TEAM

Babirusa Danza was founded in 2006 by Beatriz Palenzuela and Rafael de la Lastra. Since its creation they have premiered various productions for theatres and non-conventional spaces in which they show contemporary dance, physical theatre, video dance, and video mapping.

Their choreographer Beatriz Palenzuela has received different awards such as First Prize in the “DeUnaPieza” (in one piece) Contest at the Carlos III University in Madrid, 2013, second prize for Video Dance II Capturadanza 2010, The Barcelona International Dance Exchange Award for the Choreographic Contest of Madrid 2010, a scholarship for the International Festival “Contact Meets Contemporary”, and AISGE Award for Outstanding Dancer at the Choreographic Contest of Madrid 2006.

The company has shown its work at different festivals such as Body Navigation Festival in St. Petersburg, the IDN Festival Mercat de les Flors, Madrid en Danza, American Dance Festival, USA, International Theatre and Street Arts Festival in Valadolid, Festival Vila-Real en Dansa, the Choreographic Contest in Madrid and Choreographers Festival in the Community.

Actually is part of the collective Coreógrafos en Comunidad in Conde Duque Madrid integrated by  Sharon Fridman, Mey-Ling Bisogno, Beatriz Palenzuela, Camille Handson, Manuel Rodriguez, Jesus Rubio, Janet Novás and Pablo Esbert.

BEATRIZ PALENZUELA MARTINEZ: Direction, choreography and performer.

En Danza Contemporánea es Titulada por el Real Conservatorio Profesional de Danza Marienma de Madrid y se formó en Carmen Senra (Madrid) y Henny Jurriens Stiching (Ámsterdam). Ha estudiado Danza Clásica en la Escuela de Iom Beitia y es titulada por la Royal Academy of Dancing.

Profesionalmente ha bailado para Larumbe Danza, Teresa Nieto y Pedro Berdäyes. Formó parte del proyecto Trasdanza 2007 de la Comunidad de Madrid y la Asociación de Profesionales de la Danza con los coreógrafos  Damián Muñoz, Carmen Werner, Daniela Merlo, Michelle Man, Nicolas Rambaud y Teresa Nieto.Participó como intérprete con el proyecto del coreógrafo israelí Sharon Fridman Projects in Movement en la pieza “Q Project” estrenada en el Festival Internacional Madrid en Danza 2009.

Funda Babirusa Danza donde desarrolla su labor de coreógrafa e intérprete creando las piezas: De Museumnacht, Lines, Folds, Communication Breakdown, Ánimo Animal, ¿M.R.U.M.? ¿Me Regalas Un Movimiento? y Brea Y Pumas.

Con su primera pieza obtiene en el XX Certamen Coreográfico de Madrid el Premio Fundación AISGE a una Bailarina Sobresaliente 2006 para asistir al American Dance Festival (E.E.U.U), donde fue seleccionada para participar en el Forsythe Project con Richard Siegal , Nik Haffner y Dana Caspersen, estudia Composición con David Dorfman y Zeleste Miller, Improvisación y Contact con Ismael Huston Jones y Curt Haworth, Técnica Danza Moderna con Abby Jager (Trisha Brown) y Mark Haim y Clases Magistrales con Jenifer Nugent, Eiko and Koma, David Dorfman y Iguan Dance Theater.

Con Babirusa Danza fue invitada a estrenar Folds en el Body Navigation Festival de San Petersburgo, Rusia. Para esta creación obtuvo la Residencia Artística El Navegatorio 2009 y Residencia Técnica en el Teatro de la R.E.S.A.D.

Galardonada con el 2º Premio de Videodanza en el II Concurso de Fotografía y Videodanza CAPTURADANZA Teatro de Madrid 2010 con Communication Breakdown. Con esta misma obra obtiene la Premio B.I.D.E. Barcelona International Dance Exchange en el Certamen Coreográfico de Madrid 2010. En Marzo de 2011 de nuevo en el B.I.D.E (Barcelona International Dance Exchange) es premiada con la beca para asistir al Festival Internacional Contact Meets Contemporary Göttingen 2011 y seleccionada para participar en el Festival de Video CanalMono Barcelona en Mayo del  2011. El videodanza ha sido proyectado este Febrero de 2013 en el Festival IDN Barcelona en el Mercat de les Flors y se incluirá en el Festival ShortDanceFilms dentro de marco de Modul-Dance.

¿M.R.U.M.? ¿Me Regalas Un Movimiento? creado dentro de las Residencias Temporales del Centro de Danza Canal, en una Residencia Artística en el Centro Cultural Eduardo Úrculo de Madrid y en una Residencia Técnica en el Centro Coreográfico de Coslada Larumbe Danza. Han colaborado Paso a 2/Certamen Coreográfico de Madrid, Distrito de Tetuán, Proximidad Cultural Ayuntamiento de Madrid y A.C. Gruñidos Salvajes.

Galardonada con el Primer Premio Certamen DeUnaPieza Universidad Carlos III de Madrid por Brea y Plumas (2013). Pieza en proceso que culminará su creación en Febrero de 2014 en una Residencia Técnica concedida por el Centro de Creación La Nave del Duende de Cáceres en su última convocatoria del Programa Becas Artista en Residencia.

