ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Aloyce Makonde - A Tanzanian choreographer, trainer and dancer, Aloyce Makonde, is a graduate of the Bagamoyo College of Arts where he received a diploma in performing arts. In 2001 he also attended a course in performing arts at the Guildhall school of music and drama in UK. From 1998 to 2000, he worked in the Siluette project with Skanes Dance Theatre choreographed by Lena Josefson. In 2000, he was one of the founding members of Mionzi Dance Theatre. Later in 2002 he worked with Yggdrasil Dance Company in Denmark . In 2004, he organized Mabwa Project 2004 in Tanzania (a collaboration between a Swedish dance school and East African dancers). He also worked with Theatre Mestola Company in Finland as a dancer. In 2005, he participated in the dance TRAFFIC project East Africa as dancer and workshop conductor. Going through different experiences, Aloyce, as choreographer, created Mtungini performance 2002, Triangle 2005 and The Egg Solo 2007, My white painting 2009. Aloyce is focused on researching different ways of contemporary dance concept using community issues. Currently he is a dance teacher, workshop leader, and dance event’s organizer within Tanzania and outside. In October 2007, he established a solo and duet dance and music festival in Tanzania called VISA 2 DANCE FESTIVAL. He is Artistic Director of Visa 2 Dance Contemporary Dance Festival.
ARTISTIC ADVISOR AND COORDINATOR
Vanessa Tamburi began her career at the National Dance Academy of Rome and went on to study at Mudra, the school directed by M. Bejart, in Brussels. She has worked as a solo dancer for key European theatres, including the Ballet of Montercarlo (direction of P. Lacotte, J.Y. Esquerre, J.C. Maillot), the Hamburg Ballet (direction of J. Neumeier), and the Vienna Opera Ballet (direction of R. Zanella). Building on her professional experience as a classical dancer, Vanessa, over the years, developed experimental contemporary choreographic work, melding dance with contemporary theatre, visual and multimedia art. Her choreographies have been performed in Austria, the Czech Republic, Italy, Rwanda, and Tanzania, and in collaboration with numerous theatres they were staged at international festivals in Vienna, Linz, Venice (Biennale Danza), Spoleto (Festival Dei Due Mondi), Prague, Rome (Rome Philharmonic and Auditorium, Park of Music), Tagliacozzo (Middle Summer Festival), and Dar es Salaam. After working as artistic director of the "Contemporaneamente Dance Group", she established the Company "FLUSSO Dance Project", of which she is currently artistic director and resident choreographer. In 2008 she contributed, as Artistic Advisor, to the creation, and then the organization of the 2009 and 2010 edition, of the Visa 2 Dance International contemporary dance festival, in Dar es Salaam (Tanzania). Most recently, in June 2010, Vanessa was selected and participated to CHOREOGRAPHIC COLLISIONS: a laboratory of research and experimentation for choreographers, directed by Ismael Ivo and part of the program of the 7th International Festival of Contemporary Dance BIENNALE DANZA in Venice
ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR AND COORDINATOR
Rachel Kessi is the founder and manager of Mawazo gallery, an art space in Dar es Salaam dedicated to the promotion and development of contemporary art in Tanzania. Mawazo, meaning ‘ideas and thoughts’ in Kiswahili, opened in 2003. It hosts fine art exhibitions, musical evenings, poetry slams, dance performances and publishes books. Rachel is also a founding member of the Makutano group which organises the largest handicraft fair in Tanzania. This event gathers over 90 handicraft groups from around the country and welcomes close to 2500 visitors. Born to a Tanzanian father and British mother, Rachel grew up in the UK, USA and Switzerland. After graduating from the University of Manchester, she spent several years as a foreign language teacher before moving to Tanzania in 2001. Rachel has extensive experience and proven expertise in all aspects of programme management and event coordination. Over time, she has established a broad network of individuals and organisations supporting the arts in Tanzania and internationally.