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Jose Agudo achieved his post-graduate in CAD (Centro Andaluz de Danza) and has trained in contemporary, ballet and flamenco dance in Spain performing with Metros (Ramon Oller) and Centro Coreografico de Valencia, before moving to Brussels in 2002. He has since worked with Charleroi/Danses, Ballet de Marseille, Robert Wilson, Didy Veldman, Ted Stoffer, Joanne Leighton, Marion Ballester and T.R.A.S.H. As a choreographer he created work for schools including The Place and Northern School of Contemporary Dance (NSCD) in the UK. His last commission June 2010 was with the Foundation Course at NSCD. During 2008 he created his first professional work '4m2' in collaboration with Claire Cunningham and Scanner as result of a residency at Déda, UK. 4m2 toured the UK as part of the NDN (National Dance Network) and has been presented also at various festivals in Spain and Greece. He has taught professional class for Charleroi/Danses, Phoenix Dance Company, Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company, T.R.A.S.H., Robert Hilton, The Place, Danza Valencia, Endanza, Deda and the Lakeside Arts Centre. He has won prizes as a choreographer in the Certamen Coreografico de Andalucia and as a performer in Certamen Coreografico de Madrid. Jose has recently completed a yoga teacher training in Sivananda Center in Kerala, India. He has been working with SJDC since 2007 and is touring with Bruise Blood/Faultline in autumn 2010.
Born in Madrid and now based in London, Avatâra has trained extensively in dance, working as a performer, choreographer and teacher. Avatâra's professional qualifications include a Master of Arts in Professional Dance (Palucca Schule Dresden, 2008), a Certificate in Higher Education (London Contemporary Dance School, 2005), a BA (Hons) in Linguistics (Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 2004) and a professional degree in ballet (Professional Conservatoire of Majorca, 1999). In 2005 she joined D.A.N.C.E. (Dance Apprentice Network aCross Europe) where she worked and performed under the artistic direction of William Forsythe, Wayne McGregor, Frédéric Flamand and Angelin Preljocaj. Since 2005 she has been creating her own work. Her choreographies have been presented, among others, in the Aarchauz Theater (Denmark), Charleroi-Danses (Belgium), Xesc Forteza Teatre (Spain), La cité du Livre d'Aix en Provence (France), Southbank Centre, Hackney Empire and The Place (UK). In 2009 she was artist in residence at the Festspielhaus European Centre for the Arts Hellerau (Germany), where she presented her latest full-length production Looking Backward to To-Morrow.
Avatâra joined Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company in 2007. She has assisted Shobana Jeyasingh as rehearsal director for Detritus, a piece commissioned by the Beijing Dance Academy Company and ResCen Research Centre, Middlesex University (London). Avatâra regularly teaches as part of the company's education team.
Born in Finland, Helsinki, Noora started dancing at the age of 13. She went into full time dance training after she was granted a place at the Sibelius High School for music and dance in Helsinki (1997-2000). During this time she also worked for the Finnish National theatre assisting on various plays and musicals. In 2000, she came to London to study at London Contemporary Dance School, where she graduated in 2003 with first class honours. Since then Noora has worked with Jan De Schynkel, David Bolger, H2O and Henri Oguike Dance Company, touring nationally and internationally. She has also worked with the English National Opera on two of their productions. This is Noora's first production with Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company.
Nicola Monaco started his training in dance at the age of nineteen in Brindisi where he studied ballet and contemporary. In 2001 he won the scholarship for the "Corso di perfezionamento per giovani danzatori" organized by Fondazione Nazionale della Danza ATERBALLETTO under the direction of Mauro Bigonzetti (Reggio Emilia-Italy).
After working for the company Artemis Danza directed by Monica Casadei, performing in Italy and Paris, he moved to Amsterdam where he was based for six years working for the company Emio Greco/PC dancing mostly all the repertoire of the company touring USA, ASIA, South America, Africa and Europe.
In January 2009 he moved to London where he took part of the course Dancelines directed by Wayne McGregor at the Royal Opera House followed by an ongoing collaboration with Akram Khan dance company where he works on the project Gnosis. He dance with The Featherstonehaughs dance comapny, Tom Dale dance company, Beyond Repair dance company and State of Emergency dance company.
In the meanwhile he started his own work as choreographer performing with SOLO IN PURGATORIO at Arcola Theatre for the festival Adventures in Movement and at The Place Theatre for the festival Resolution! 2010.
Working in London since 2003, Devaraj trained in Bharata Natyam and other Asian dance forms in Bangalore. He has also studied Kalaripayattu, yoga, Capoeira and several styles of contemporary dance. Having completed the Dance Development Programme at the Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts, Devaraj performed under the company's banner whilst also choreographing his own work. His commercial work in India includes appearances for fashion designers, Bollywood singers and local and national satellite TV. Devaraj joined Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company in 2003 for Transtep including choreography by Lisa Torun, Fillip Van Huffel and Rashpal Singh Bansal. Since then he performed in seven productions including Flicker (2005), Exit no Exit (2006), Faultline (2007), Citizen (2008) Just add water? (2009), touring nationally and internationally. Recently he danced for the world premiere of Bruise Blood with SJDC as part of Dance Umbrella Festival. He has also been part of site-specific footage for the BBC, SJDC's performance of Four Square in 'Diwali on the Square' festival at Trafalgar Square, and a collaboration with City Contemporary Dance (Hong Kong) in 2006. Devaraj also regularly taught as part of the SJDC's education team. Devaraj joined Tavaziva Dance in December 2009 for company's first full-length production wild dog and toured spring 2010. Devaraj also teaches and works with dancers in India and Italy as part of dance development programme.
Ruth trained at Lewisham College and Northern School of Contemporary Dance. She was a member of Union Dance from 2005-07, creating roles with choreographers including Rafael Bonachela, Mavin Khoo and Michael Joseph. Ruth danced for Walker Dance Park Music in 2007/08 under the artistic direction of Fin Walker. She has also worked with Aletta Collins, Stephanie Schober, Henri Oguike and Stephan Koplowitz (New York) amongst others.
In 2008, Ruth took part in ROH Dancelines under the artistic direction of Wayne McGregor, where she worked with choreographers Fleur Darkin and Sharon Fridman (Madrid). She has performed bungee work at Galleries Lafayette Paris with The Generating Company, and harness work with Robyn Simpson. Ruth has also performed at Royal Opera House, English National Opera, Glastonbury Festival and Big Dance. More recently she has been dancing for Peter Svenzon’s company Art of Spectra in Sweden.
As a teacher Ruth has taught at The Place Evening School, professional class at Greenwich Dance Agency, and for Walker Dance Park Music and Union Dance. Ruth has recently qualified as a Hatha yoga teacher with Triyoga London and continues to study Alexander Technique.
