Biograph
Since early age, Ana Leonor Ladas has been driven by a constant curiosity in understanding the nature of life and the human condition. This basic drive led her to dedicate her life for over then 20 years on practices where Body and Mind awareness have been central.
Initially she studied at the University of Psychology at I.S.P.A in Lisbon (1992-1997). While still studying she discovers Dance as her deep passion. In her heart she clearly felt something of the realm of sacred. With no hesitation she assumed dance as her orientation in life. She travelled to The Netherlands where she graduated from the HKA – Dansacademie in 2001.
During many years, she developed a whole career in the dance field working with different companies and independent choreographers in the Netherlands and abroad, doing her own work and joining artistic collaborations. With innocence she hoped to find sacredness within this field but despite many great experiences, she always felt ‘something was missing’… until 2006 where (de)motivated by disappointment and a need to change she travels to Japan to do a workshop in a farm with somebody she never had heard of.
Here is the beginning of a radical transformation. A conscious re-orientation in her perception and life takes place. For long periods between 2006 and 2010 she worked and shared the life style with the master Min Tanaka at the Body Weather Farm in Japan. During this whole period many ‘seeds’ have been planted in her heart and a central teaching she embodied was that she had to go for her path on her own, finding out for herself how to take care and make those seeds grow and flourish.
Once back in Europe, dance is firing in her heart. By listening to that fire, she stops working in dance companies and re-orients herself within her (new) path. Her constant attraction to the Oriental BodyMind approach led her to dive into the philosophy of Traditional Chinese Medicine where she studies at Iokai Shiatsu Amsterdam and later opens her own shiatsu practice – Kokyu Shiatsu. In the continuation on her need to grow internally and understand life, since 2012 she dives deeply into the practice of Aikido and Katsugen Undo (regenerating Movement) from the Ecole of Itsuo Tsuda. Here respiratory practice is central and has been taking since then a fundamental place in her life.
In the meanwhile, one of the seeds grew gradually and strongly within the field of teaching and education, together and in collaboration with the people that joined her workshops. Teaching it is a constant learning. An emptying of the mind to be able to listen and deeply feel the people you are working with. It is ‘working together’. To discover together. There is guidance, pointing out, giving example, creating conditions for each individual to find out for him or herself. There is an attention to the group and its dynamics. The ‘other’ as a mirror of ourselves. Support and invitation to move, through the body, through the heart. To go beyond our own limitations and to discover, expand our own potential as free minds, as free persons.
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CV
Performances
2019
'Wonderland' - dance & music improvisation for children, Amsterdam
'Dance and Music improvisation performances' - L'Âme-de-Fonds Dance Company, Switzerland
2018
'Caminho mas não sou caminhante' - solo performance, De Halen, Amsterdam
'Wonderland' - dance & music improvisation for children, Amsterdam
'Caminho mas não sou caminhante' - dance & music performance with Michael Moore, OT301 Amsterdam
