Maria Ferreira Silva - Reaching Through, Looking Across

Reaching Through, Looking Across is an artistic research project which explores possible ways of applying the concept of neuroplasticity to dance. Through the prism of neuroplasticity, and her perspective as a performer, Maria Ferreira Silva uses the body as a means to explore transformation - in relation to time, connections - between living and non living things, and cooperation - as a strategy of survival.

On the main axis of this research, she explores plasticity and interconnectivity of movement and questions the place one occupies in the ecosystem. Looking at it from a broader perspective, her interest lays in observing the similarities between the neural network and other networks present in nature, such as the mycelium network between fungi and trees, bringing awareness to the close relationship between humans and their natural surrounding environment.

This artistic investigation embraces plurality, structure, imagination and the senses, to navigate through the visible and the invisible, the tactile, and the abstract to explore other relational forms and movement languages.

To dialogue around these ideas, test hypotheses and experience the expansion of these networks beyond a singular body, Maria invites for this residency the artists' Hernán Mancebo Martinez, Meri Pajunpää, and Samuel Baidoo to join her in the studio and share their refined expertise in movement, choreography, art, and life.

Research by: Maria Ferreira Silva
Guest artists: Hernán Mancebo Martinez, Meri Pajunpää, and Samuel Baidoo
Co-production: Charleroi Danse

Maria Ferreira Silva (Lisbon 1988, living in Brussels) studies at the National Conservatory of Lisbon followed by the Performing Arts Research and Training Studios - PARTS (2006-2010), with a scholarship from Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.

Her trajectory as a performer has been crafted through the works of Willi Dorner, Daniel Linehan, Georgia Vardarou, Radouan Mriziga, Marco Torrice, Anneleen Keppens, Renan Martins de Oliveira, Maud le Pladec, Benjamin Vandewalle, Trajal Harrell, amongst others.

Between 2010/2012, she co-writes Light as a Feather, Green as an Apple with the dancer/choreographer Veli Lehtoaara. She works as an outside eye for Alexander Vantournhout and as a choreographer assistant for Maud le Pladec in the production Borderline directed by Guy Cassiers.

As a teacher, she works for Company Thor (BE), Lieus (FR) and since 2016, she is a guest teacher at the Royal Conservatory of Antwerp (BE) .

Parallel to dance, Maria works with costumes, and is currently attending the Feldenkrais Method training program in Brussels.