the Resilient Hip Hop Battle and the Residencia Venezuela project. 

With over 13 years of experience in the artistic world, Livia has dedicated years of her training to specialize in street dances and floor techniques. She holds a bachelor in dance from the university UNEARTE in Caracas (VE) and continues to research in the field of movement.

Grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with multiple artists, Livia values teamwork as a tool to enhance self-expression and develop different perspectives of the world we live in and we want to represent through Arts.

Livia’s movement codes, also influenced by her studies in theater and music, come from an holistic movement practice which is her personal way to train and experience the freedom of body, mind and spirit. 

Her Project.

The “Residence” project is the result of a collaboration between the Mérida Urbana platform and its company.

The project wants to give visibility to unconventional spaces within the city of Mérida in Venezuela, promote their rescue and turn them into cultural and recreational hubs.

The mission is to provide adequate and permanent spaces for all communities with a greater attention towards vulnerable minorities which have scarce resources and little access to educational activities.

We see “Residence” as the beginning of a flourishing art community invested in researching in the field of dance and creating opportunities for all the artists involved and beyond.

Flynn Disney | England.

Recipient WE-Award September 2021

Flynn is a teacher, practitioner and researcher. His focus lies on exploring the space between mind & body through parkour and somatic investigation.

To this end, he has sought a multi-disciplinary understanding of movement and psychology. After coaching for a number of years, Flynn took space from the movement world. He used this time away to diversify his knowledge and perspectives. In 2018, he began to study and work with dogs, as a behaviorist. Returning to movement teaching, he observed connections between animal and man. How emotion, movement and mentality interweave in subtle ways.

Seeking clarity, Flynn dove deeper into research and practice. A desire to traverse the boundary between known and unknown led to a discovery. Exploration, as a concept. is itself explorable. First, this manifested in a physical session exploring the streets of London. Second, in an online group, exploring the application of scientific principles into movement teaching and practice.

Flynn sees knowledge as a means of empowerment. Without knowledge, we are stuck in the Darwinian game, but with it, we are free to explore our potential. Living on a narrow-boat, Flynn resides in Brighton, England.

His Project.

Our scientific understanding of mind & body has evolved rapidly over the last decades, yet our lives remain largely untouched.

The Exploration group was born out of the gap between how much information we have access to, and our ability to apply it in the real world.

The group explores how scientific principles can be used in movement teaching, learning and performance.

Based on a three-phase program, we use independent study, group conversation and research projects to traverse along the path between "information", "knowledge" and "wisdom".

This process results in a deep understanding of the subject matter, and has the potential to generate new, multi-disciplinary ideas through cohesive teamwork & conversation.

Lau Beh Chin | Malaysia.

Recipient WE-Award May 2021

Lau Beh Chin (Jinn) is from Penang, Malaysia. She qualified with a degree in chemical engineering. In 2011, she spent a year in Master of Choreography at Fontys Hogeshcool Voor de Kunsten, Tilburg before she was awarded the Stepping Stone scholarship. She moved to Ireland and graduated from the University of Limerick the following year with a first class honors Master’s degree in Contemporary dance performance.

Jinn has performed and worked with Katja Grässli (Swiss/NL), Laura Murphy (IRL), Jacqueline Doyen (FR) and Isabella Schad(GE). She also presented her choreographic work at ABUNDANCE ’13 (Sweden), Dancewoods Workshop Festival (Italy). Jinn was one of the choreographers selected for The International Young Choreographer 2019 in Taiwan. In 2016, she received the Royal Art Gala Fund 2015 and produced “Where Two Seas Meet” a collaboration with the cultural philosopher Marc Colpaert and choreographer Katja Grässli from Europe and dancers from Malaysia.

Beside her work as performer and choreographer, Jinn started the ANJEZ project which provides art education to refugee students. In 2018, she produced "Your Memories, Our Identity"(YMOI) with the support of Cultural Economy Development Agency (CENDANA).

Her Project.

“Moving with artisans(MoA)” is a project continuing after the development of the work ‘Your Memories, Our Identity (YMOI)’ originated in 2018. It is based on the oral history of 5 traditional jobs and skills on the verge of extinction in Butterworth city (Malaysia). Because the younger generation is not willing to perpetuate the tradition and because the jobs and skills are slowly being replaced by use of machines, these traditional works are slowly getting lost.

“MoA: Body as Archive '' explores the possibility and the methodology to create an archive for the characteristic movements of these artisans. Five young artists from different backgrounds and dance training will work individually and in groups to further explore the artisans’ movements in their work place and in the moment of making. 

