Avatâra Ayuso
Avatâra Ayuso is a choreographer with an international profile who has developed works around the world in collaboration with world class institutions and organizations. Over the years, Avatâra has received several awards and grants to develop her skills as a choreographer, researcher and cultural leader. She is Associate Artist of both the European Center for the Arts Hellerau Dresden and of Shobana Jeyasingh Dance. Moreover, her company is Associate Company of Creative Academy Slough (UK). Avatâra was nominated for the 2015 National Dance Awards in the UK. Avatâra is also fully committed to empowering women and girls around the world, taking part in various initiatives to promote change and equality.
Her first dance videos Dance Pumpkin Dance was shot in London in 2012, followed by Tokyo Tokyo in 2013 in Japan. In her cinematographic style there is a clear influence of her dance choreographic background. Her personal understanding of movement, stillness and rhythm is present in every frame.
When you ask Avatâra about the shifting from dance to film, she seems to barely think there is an actual shifting and replies confidently that her passion for dance filmmaking started as soon as she developed her first choreographies. She became fascinated by the editing process because, according to her, it is a very important part in any choreographic project: what remains? What is left behind? When do you shift ideas? How do you direct the eye of the audience to where you want?
Avatâra's criteria to choose a team
In order to realise the artistic project THREE WOMEN THREE FILMS, it was essential for Avatâra to create a team that not only believes in the the motivations and the goals of the project but also a team capable to take risks and follow her in the adventures she proposes. She is fully aware that it is not easy to work under the conditions the extreme landscapes create. Dealing with unexpected changes and problems become the rule and she needs her team to be prepared for those challenges. Also, the team must be fully conscious that when working in very different cultures to ours, with restrictions and ways of understanding life in a completely different way, respect for the others, despite the difficulties, is fundamental.
Her first dance videos Dance Pumpkin Dance was shot in London in 2012, followed by Tokyo Tokyo in 2013 in Japan. In her cinematographic style there is a clear influence of her dance choreographic background. Her personal understanding of movement, stillness and rhythm is present in every frame.
When you ask Avatâra about the shifting from dance to film, she seems to barely think there is an actual shifting and replies confidently that her passion for dance filmmaking started as soon as she developed her first choreographies. She became fascinated by the editing process because, according to her, it is a very important part in any choreographic project: what remains? What is left behind? When do you shift ideas? How do you direct the eye of the audience to where you want?
Avatâra's criteria to choose a team
In order to realise the artistic project THREE WOMEN THREE FILMS, it was essential for Avatâra to create a team that not only believes in the the motivations and the goals of the project but also a team capable to take risks and follow her in the adventures she proposes. She is fully aware that it is not easy to work under the conditions the extreme landscapes create. Dealing with unexpected changes and problems become the rule and she needs her team to be prepared for those challenges. Also, the team must be fully conscious that when working in very different cultures to ours, with restrictions and ways of understanding life in a completely different way, respect for the others, despite the difficulties, is fundamental.
Braunarts Ltd.
Braunarts is a BAFTA award-winning digital arts production company that creates distinctive and memorable explorations of the arts, history and culture. They have a long standing interest in dance and have worked with a wide range of choreographers including Wayne Macgregor, Mark Baldwin, Siobhan Davies and Shobana Jeyasingh. Braunarts is led by digital artists Terry Braun and Gabi Braun and projects are driven by ideas rather than technology, although the work has often been inspired by the sometimes unrecognised potential of digital media. Projects are often collaborative and delivered on a wide range of platforms including 3D surround sound systems, large-scale outdoor projections, broadcast television, cd-roms, websites, live stage projections and apps, as well as installations for museums, galleries and historical buildings. Projects are resourced on a per project basis - we enjoy working with a wide range of people including designers, archeologists, developers, historians, curators, musicians, engineers, choreographers and composers.
Elena Nebreda
Independent Spanish filmmaker and journalist interested in feminism, slow movement and other social movements that remind the essential of the human condition. She has worked in a Spanish nationwide TV broadcaster and in two production companies in California (United States) where she has also been a Teaching Assistant for the California State University Film and Electronic Arts programme.
Estela Merlos
Estela is an independent dance artist based in London. After working with worldwide recognised dance companies she became a freelance artist in 2014 and she has performed with a wide range of dancers and dance companies in various countries, including Avatâra Ayuso. She has now joined forces with Avatâra in order to introduce some choreographic movements to narrative short films.
