Luca Silvestrini's Protein Celebrates 21 Years With Celebratory Programme

Luca Silvestrini's Protein announce a multi-dimensional celebratory programme to mark the company's 21st birthday. Since their first production in 1998, Protein have cemented their reputation as one of Britain's most distinctive dance companies, blending bold and clever choreography with a great sense of humour. The anniversary celebrations draw on Luca's choreographic practice and Protein's rich tradition of working with non-professional dancers from across the community, including students in pupil referral units and the elderly. Protein 21 coincides with a UK tour and Christmas run for The Little Prince, along with further developments to the company's plans to relocate to Woolwich Works.

At the centre of the celebrations is Protein 21, a three-part thematic programme based on remixed, reflect and reimagine. The first part, Remixed, is an entertaining film showcasing Protein's extensive body of dance work made over the last 21 years created using existing footage edited by film artist Alice Underwood. The company's past productions include Border Tales, May Contain Food, and LOL (lots of love) among many others. The films demonstrates the evolution of the company's creative output and shows how their individual style as a group established itself.

The second part, Reflect, zones in on 21 people who have been associated with the company since its inception. In the filmed interviews, they recall how Protein has impacted on their lives and how the company has been shaped by the people who work with it.

As the third part, Re-imagine is a large-scale engagement project happening nationwide. Non-professional dancers aged 11 - 75 years old are invited to create their own dance works in response to Protein's extensive repertoire. This includes a response to LOL (lots of love) made by CAT students at DanceEast in collaboration with Miranda MacLetten. There are also yet-to-be-confirmed performances by other groups taking inspiration from Border Tales, The Big Sale, May Contain Food or Dear Body. Audiences will be able to watch the performances on film, broadcast on Protein's soon to be launched new website.

Protein's quirky and charming take on The Little Prince tours to venues across the UK this autumn, before arriving at The Place in time for Christmas. Based on the world-famous philosophical novella by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, the show premiered at DanceEast in Ipswich in 2018 before completing a spring tour. The surprise-filled adaptation uses dance, words and music to tell the iconic tale of a little prince who arrives on planet Earth from his own tiny asteroid.

Protein are also on the cusp of finalising a move to Woolwich Works. The re-developed Woolwich Royal Arsenal is a major new arts hub for the capital. Comprised of theatres, dance studios, restaurants and more, the destination will be home to high-profile arts companies including PunchDrunk and Chineke! Orchestra, the minority ethnic orchestra. While giving the company access to a permanent, world-class base, it will also continue their close connections with the wider Greenwich area.

Originally known as Protein Dance, the company was established in 1997 by Luca Silvestrini and Bettina Strickler. Their first production was the bilingual Duel, 1998 and they have since gone on to tour internationally in 30 different countries to 63 cities. Of their 30 shows, 12 have included large intergenerational casts featuring performers aged 4 to 94. Community is at the heart of Protein and they have worked extensively with non-professional dancers in all kinds of settings.

Protein was awarded the Critic's Circle National Dance Award for Best Independent Dance Company 2011, and was nominated again in 2016. Protein is Associate Company with People Dancing. Partner with Greenwich Dance, Yorkshire Dance and ARC Stockton. Luca Silvestrini is a Work Place Artist at The Place, London.

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