The movements will be interpreted and archived in different stages enhancing form and functionality with the intention to stimulate a new and powerful connection with the local community. 

The project develops with and for the local community which is called to participate and engage in workshops, site specific & theatre performances, archiving, audience interaction sessions, etc…

Sara Angius | Italy.

Recipient WE-Award April 2021

Sara Angius, italian contemporary performer and choreographer, received her professional education at the Accademia Dance-Haus in Milan (Italy). At the same time, she completed her studies in Communication of Performing Arts at the State University of Milan.

From 2013 onwards she danced at State Theatre Braunschweig in choreographies by Jan Pusch, Roy Asaf, Kathrin Hall and Ilka von Häfen, among others. In autumn 2015 she also took part in the choreography "From IN" in the company of the Chinese choreographer Xie Xin Dance Theatre, Shanghai (China).

She has won several awards for her own short choreographies at various international competitions such as Internationales Solo-Tanz-Theater Festival Stuttgart and International Choreography Competition Burgos-New York).

In early 2018, Sara worked with James Thierrée on the elaboration of his creation "Frôlons" for Opera de Paris (France), which debuted in June 2018. In spring 2019, Sara choreographed for the Theater der Jungen Welt Leipzig (Germany).

In October 2020 Sara's latest production "LONO-The Woman Who Had Two Navels" premiered at LOT-Theater Braunschweig.

Her Project.

The project proposed is a pure movement exploration for a dancer and a figure. Sara’s personal curiosity focuses on finding as many ways as possible to “dance” with an inanimate figure attached to her body, and making it look alive. During the research, an existential theme naturally popped out: an introspective look that reflects the current human condition, where the individual experiences loneliness in all its emotional facets. The isolation becomes a chance to reach the deepest part of ourselves, to get to know the strangers within us, explored through herself as a performer and the figure attached to her body.

The movement-research will develop into a short film that strives to break the subtle border between the inside and the outside of a human, like a small door that lets out the deepest side of a person. Figure and performer manipulate each other, the twists and changes of perspective through the camera will create a variety of illusions and optical effects, leading the viewers into a surreal, metaphysical journey. The work aims to present timeless, poetic images of minimalist aestethics, in which the spectators aren’t reflected in how they are on the outside, but in how they feel on the inside. 

Sara’s activity is nothing other than the response to the instinctive need to use the body as the most important and valuable tool of communication. She considers this need a privilege that she feeds through the continuous search for the infinite possibilities of body language and the constant transformation of her movement quality. Her research is now interdisciplinary and consists of contemporary dance, puppetry, objects-animation, clowning, mime and illusion. The way these disciplines can influence and enrich each other is the frame for her investigation.

WE-Award will contribute to the film-production which will start in October 2021 and will come out by December 2021.

Collaborator on this project | Johanna Ehlert for the figure-concept and manufacture.

Kelsey Ang | Hong Kong.

Recipient WE-Award February 2021

Kelsey Ang is a captivating artist and creator whose career spans the globe. She trained in Hong Kong and the Philippines before moving to Los Angeles where she graduated Summa Cum Laude with a double degree in dance and marketing from Loyola Marymount University. In LA, she had the pleasure of performing Bill T. Jones, Sidra Bell, and BODYTRAFFIC repertoire, and working with Jay Carlon, Toogie Barcelo and Invertigo Dance Theatre. On screen, she is in a music video for Lee Grove Music (Kristen Gutoskie) and a Blenders Eyewear campaign. Her choreographic experiences range from stage performances at the Strub Theatre in LA, a music video for HK’s Leisure and Cultural Services Department, and pieces for West Island School and SHIFT Dance’s students. Currently, Kelsey is creating a series of dance films called “Night Market” which will premiere online at the Along the Edge Arts Festival in May 2021.

Kelsey is passionate about sharing movement through teaching. Founded and directed by Kelsey Ang, SHIFT Dance is an international dance platform based out of Hong Kong creating rich arts experiences to connect artists worldwide and shift the landscape of dance in Asia. Kelsey hopes to inspire and empower a global community of dance artists and movers through various programs for people of different ages and abilities from beginners to professional dancers, kids to adults. Through SHIFT, Kelsey hopes to promote a rich, thriving arts scene in Asia. 

Her Project.

