Brazilian-born Jean Abreu is one of Britain’s rising dance talents. Having trained at Laban, he is now based in London and has an established network of support extending internationally, including the Netherlands, Germany and Brazil. Jean was a founder member of Protein Dance, with whom he toured 1999-2004, creating roles in Portrait with Group & Duck, Publife and The Banquet.

Jean brings his personal skills in Contemporary, Latin American and martial art forms to bear on his own unique choreographic style: possessing feline grace, a sense of immense but contained power and a razor sharp physical deftness as a performer; as a choreographer, he is insightful and human. His work has generosity, charisma and openness, and his ability to deal sensitively and eloquently with modern day human concerns and experiences results in it being immediately appealing and captivating.

Jean’s repertoire includes the duet Hibrido (2002), the solo O Lungo Drom (2004) and his most recent duet Urges (2004).

Acclaim and interest in Jean’s work have rapidly gathered momentum and 2004 has proved an exciting year. After successfully premiering O Lungo Drom at The Place Resolution!, Jean was appointed an Associate Artist at The Place for two years (2004-2006). He was also awarded one of twenty commissions in the first Place Prize to create the new duet Urges for the competition’s semi-finals in September. And with the Jerwood Award for Choreography 2003, he has been busy creating a new work – a trio - that will be ready for touring in 2005/06.

Jean Abreu acknowledges with gratitude the support of DWA Amsterdam, Dance East, The Place, Jerwood Foundation, Friends of Latin American Expression and Arts Council England

RECENT PERFORMANCES & TOURING

Recent highlights include:

2004
Teatro Libero, Palermo – a week of performances presenting a full evening of work, including Jean’s most recent work, Urges.

Clore Studio, Royal Opera House, London – performances of O Lungo Drom as part of the “New: Currents/ Summer Collection ‘04” season.

The Place, London – Premier of O Lungo Drom at Resolution!

CURRENT WORKS

From autumn 2004, Jean will offer a full evening’s programme of dance for touring. The following programme is suggested, but pieces may also be booked individually:

Urges
O Lungo Drom
Hibrido

URGES (2004, 17 minutes)

Urges is a Place Prize commission, choreographed by Abreu as a duet for himself and David Hughes, with music composed by Niel Kaczor.

The duet explores the nature of urges and how they define us. In contrast with the rational mind, urges draw us to visceral needs and instinctual pulls. Nature dictates this form of compulsion, making us question who or what is really in charge. Our vulnerabilities become exposed as urges fight for control within us.

Abreu’s latest work – Urges - premiered at The Place in September 2004.

O LUNGO DROM (2004, 20 minutes)

“To be everywhere and nowhere” – is a sentiment that lies at the heart of globalisation and modern day living. In this piece, Abreu takes us on a personal journey of identity and migration.

Inspired by the Romany expression “The Long Road” (a gypsy image for the journey of life as an endless progress into the unknown along an unending road), O Lungo Drom draws upon the personal experiences of a young man whose life has taken him from his native Brazil to the urban bustle of London – a migration of cultures in every possible sense.

The music, commissioned from John Metcalfe, Jera Sansom and Juan Gabriel, creates a parallel soundscape to the dancer’s movements, telling a story of travel and encounters with different and often confusing or hostile experiences. The dancer traces a series of movements, travelling the stage, posing questions and reaching for answers in a range of dance sketches in subtly varying moods.

HIBRIDO (19mins/ 2003)

A smokily sensual duet of fleeting moments and brief encounters that sees two dancers embark on a journey where they confront their differences and similarities – a voyage that brings tension and, ultimately, understanding.

“Hibrido is an intense duet investigating human interaction in a culturally diverse environment, and how personal identity is challenged, established or changed in the process – hence the title “Hybrid”. I have aimed to draw on Latin and Contemporary dance styles to combine a sense of flowing dynamics with moments of high energy and hypnotic, softer movements. I suppose it is really about the human capacity to change, adapt to new surroundings and create an identity out of that”. (Jean Abreu)

This piece was commissioned by Yorkshire Dance Centre, with support from The Place and FLAME (Friends of Latin American Expression).

FUTURE PRODUCTIONS

In 2005, Abreu will complete a new piece for a trio of dancers, building on initial research work made possible by his Jerwood Choreography Award. It will explore the tensions and ambiguities arising sexually and culturally between two men and a woman, in a world where identities shift and nothing is certain.

The new piece and programme of work will be available for touring from autumn 2005.

EDUCATION

 

REVIEW EXTRACTS

‘Hibrido… a highly physical yet mysteriously introspective journey, melding contemporary and Latin American dance forms… full of feline stealth and curiosity. Muscular but fluid, Abreu possesses the ease of an animal inside its own skin.’ (The Times, 2004)

’Harmonious and airy… Abreu has a panther-like intensity, his sinewy twists and weighty lunges drawing Natasha Gilmore into a dreamy duet of soft lifts and earthy rolls.’ (The Guardian, 2004)

‘..(Abreu) borrows…movements from capoeira and the lilting swing of Latin culture, blending them with restrained lyricism into a rounded dance duet’ (De Volkskrant, Amsterdam 2003, referring to ‘Hibrido’)

‘..a deeply sensitive solo…Abreu has a wonderfully sensuous movement style…The choreography is intelligent and sensitive…’ (The Dance Insider, 2004, referring to ‘O Lungo Drom’)

Forthcoming performances:
15 -16 Apr Urge / Nights on Delevan Street / Cult

Further info CLICK HERE