Actualmente forma parte del colectivo madrileño Coreógrafos en Comunidad en el Conde Duque de Madrid.

RAFAEL DE LA LASTRA GARCÍA: Asistant director, creation and performer.

He studied Interpretation in Cuarta Pared, Madrid and Phisic Theater in Taller de Formación y Creación Teatral directed by Mª Mar Navarro y Andrés Hernández and  Mime Workshops in Theatre School Amsterdam. Contemporary Dance with Michelle Man, Beatriz Palenzuel, Sharon Fridman, Marta Carrasco, Iñaki Azpillaga,10&10 Danza and David Zambrano in Madrid, in Amsterdam on the Henny Jurriens Stiching and in American Dance Festival he participate in The Forsythe Project with Richard Siegal , Nik Haffner and Dana Caspersen, estudied Composition with David Dorfman and Zeleste Miller, Improvisation and Contact with Ismael Huston Jones and Curt Haworth, Modern dance Technique with Abby Jager ( Trisha Brown) and Mark Haim and Magistral Classes with Jenifer Nugent, Eiko and Koma, David Dorfman and Iguana Dance Theatre. 

He worked to El Curro DT in XVII Festival Internacional Madrid en Danza 2002, Els Comediants and Babirusa Danza where is creator and performer.
He found Babirusa Danza with Beatriz Palenzuela where develop her task as choreographer ans performer creating: “De Museumnacht”, “Lines”, “Folds”,“Communication Breakdown” y “Ánimo Animal”.
With the production “Folds” he was invited to perform for the first time in the Body Navigation Festival of Saint Petersburg in October of 2009 and obtained artistic residencies in El Navegatorio and R.E.S.A.D. Madrid.
In 2011 he participated in Festival B.I.D.E Barcelona International Dance Exchange where was selected to participate in  Festival Video CanalMono Barcelona 2011 and Festival International Contact meets Contemporary Göttingen 2011.

NOELIA GARCÍA BAZ: Performer and creation.

Has studied ballet and contemporary dance with different teachers and has participated in various international festivals and encounters with artists and creators of diverse artistic areas (dance, circus, theatre, music) in Barcelona, Berlin, Belgium and Vienna. Has taken contemporary dance classes with Michelle Man, Francesc Bravo, Carmen Werner, Teresa Nieto, 10&10 and Daniel Abreu, and composition classes with Guillermo Weickert and Nicolas Rambaud. In Brussels studies in La Raffinerie and in Jette with the group Les Slovaks, Cruz Mata, David Zambrano; with Lali Ayguade and Anton Lachky studies repertory (Hofesh Shechter and Akram Khan) and composition with Roberto Olivan. In 2008, participates en the “Multidisciplinary Performance Art and Cultural Exchange” and in “Ponderosa Tanzland Festival” held in Berlin takes classes of improvisation with Israeli creator Sahar Dor, contact and basics of martial arts applied to dance with Jorg Hassman, Sebastián Ferro, Wolfgang Ranft, Ricardo de Paulo and Bruno Caverna. In 2010, participates in the ImPuls Tanz 2010 where studies partnering with Rasmus Olme, Josef Fruzec & Linda Kapetanea, repertory of Trisha Brown with Shelly Senter, and composition with David Dorfman.
Professionally has worked in various productions with the director, choreographer and performer Michelle Man: “Sueños” - the production of Circus Theatre Price 2007-2008, “Seasons” with Ensemble Sinkro in the XI Neopercussion cycle of the district Chamberí 2010-2011. With the company La Phármaco participates as a performer in the piece “El Libro de los Venenos” which was awarded Injuve 2009 as the best scenic proposal and in Málaga Crea 2009 has received a honorable mention for the best dancers. With the company Fugapiés participates in the creation of the production “Connection” 2007, directed by Israeli choreographer Sharon Fridman. In 2009, Noelia with a group of dancers sets up Vado Permanente which emerges from the intention to approach dance to other public, representing it in another places; here by creating different pieces for the Archaeological museum of Madrid she develops her choreographic and performer’s skills.

UGNE DIEVAITYTE: Performer and creation.

