TEAM
Artistic Director
Mathieu Geffré
mathieu.geffre@rendez-vousdance.com
After graduating from the Paris Conservatoire in 2006, Mathieu Geffré has
danced across Europe. As a member of companies such
as Dansgroep Amsterdam, Noord Nederlandse Dans, and National Dance
Company Wales, he collaborated with numerous leading choreographers: Itzik
Galili, Johan Inger, Mark Baldwin, Christopher Bruce and Angelin Preljocaj
among others. In 2012 he started making choreography and took part in the
NDCWales emerging choreographers’ program (Alternative Routes), which led
to his first commission for NDCWales in 2013. Mathieu’s work has been
selected for many choreographic platforms and competitions in Europe
including Internationales Solo Tanz Theater Festival in Stuttgart, Figueres es
MOU in Spain, Mermaid Dance Platform in Northern Ireland, Competition for
Choreographers in Hannover, Aids TanzGala and Regensburg-Germany.
Mathieu was awarded the 3rd Prize Choreography at the prestigious
Copenhagen International Choreography Competition in 2016. Past
commissions include Boston Dance Theatre, Nationaltheatre Mannheim, