Alain Platel Composition
"Creating dance-performance material"

In this workshop we will explore and experience different techniques of improvisation and composition in dance, inspired by Juliana’s work with the director Alain Platel and Les Ballets C. de la B.
The classes will begin with various and versatile ways to warm up the body, followed by guided
improvisations to open possibilities to create dance and performance material.


Dance & Silks
not circus but aerial dance

This workshop will explore the possibilities of dancing with silks (fabrics), individually and within a group. There will be a warm-up with specific strength exercises for arms, abdominals and lower back as those are important areas in aerial work. We will explore silk techniques, learn how to climb, fall, slide, wrap and unwrap our bodies in different ways and develop choreographic phrases searching possibilities of dancing in and around the silks.

Dancing with silks has been Juliana's specialty for the past 10 years. In her solo "Le Volle D'Azala", created for CIRQUE DU SOLEIL in collaboration with aerial master André Simard, they partnered to mix this aerial technique with dance.
In 2002, she began working with director Alain Platel (LES BALLETS C. DE LA B.), and under his direction, this act takes a new form and is seen not only for its circus virtuosity but also as aerial dance.


Juliana Neves
Juliana was trained in Gymnastics, Ballet and later on in Circus Arts. She has a bachelor’s degree in Sociology. In São Paulo, she was one of the founders and performers of the company Cenica Nau de Icaros, winning several prizes in their Circus-Theatre productions. In 1997, she was chosen to represent Brazil at the American Dance Festival in the International Choreographers Residency Program, where she studied with David Dorfman, Lisa Race and David Zambrano and also performed with Choreographer Maria Rovira. Back home in 1998, Juliana joined Quasar Companhia de Danca of Henrique Rodovalho, which she left to join Cirque du Soleil as one of the principal characters of their production "Dralion". She originated her part and performed 1001 shows over 3 years. Juliana created the aerial pas–de-deux act on silks together with aerial coach Andre Simard. This act and her solo act, also on silks, were between the highlights of "Dralion" and acclaimed by the critics.

Coming to Europe in 2002, she worked with Philippe Decouflé, and later joined Les Ballets C. de la B. Since then, she has been working and touring with director Alain Platel. She was a dancer and aerial acrobat in "Wolf" (2003) and "pitié!" (2008). She co-directed the project "Gamma" with Alain Platel in 2004 and assisted him in "vsprs "(2006) during the two year long tour.

Juliana has performed her solo act and taught workshops in many countries, such as: China, Italy, Holland, Belgium, USA, Brazil. She is a guest teacher at Circus Juventas/USA, Nau de Icaros, Linhas Aereas/Brazil and ESAC in Brussels.