Ugne takes her first steps into the dance world at 16 years old in her native country, Lithuania, after devoting 10 years of her life to rhythmic gymnastics. Gets involved in the contemporary dance thanks to the dance company Aura, where she starts studying and later on performing with such teachers and choreographers as: Birute Letukaite, Lina Puodziukaite, C.K. Morgan, among others. Carried on her studies participating in summer dance schools “Vilnius Dance Printing House”, with Igor Podsiadly, Katri Soini, Liisa Yla-Outinen, Rasmus Ölme, Petras Skirmantas, Vita Mozūraitė, Goda Laurinavičiūtė, Beata Tomaševičienė, Tina Decker and etc.; in educative programs of “New Baltic Dance Festival”, with Germaine Acogny, Olga Pona, Lisa Torun, Andrius Katinas, Olga Zitluchina, Nicholas Rowe; and in workshops leaded by Nina Wolhy, Angie Lau, Raimonda Gudavičiūtė, Julija Melnik. After moving to Madrid, has participated in workshops and courses given by Camille Hanson, Guillermo Weickert and Beatriz Palenzuela.
Professionally has performed in various spectacles with the dance company Aura, with Vytis Jankauskas dance theatre in the piece “Pėdsakai” and in diverse projects, such as “Lietuvos Didžiojo kunigaikščio Vytauto padėka laimėjus Žalgirio mūšį“ (2010), with the choreographer Aira Naginavičiūtė, in the “No commercial Art Festival 2009“ in the project “Music Visualisation Laboratory“, taking part in the performances “ARCO collective“ and “Muzika yra labai svarbi“ as a performer and as a dance advisor, respectively, in Wroclaw, Poland, participating as a performer in the project of scenic arts “Lato Artystyczne“. Since 2005 performs and gives contemporary dance classes in the centre of dance and choreography leaded by Marijanas Staniulėnas till 2008, when sets up Flow’in, a dance company, where works as a performer, teacher and choreographer until 2011. Here directs her first pieces “Saulėgraža” and “Kas slepiasi po vilko kailiu”. Afterwards, directs “Atspindžiai”, “Šizo stiklainyje” and “Kas būtų, jei atsimerkčiau?“, creations that have been presented respectively in the festivals “Teatro fojė“, “Šiluvos sakralaus meno dienos“ and “Vizuali tyla“.
Apart from the dance, has graduated bachelor in Psychology (2009) and, later on, master in Health Psychology (2011) with a thesis about dance therapy, a discipline, in which she has finished a postgraduate course. In this way, manages to combine her two passions, dance and psychology, and integrate them in diverse dance therapy courses that she has given in her native country.

CHEMA PALENZUELA: Musical composition.

Chema initiate his studies of singing at the music conservatory Ataufo Argenta of Santander. Later he gets interested in the piano and enters to the world of modern music, Jazz, Blues, Funky and etc.
After having finished his studies with great masters of piano, Chema gets involved in electronic music by setting up his own recording studio. Has taken part in diverse musical groups as an instrumentalist and an arranger. Since his childhood was keen on dance and movement, taking ballet and modern dance classes.
While working with the company Babirusa Danza, Chema has created a soundtrack for “Folds”, the piece which had its premiere in San Petersburg and which dance video was awarded the second video dance prize in the II Photography and Video Dance contest CAPTURADANZA Theatre of Madrid 2010.

TRISTANA CASTILLA: Video creation and projection.

Has graduated in audiovisual communication at the Complutense University of Madrid. In 2003, starts her dance training by getting into diverse dance styles: Jazz, Ballet, Funky, Flamenco, Oriental dance, Air acrobatics.
Since 2006 studies contemporary dance in depth with Gustavo de Ceglie. Broadens her audiovisual education by means of workshops: “Cinematographic photography” (CECAN-EICTV), “Screenplay and cinematographic direction” (Encantada school, La Palma). In 2010, travels to Cuba to the Cinema and Television school of San Antonio de los Baños with the aim to participate in the workshop “Cámaras Danzantes” (“Dancing cameras”) and in such a way discovers the unity of video and dance, her two passions. She is screenwriter, producer and editor of “Temporal”, “Espacios”, “Panal”, “Irrational thinking objective emotion” and other visual creations. In 2011, the production “Espacios” gets the honourable mention and “Panal” is selected for the projection on the big screen by the VIII International Festival “Dance For The Camera” in the University of Utah en Salt Lake City.
As a performer Tristana participates in “CMYK” by Elena Sala, “Breathe” by Valeria Valentina, “Yogurt” by Felipe López, “Danción” by Jermán Catalán, “Balon alone” by Dasiel Cruz. Has made practice in the department of thematic progams (RTVE). Currently, Tristana is studying master of Scenic Arts at the URJC.

SERGIO G. DOMINGUEZ: Lighting design.

Has graduated at the Fine Arts faculty of Madrid Complutense University (1991-1996) and has participated in various specialization courses: Scenic lighting course at the Centre of the Spectacle technology with Jaume Aiza (Barcelona 2005), workshop Perseguidores de Sombras (Pursuers of Shadows) by the company La Cónica Lacónica (Barcelona UNIMA 2006) and the direction course of the INAEM (Comunidad de Madrid 2007).

From 2006 to 2008 has worked as a lighting and sound technician at the theatre Pradillo in Madrid. Similarly, has worked as a lightning designer and technician for the companies Daniel Abreu (Canarias), Nabeirarrúa Danza (Madrid), Provisional Danza (Madrid), Paloma Calle (Madrid), Angel Corella (Castilla la Mancha), Megaló Teatro Móvil (Madrid), 87 Grillos (Madrid), Sin Aliento (Madrid), Simona Ferrar (Suiza), La Sombra de tu Perro (Madrid), Projects in Movements (Israel-Madrid), Jesús Rubio (Madrid), Babirusa Danza (Madrid) and Onírica Mecánica (Murcia).