About Nadine Freisleben


Nadine Freisleben, born 1989 in Berlin, has been dancing on a professional level since 2008. In Lagos and elsewhere Nigeria she danced in, and choreographed for various Nigerian contemporary dance companies from 2008 to 2010. She choreographed for festivals of Goethe Institute and Alliance Francaise. During these exciting times she got acquainted with West African Contemporary Dance, which has had a significant influence on her dance and choreographic style.

In 2015 she graduated from the school for performing arts 'die Etage Berlin'. Since then she has worked with choreographers like Chaim Gebber, Jennifer Mann, Sarah Bleasdale, Christine Fricker and Saskia Assohoto / Dancevertise.

In 2013 she founded her own dance- theatre ensemble „GAU Company“. Her works were then shown in France, Portugal, Nigeria, Chile and Germany.

In 2020 she opened the dance and rehearsal space PopUp Dance Studio together with dancer and choreographer Elisa Selalmaz. They got supported by NEUSTART KULTUR for their work with children.

Having her roots in Berlin, Nadine travels around the world to create dance theatre pieces, to collaborate with other artists, to give workshops and training for dancers and performers.

She also is the initiator of Audience, Action! , an artist in residency series involving the audience in the artist's creation process.

Nadine´s passion is to create intimate environments in her performances. Her understanding of dance theatre is as a vehicle to deliver mindful messages that include every performer´s understanding and support. Dance is not only seen as an aesthetic performance medium but also connects to the soul of the performer and in ideal circumstances that of the spectator.

Nadine uses the approach of Nigerian performance making to build the base for her pieces. She is mixing the West African with the European Contemporary Dance style to create a different experience. Her work is multidisciplinary, intercultural and socio-critical. She pursues the dream of bringing together performers of diverse artistic backgrounds and origins to address a common concern.

Portfolio

Dance Education / Selected Workshops


Year Dance education / Workshops Venue
April 8th - April 13th 2019 Artistic Development Programme Südufer / Tanznetz, Freiburg
February 11th - February 23th 2019 Residency to create the production „INNERMEN“ by Sarah Bleasdale, premier at Gdanski Festiwal Tanca Klub Zak, Gdansk
July 30th - August 24th 2018 Residency to create the production „Die Realisierten“, premiere at 18.Kemptener Tanzherbst KARI Tanzhaus, Kempten
November 6th – November 12th 2017 Residency for research on dance and visual arts TempStudio, Lisbon
June 27th 2016 – July 1st 2016 Workshop with Hofesh Shechter Company Tanzberlin
February 2016 – March 2016 KCDC Dance Journey Programme Ga´aton, Israel
April 2012 – March 2015 Contemporary Dance studies Die Etage Berlin
August 2008 – June 2010 Dance studies and research in African Dance and African Contemporary Dance National Council of Arts and Culture Lagos, Nigeria

Selected Teaching Experience 2019/20


Date City / Country Employer Style Target Group
6th - 28th January 2020 8th August - 17th August 2019 Berlin DE DANCEWORKS berlin (Afro-) Contemporary, Improvisation, Contact Improvisation, GAU Company Repertoire Dance education students
10thSeptember - 27th September 2019 21stJanuary - 8th February 2019 Kempten DE KARI TANZHAUS (Afro-) Contemporary, GAU Company Repertoire, Contact Improvisation Dance education students
18th August – 29th August 2019 Budapest HU MOVEIN Stúdió (Afro-) Contemporary Professional Dancers
29th July - 1st August 2019 Leeds GB Prodance (Afro-) Contemporary Professional Dancers
1st July - 5th July 2019 Marseille FR Pole 164 (Afro-) Contemporary, Contact Improvisation Professional Dancers

Selected Projects


Year City / Country Project Company/ Choreographer Role Venue
2020-2019 Arica CL Cuerpos Revolucionarios GAU Company Choreographer,artistic director Centro MB2 para la Experimentación de las Artes
2019 Berlin DE The Voyage of May Donne GAU Company / Turlach O´Broin Choreographer, artistic director dancer Katapult
2019-2018 Berlin DE After the Storm GAU Company/ Turlach O´Broin Choreographer, artistic director dancer Craw Festival, GAU&Friends, LetMeIn Festival
2019 Gdanski PL INNERMEN Sarah Bleasdale Dancer Gdanski Festiwal Tanca
2018 Kempten DE Die Realisierten GAU Company Choreographer Dancer Organiser 18. Kemptener Tanzherbst
2018 Berlin DE GAU&Friends GAU Company Choreographer Dancer Organiser ACUD Theater
2018 Berlin DE After the Storm GAU Company / Turlach O´Broin Choreographer Dancer Craw Festival, GAU&Friends
2018 Berlin DE The Days of Wander Despina Kapetanaki Performing Arts Dancer Performing Arts Festival
2018 Berlin DE Under the Blanket of Freedom GAU Company / Gyongyi Salla Choreographer Theaterforum Kreuzberg
2018 Lagos NG Exit to Endorphia Vol.2 - Lost&Found GAU Company Choreographer Dancer Afrigansa Fest
2018 Berlin, Gorleben DE Exit to Endorphia Vol.2 - Lost&Found GAU Company Choreographer Dancer Theaterforum Kreuzberg, die Etage, LetMeIn Festival, Kulturelle Landpartie
2017- 2014 Berlin , Kempten DE The Green Village Chaim Gebber Dancer Tanzfabrik, die Pumpe, Schwelle 7, Mensch Meier, 17.Kemptener Tanzherbs
2016 Marseille FR Inventaires du corps Cie Itinérrances Dancer Mucem
2015 - 2014 Berlin, Kempten, Memmingen DE Exit to Endorphia GAU Company Choreographer Dancer Theaterforum Kreuzberg, 14. Kemptener Tanzherbst, Memminger Kulturmeile
2014 Bozen IT Timescapes Jennifer Mann Dancer BolzanoDanza
2011 Kempten DE Uwam-Our World Ntoroso Odido Choreographer Dancer Choreographer Dancer
2009 Kempten DE Wie tief schläft Sehnsucht? Kari.Dance Company Dancer 10.Kemptener Tanzherbst (KE)
2008 Lagos NG Black&White Ntoroso Odido Choreographer Dancer Trufesta festival: German Embassy, Goethe Institute, National Theatre
2008 Lagos NG Ihe Garaga Blackroots Intl Dancer Dance meets Danse Festival, Alliance Francaise