Maria Fonseca is a Portuguese dancer and creator. She studied Fine Arts at the University of the Arts London and graduated from the London Studio Center with a BA (Hons) in Theatre Dance where she developed a thesis "Spirituality & Dance”. In 2015 Maria expanded her interest in altered states through dance and became a Trance Dance Facilitator.

 

Since LSC, she has worked with various artists internationally such as Russell Maliphant for the documentary Nureyev (2018), Pascal Merighi & Sebastien Ramirez (Saddler's Wells), John Ross-Matthew Bourne Choreographer Awards, Protein Dance, Jean Abreu Dance, Jack Murphy, Ivan Blackstock (Adidas), BBC2- Lucie Pankhurst, Cascade Dance Theater & Yasper Van Luijk (Wales), Ekin Bernay, Block Universe, Ollie Palmer (V&A Museum), Company Idem (Switzerland), Jann Gallois -Cie Burnout (France ) and Miguel Moreira-Útero.

 

Along the years her movement has been influenced by various contemporary expressions such as Flying Low, Fighting Monkey and martial arts in particular capoeira as well as active meditations.

 

Maria’s authorial work includes "Muladhara"- for Design for Dance, collaboration with Central Saint Martins London   (2010); "Red Tears", duet with life performer Ekin Bernay (2014); “IDADE | the beauty of ageing" (2016) presented at The Place; DEN.TRO a solo work recently presented at Kalamata International Dance Festival (Greece) and SAHASRARA with harpist Angelica Salvi premiered at the Dance Dance Dance Festival and presented at GuiDance 2022. Her most recent creation  is THY BRAIN which premiered in March 2023 at Cine-Teatro Louletano. Maria is currently rehearsing for Mil e Uma Noites a co-creation between Companhia Olga Roriz e Teatro  O Bando which will premier in  May 2024.

 

“I like to feel like a blank canvas, able to freely incorporate and express with other artists who seek to go beyond their limits” Maria

 

“From tiny finger twitches to huge waves of shuddering motion which emanate from her centre, Fonseca's body is a limitless palette of choreographic invention. A woman both possessed by and in possession of her choreography.” Josephine Leask