SHIFT Dance Intensive is a week-long immersion of contemporary dance where young pre-professional and emerging dancers have the opportunity to train and connect with top local and international dance artists from Asia, USA, Europe and around the world. Participants will be able to experience contemporary technique classes, repertory, mentorship and choreography sessions. For the summer of 2021 (end of July/ early August), SHIFT will offer a hybrid program of various virtual and in-person opportunities for dancers across Asia. In-person classes will be held in Hong Kong and Singapore whilst dancers in countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines will have the opportunity to take part virtually. 

SHIFT Dance Intensive is the only Hong Kong based summer dance program focused on elevating the landscape of contemporary dance and connecting dance communities throughout Asia. Through this program, Kelsey hopes to elevate the level of dance training and create an international hub connecting dancers in Asia. SHIFT hopes to build a community of dancers across Asia to support and inspire each other, and empower young artists to pursue their passion. 

InQdrt | Switzerland.

Recipient WE-Award January 2021

Represented by Isabelle Spescha, InQdrt explore and create art using contemporary dance and the athletic movement of the discipline of parkour.

InQdrt wants to invite a young, specifically teenage audience to discover Contemporary Dance through the vehicle of Parkour. Parkour can happen everywhere - so why not on stage?

This collective wants to inspire a young audience to explore their own creativity and expression through the body and movement. Traceurs fascinate through their fast and acrobatic movement style. They reflect urban youth culture. At the same time, a dancing Traceur shows a very personal intimate side of himself. His moments of struggle, joy, fun and flow connection or confrontation are universal states of being. They are very human. InQdrt wants to show young kids, and especially young boys, that dance and the personal expression of emotion in art is very valid, creative and accessible for them.

For Isabelle, as a choreographer and as woman in the lead, it is very inspiring to work with this group of young men. She says: "They are very talented movers and bring in movement material that is new for me. I help them find new ways to explore their bodies and movement. At the same time we discover a lot of common ground."

InQdrt is curious how this fusion of Contemporary Dance and the Trend Sport Parcour will develop in the future.

Their Project.

WANNANDERS is a project of the collective InQdrt. Exploring the intersection between contemporary dance and the athletic movement of the parkour discipline, InQdrt combines these two forms of movement into an artistic performance and thus invents a new stage language, which is primarily aimed at a young audience.

- How does my body change in different environments?

- How do we change each others?

- When do changes happen? And why?

- How fast can I adapt to a new situation?

In this piece, a group of young men from the Parkour section, so-called Traceurs, explore these questions by moving into the unknown territory of contemporary dance and choreography. Guided by the choreographer Isabelle Spescha they develop a new movement language and theatrical framework of a performance.

WANNANDERS will premiere in March 2022 in the reconstructed alte Reithalle Aarau, that is still under construction and opens in October 21. Stay tuned!

Pritha Kundu | India.

Recipient WE-Award November 2020

Pritha identifies as an explorer, researcher, and innovator in visual and performing arts and strives to promote a paradigm where one learns to look beyond their genres of training and push the boundaries of their creative instinct. She intends to integrate her interests in science, photography, filmmaking, and movement arts to create socially relevant art that provokes conversations about the societal impact of art and its significance.

Apart from exploring movement styles for the joy of it, Pritha strives to provide a voice to the unheard or otherwise understated aspects of life which nevertheless have significant societal consequences. In the future, she wishes to focus on research to assess and reform pedagogical approaches in sciences and arts with an aim to contribute towards a more equitable and empathetic society.

She finds inspiration in connecting with other lives and finds a sense of gratitude and motivation in listening to their stories. Pritha believes in striving to build a community which provides a safe space where people can find the support to nurture their creative potential without restricting their art/practice to conventionally labelled, compartmentalized genres.

These thoughts are at the core of her movement community, Aramandi to Attitude, which she co-founded in 2019 with a fellow graduate student.

Her Project.

The global perception of Indian dance is mostly limited to the eight Classical Dances and to the amalgamation of a myriad of movement forms that is presently referred to as the ‘Bollywood style’. However, apart from these popularly recognized forms, there are numerous indigenous/endemic forms of movement like folk and tribal dances, martial arts, etc which are practiced across India. Most of these forms are at risk of extinction due to various factors like declining patronage, mass appeal, and number of extant practitioners.

Her proposed project is the foundation of a broader venture aimed at providing a global, collaborative platform to encourage and showcase the tremendously diverse vibrance of the Indian movement landscape and its practitioners. Pritha wishes to contribute towards preserving the movement forms through methodical visual documentation and explore how these movement styles can evolve in the context of contemporary social, cultural, and artistic influence.