André Uerba
- Fellow 2023
- choreographer and bodyworker based in Berlin, Germany
- cooperating partner: Diana Niepce (Amadora, Portugal)
André Uerba is a Lisbon born neurodivergent choreographer and bodyworker with base in Berlin since 2013. He holds an MA in Arts, Solo/ Dance/ Authorship (HZT Berlin) yet he mostly develops group projects. He is particularly interested in interweaving choreography with holistic practices, creating within that frame a sensorial and sensitive space where both audience and performers coexist. Since 2018 his research is largely focused within the potentialities of an encounter, slowness and the concept of rehearsing intimacy in a performative and social environment.
In the framework of the fellowship, André will cooperate with Portuguese choreographer, dancer and writer Diana Niepce. Niepce investigates language and hybridism as a political action. She seeks to reformulate the identity of the performative body through its mutation, intimacy and experimentalism outside the norm. Niepce’s way of re-constructing realities with diverse bodies is what draws André’s curiosity about her artistic work. To immerse himself in the field of disability arts and neurodiversity, he will participate and assist in Niepce’s training program “Norm” a program conceived for disable and non disable artists.
André's Report
Norm is a training program curated by Diana Niepce and assisted by André Uerba. This training aims to provide participants with tools around performance practices, inclusion, somatic practices, performance, accessibility, politics, identity and authorial work.
"André’s art is creating dreamy atmospheres by slowing down time, giving time to touch and connect. Identifying with being diagnosed with ADHD, and becoming aware of his struggles and efforts to fit in, he has started to research on the spectrum of neurodiversity. Cooperating with independent disabled artist Diana Niepce will give André the opportunity to immerse himself in disability arts and deepen his exploration of the potentialities of human encounter and intimacy in a social and performative context."
Jury-Statement