Natacha has lived and worked in Belgium since 1995. She defines herself as a visual artist who works as a costume designer, stage designer, puppeteer and theater director. Her work often combines different techniques and materials: latex, photos, plastic, Powertex, prints on fabric, heat-moldable resin, amongst others. She has worked for different theaters in Europe and Latin America including the National Theater of Belgium (Brussels, Belgium), La Coline Theater (Paris, France), Dos à Deux (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), Viaje Inmóvil (Santiago, Chile), Point Zéro and The Royal Theater (Brussels, Belgium).

She has received 3 nominations for the Belgium Theater Critic Award and in 2010 won in the category of Visual Creation. She has also worked in the film industry on “La Monique de Joseph” (2007) by Damien Chemin and produced by Tarantula / Caviar, “L.A.” (2000) by Vladimir Kartachov and produced by V.K. (St-Petersbourg), and “Before We Go”, by Jorge León and produced by Derive.

Natacha has studied at the International Institute of Marionettes, Charles Ville Mézieres, France, the University of Chile’s School of Design and Architecture, and the National Theater of Portugal. She has taught her technique in over 10 countries and collaborated creatively with different companies and independent actors; by June 2016 she will have put on more than 35 premiers in three years. Today, she continues to teach and is preparing pieces with her company Une Tribu (One Tribe) from Belgium, in co-production with the Lavoro Theater in Italy and in Chile with Teresita Iacobelli.

Duda Paiva, pioneer of a new conceptual movement that animates and expands the actor´s body language combining contemporary dance and classic manipulation of puppets using movement and voice as narrative instruments directed by one mind. This concept establishes a deeper connection between the object and the manipulator and creates a poetic and fluid illusion. Paiva has given workshops at several universities including the Uqam (Montreal, Canada), VCA (Melbourne, Australia), Esnam (Charleville-Mezieres, France) SESC (Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), Bialystok Akademy (Bialystok, Poland), Sofia University (Sofía, Bulgaria), etc.

“Objects gain life through the audience´s imagination. This creates the precise intimacy with the public that I was looking for as a dancer”
“Sharing the object” is a workshop where students learn animation and dance through the recognition of the physicality of an inanimate object and the physicality of the actor. During the workshop, each participant is guided through the creation of choreographic movements between the actor and the object/puppet. This technique consists of using the manipulator´s body to create an atmosphere for the puppet and vice versa, exploring the space (room, stage) and inspiring imagination and creativity.

The workshop´s objective is to create a dynamic dialog between two (or more) bodies originating from one brain—the interpreter´s. It was developed for dancers, physical actors, puppeteers and anyone who wishes to develop a physical dialog with a “second” body: the object.

It is not recommended that people with physical problems or insufficient training attend. Participants can bring their own puppets if they are made of light materials such as cosmetic foam, papier-mâché or fabric. They have to be human-sized puppets or able to be carried.