'Les Imprévisibles' - dance & music collaboration with Collectif Tutti, Bordeaux, France
2017
'A Body'- direction of Min Tanaka, Prague
'The weather: Autumnal Turns (& Vicissitudes)' - collaboration with The Warp (C.L.O.U.D), Amsterdam
'Blue' - with L'Âme-de-Fonds Dance Company, Amsterdam
'L'Âme-de-fonds dance company & Barre Phillips' - instant composition, Switzerland
'Monday Match' - dance & music improvisation, Bimhuis, Amsterdam
'Arcifanfaro: Its always too late to learn' - collaboration with Taciturn Receiver (C.L.O.U.D), Amsterdam
'Wonderland' - dance & music improvisation for children, Amsterdam
2016
'Nervures', Epures', Entrelacs' - Instant Composition - L'Âme-de-Fonds Dance Company, Switzerland
'Exceptional Convoi' - dance & music improvisation OT301, Amsterdam
'TWNO' - dance & music improvisation OT301, Amsterdam
'On Gravity' - dance performance - opening exposition 'Eve's,Isaac's and Miine', Amsterdam
'Wonderland' - dance & music improvisation for children, Amsterdam
'Cantica' - Instant Composition - L'Âme-de-Fonds Dance Company, Italy
‘L’ettofe du corp' - Instant Composition - L'Âme-de-Fonds Dance Company, Switzerland
‘Oorsprong Curators Series – Bimhuis special edition’ - dance & music improvisation,
Amsterdam
‘Dinggendicht’ – dance & music improvisation with Lily Kiara and Ab Baars, Amsterdam
‘Chiaroscuro’ - Instant Composition - with L'Âme-de-Fonds Dance Company,Amsterdam
‘Interstice’ - Instant Composition - L'Âme-de-Fonds Dance Company, Switzerland
2015
'Memento Mori' - Dance video in collaboration with Daniela Paes Leao, Amsterdam
'Monday Match' - dance & music improvisation, Bimhuis, Amsterdam
'5 performances' - - Instant Composition - L'Âme-de-Fonds dance company, Switzerland
'Wonderland' - dance & music improvisation for children, Amsterdam
'Dissonance' - dance & video in collaboration with Daniela Paes Leão, Amsterdam
'The Big Dinner' - dance & music improvisation, MLK Church, Amsterdam
'Oorsprong Curators Series’- dance & music Improvisation – with Alan Purves and Martin van Leusden, Amsterdam
‘Open Stage Area59’ – dance & music improvisation with Dolan Jones (violin), Amsterdam
2014
'Crack of Dawn' - dance & music improvisation OT301, Amsterdam
'R_ESISTERE' - Choreography Giulio D'Anna, Holland, Italy
'Liquid air' - Dance & music Improvisation Area59, Amsterdam
'Shelter' - Company L'Ame-de-Fonds, Drome, France
'Monday Match Bimhuis' - dance & music improvisation with Marta Reig Torres, Kenzo Kusuda, Katerina Dietzova, Johnny Schoofs, Alina Fezjo, Amsterdam
'(...) like leaves on trees in Autumn' - Company L'Âme-de-Fonds - Instant Composition - Rome, Italy
'TWNO' - dance & music improvisation 'Tabula Rasa', Amsterdam
'Interstices & Corpuscules' - Company L'Âme de Fonds - Fete de la Danse Festival, Switzerland
'The Cumulus 2' - Dance improvisation in collaboration with the visual artist Ariuna Nina, Kunstkapel, Amsterdam
2013
'Oorsprong Curators Series' - improvisation - Ana Ladas/Dance,Ada Rave, Rory Brown,Andreas Wilhagen/Music
'Pool: The strings, the breath, the bodies (Wooden pool)' - dance improvisation at Festival Platzhirsch, Duisburg, Germany
'Aquarium #1 - Space Odyssey'- dance improvisation with Kim José Bode, Plantage Doklaan, Amsterdam
'Solo or maybe not' - Dance & Music Improvisation with Oscar Jan Hoogland & Kim José bode at 'Art Feed On' at Overtoom 301, Amsterdam
'Festival International de Danse - Composition Instantanée' - Residence & performances in Switzerland
'TWNO - The White Noise Orchestra' - dance & music improvisation at Roode Bioscoop & Kulter Amsterdam, Studio Loos in Den Haag.
