Leandro Zappala (BR/SE)
Artistic Director, Choreographer & Performer
Brazilian, born in Petrópolis 1975 – Rio de Janeiro. Resident in Stockholm, Sweden since 2003. Founder of QUARTO together with Anna Mesquita.
Autodidact. Artistically Leandro has made his proper way, asserting a constant need to investigate and study outside of the academic sphere, through an on-going research process and dialogues established in his work with QUARTO, in order to invest, create and potentialize his own mode of living. He initiated his actor training in 1992 and during the nineties he dialogs and studies with some of the most influential theater directors in Brazil such as Sergio Brito, Walter Carvalho, Amir Haddad, Augusto Boal, Ivan Setta, Antonio Pedro, David Herman, Moacyr Góes, Enrique Diaz among others. He studied dance with many Brazilian choreographers and participated in several festivals throughout Brazil. Believes that his biggest influences come from philosophy, cinema, visual arts and literature.
Leandro has had a diversity of experiences that have influenced him, such as competing in martial arts, was a coordinator of social projects, held workshops in physical training for actors, worked as a dancer in a circus, dog trainer, etc. In 2003 participated in Coletivo Improviso, with the artistic director Enrique Diaz, which reaffirms his desire to invest in an authorial and creative quest.
Leandro has extensive training in martial arts, graduating black belt in Karate. He also obtained skills from Kung Fu, Muay Thai and Jiu-Jitsu. Practices Yoga and I-chuan in a regular basses.
Anna af Sillén de Mesquita (BR/SE)
Choreographer & Performer
Born 1984 in Petrópolis – Brazil and moved to Sweden as a six year old, has been raised between both cultures in a nomadic lifestyle. During her university dance education at ‘Balettakademien’ in Stockholm she founded QUARTO in 2003 together with the Brazilian choreographer, director and performer Leandro Zappala.
In 2006 QUARTO initiated a long-term process based research that lead to two trilogies WIP 2005 – 2010 and BEAUTY 2010 – 2013. They have worked continuously under many residencies in different countries and institutions since 2007.
Guided by intuition Anna invests in a philosophical and artistic research, as part of an ambitious quest for an authentic and radical expression in a praxis involving music, body and text.
Works as a choreographer, performer and producer in all of QUARTO S projects, through moving between different continents and roles within the artistic field Anna pursues a greater autonomy and political emancipation.
Speaks fluent English, Swedish, Portuguese and Spanish, also studied German for beginners.
QUARTO BIO
RESEARCH PROJECT
2014 ICE HOT – Oslo
2014 Tanz Messe – Dusseldorf
2014 Artistic residence at MDT – Stockholm
2014 Artistic residence and performance at Uferstudios – Berlin
2014 Rope Installation at Dansens Hus – Stockholm
2014 Performed Durational Rope at Dansehallerne – Copenhagen
2014 Premiere Durationl Rope at the Museum of Modern Art – Stockholm
2014 Tour Beauty of Accident Ludwig Forum Aachen, Uferstudios Berlin, Tanzhaus nrw Dusseldorf
2013 Performed Beauty of Accident replayed at MDT – Stockholm
2013 Artistic residence and world premiere of Beauty of Accident at Inkonst – Malmö
2012 Artistic residence at Konstnärsnämnden (the Swedish arts grats comitee)– Stockholm
2012 Artistic residence at SITE (Production Centre for the Performing Arts) – Stockholm
2012 – 2013 Research period for Beauty of Accident
2011 Performed Beauty of Despair at Glauce Rocha Theatre – Rio de Janeiro
2011 Performed Beauty of Despair at the Giljotin Theatre – Stockholm
2011 Premiere for Beauty of Despair at the MADE festival at NorrlandsOperan – Umeå
2011 Artistic residence at Capacete – Rio de Janeiro
2011 – 2012 Research period for Beauty of Despair
2010 Artistic residence and world premiere for Beauty of Fear at Inkonst – Malmö
2010 – 2011 Research period for Beauty of Fear
2009 Aphorisms at Giljotin Theater – Stockholm
2009 – 2010 Research period for WIP 3
2008 – 2010 Artistic residence at Giljotin Theater – Stockholm
2007 – 2008 Artistic residence and world premiere for WIP 2 at MDT – Stockholm
2007 – 2008 Research period for WIP 2
2007 House site-specific project – Minas Gerais in Brazil
2006 World premiere of WIP 1 Teatro Municipal de Petropolis – Brazil
2005 – 2006 Research period for WIP 1
2003 Metaphor premiered during the theater festival in Cultural Center in Petropolis- Brazil