Bio & Texts – Knot Body

Leandro Zappala (BR/SE)
Artistic Director & Performer

Brazilian, born in Petrópolis 1975 – Rio de Janeiro. Resident in Stockholm, Sweden since 2003.
Artistic Director, performer and founder of QUARTO.

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 potentiate 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 names in Brazil, Sergio Brito, Walter Carvalho, Amir Haddad,
Augusto Boal, Ivan Setta, Antonio Pedro, David Herman, Moacyr Góes, Leon Góes, Gaspar Filho
and others. He studied dance with many choreographers and participated in several festivals
throughout Brazil. Believes that his biggest influences come from philosophy, film, visual arts and
literature.

Leandro has had a diversity of experiences that has influenced him, such as competing
professionally 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 participates 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
skilles 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 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. We have worked under residencies at MDT 2007/2009/2013,
Nyckelviksskolan 2008, SITE (Production Centre for Performing Arts) 2009/2011-2012. Worked
under a three yearlong residence at the Giljotin Theatre in Stockholm 2009-2011. In 2010/2013
worked during a month long artistic residence at the theatre INKONST in Malmö.

Guided by intuition she invests in a philosophical and artistic research, as part of an ambitious
search for an authentic and radical expression in an interdisciplinary praxis.

Works as a choreographer, performer and producer in all of QUARTO S projects, through moving
between different roles she pursues a greater autonomy and artistic freedom.

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