'Silent Spin' - Choreography Liat Magnezy, Stedelijk Museum Schiedam
'Oorsprong Curators Series' - improvisation - Ana Ladas/Dance, Sarah Jeffery, Michael Moore, Klara Andrlova/ Music
'Silent' - Choreography Ana Ladas, Angel Festival, Portugal
'Invisible Body' - interdisciplinary research at DansLab, Den Haag
'Obscure' - dance/music improvisation at OpenDans Festival, Rotterdam
'To Be Present' - collaboration with the video artist Miloushka Bokma
'Oorsprong curators series' - Ana Ladas/dance; Piotr Kurek/electronics; Light/projections Emese Csornai, Amsterdam
'Heroine - a female lament' - a collaboration with the recorder player Kim Jose Bode, Utrecht
'Corpus Vivos I,II, III' - Dance, Music & Food! series of performances - Concept Ana Ladas in collaboration with Lina Issa, Amsterdam
'He who travels/traverse' – interdisciplinary project directed by Piet Rogie, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
'Feedback study #2' - collaboration with the musician Ángel Faraldo, Punt WG, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
'Angels of Stealth' - video/performance directed by Rodney by Place
'Silent'- choreography Ana Ladas in collaboration with the musician Kim José Bode (recorders), Munster, Germany
'Convenient Actions I, V, VI' - dance/improvisation in collaboration with St. Baila Louca, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
'Feedback #2' (Club Brooomm!) - collaboration with Ángel Faraldo and Pavel Konior, Korzo Producties, den Haag, The Netherlands
'Camino' - Marta Reig Torres (Choreography) / Dansclick 8 - Korzo Producties, Den Haag, The Netherlands
'Silent' - Ana Ladas (choreography & dance); Kim José Bode (recorders) / Korzo Theater/PuntWG/ Muiderpoortheater, Den Haag/Amsterdam,The Netherlands
'Silent Darkness' - Improvisation with Wilbert de Joode & Yedo Gibson (Music) / Overtoom OT301, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Improvisation with Julyen Hamilton, Lily kiara, (dancers) and Greg Smith, Miguel Boulens and Ana LaBerge (music) / Monday Match, Bimhuis, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Improvisation with the pianist César LaTorre Theater Camuz, Leidschendam
'Water Performance' - Min Tanaka, Festival Dance Hakushu, Japan
'Camino' (Showcase Danclick 7) - Marta Reig Torres, Korzo Producties, Den Haag, The Netherlands
'So here we are' - Conny Janssen Danst, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
'Dio Mio' - St. Baila Louca, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
'Instant Composition' - DansNacht Rotterdam, The Netherlands
'Girlies First' - St. Baila Louca, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
'Mindscaping' (workshop/presentation) - Bruno Caverna, Danswerkplaats Amsterdam, The Netherlands
'Claim your own space' - Ana Ladas, Korzo Producties, Den Haag, The Netherlands
'Camino' (Dutch tour) - Marta reig Torres, Korzo Producties, The Netherlands
'Land e scapes' (Move the Space) - Ana Ladas, Muiderpoortheater, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
'Camino' - Marta Reig Torres, Korzo Producties, Den Haag, The Netherlands
'More Day More Night' (Dansclick 2) - Marta Reig Torres, Korzo Producties, Den Haag, The Netherlands
'Land e scapes' - Ana Ladas, Danswerkplaats Amsterdam, The Netherlands
'Land e scapes' - Ana Ladas, Masdanza Festival, Gran Canaria, Spain
'Footprint' - Katarzina Marcinkowska, Danswerkplaats Amsterdam, The Netherlands
'The space in between' - Marta Reig Torres, St. Danateliers Rotterdam, The Netherlands
'Raízes' - Ana Ladas, Danswerkplaats Amsterdam, The Netherlands
'More Day More Night' (Danstorm) - Marta Reig Torres, Danswerkplaats Amasterdam, The Netherlands
'More day More Night' & 'Navegando' (tour) - Marta Reig Torres, Korzo Producties, Barcelona/Sevilla, Spain
'Eltit on' - Philipp Fricke, St. Dansateliers Rotterdam, The Netherlands
'More Day More Night' (serie nieuwe theater makers) - Marta Reig Torres, Korzo Producties, Den Haag, The Netherlands
'Project Eyeing PP' - Multidisciplinary project with De Stilte, EMW Music, Bert Vogels and Koen Delaere, Tilburg, The Netherlands
'More Day More Night' - Marta Reig Torres, Korzo Producties & Danswerkplaats Amsterdam, The Netherlands
'Midzomernachtdroom' - St. Canvas Performing Art, Arnhem, The Netherlands
'Waterlanders'- Krisztina de Châtel, Dansgroep Krisztina de Châtel, different locations in The Netherlands
'Nomad Club' - Neel Verdoorn; "FF+Rew" - Ann van den Broek, Dansgroep Krizstina de Châtel, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
'Test'- Sonja Augart, St. Dansateliers Rotterdam, The Netherlands
'Heilige Huisjes' - St. Canvas Performing Art, Arnhem, The Netherlands
'Tri versie' - Dansgroep Krisztina de Châtel, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
'Can you fix me?' - St. Canvas Performing Art in collaboration with Melle Smets (G.A.N.G.)
'Machine Winks' - collaboration with Marnix de Nijs and Edwin van der Heide, Dansgroep Krisztina de Châtel, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
'Nosathev Laurundra' - Kirsten DeBrock, Arnhem, The Netherlands
'Insomniac" - Ederson Rodrigues Xavier, Arnhem, The Netherlands
'Kissing the rain' - Pedro Berdayes, Arnhem, The Netherlands
'Papu Belicius' - Julio Rivera, Arnhem, The Netherlands
'Ping-Pong Effects' - Juan Moredo, Arnhem, The Netherlands
2012 - Invisible Body” – dance/music research at DansLab, Den Haag
2011 - “Corpus Vivos” - Dance, Music & Food – series of performances Concept by Ana Ladas in collaboration with performance artist Lina Issa
2010 - "Silent” – Punt WG, Amsterdam / Dancing by Daylight, Korzo Producties, Den Haag, The Netherlands
2007 - “Land e scapes” - Danswerkplaats and Muiderpoorttheater, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2006 - “Raízes” - Danswerkplaats and Muiderpoorttheater, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2005 - “Tierra Roja” – collaboration with the Argentinian artist Pablo Ponce, Danswerkplaats Amsterdam.
Since 2012 - Artez – Dance Department of Hoogeschool for the Kunst Arnhem (mentor of third year’ students)
Teaching/Workshops
2015 - 2018 - many workshops self-organized in Netherlands and abroad
2015 - Project Sally Dance company, Maastricht
2015 - C.e.m - centro em Movimento, Lisbon
2012-14 - Artez – Dance Department of Hoogeschool for the Kunst Arnhem
2013 - Dansdrift - Den Haag
2012- Buitenkunst Festival – workshop ’Silent Dialog'
- Companhia de Dança Olga Roriz (Portugal), “Espaço & Silencio”
- Angel Festival (Portugal) ‘Body & Environment’
2011 - till present day- Individual Coaching & On going laboratory ‘Ground Zero’ - private practice in Amsterdam
2010 - Body Lab & Creative Dance workshops, Den Haag/Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Munster in Germany
2008 - Russian School of Arts - British School in Amsterdam, The Netherlands- children from 5 till 9 years old
Hoogeschool voor de Kunsten Arnhem - Department Uitvoerend, Dansacademie Arnhem, The Netherlands
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre (open classes): Ballet – Celia Marino; Tatiana Litvinova; Nancy Turano; Horton – Milton Myers; Ana Marie Forythe; Freddie Moore, New York, U.S.A.
1995/1997
ProDança (open classes), Lisbon
Ballet - Sofia Neuparth; Palmira Camargo; Ana Lazaro; Carlos Caldas; Jazz – Paula Careto; Contemporaneo – Sofia Neuparth; Aldara Bizarro; Amelia Bentes; Improvisation – Peter Michael Dietz; Sofia Neuparth, Lisbon, Portugal
"Dinamix"; "Synergie" and "Waterlanders" - Dansgroep Krizstina de Châtel, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
"Musas di Marmo"; "Ghost Birds"; "Ebony Waters" - Contemporary Motions, Julio Rivera, Michigan, U.S.A.
Min Tanaka; Julyen Hamilton, Michael Schumacher; Emio Greco, Toru Higashide; Phillip Zarrilli, Andrew Morrish; Fran van den Ven & Katerina Bakatsaki; Lily Kiara; David Zambrano, among many others
Other Education
2016/18
Shenzhou Open University of Traditional Chinese Medicine - Amsterdam
2012/16
Iokai Shiatsu School - Amsterdam
University of Psychology - Instituto Superior de Psicologia Aplicada (I.S.P.A.), Lisbon Portugal
Internship at the Psychiatric Hospital Julio de Matos, Department of Psychological examination, Lisbon, Portugal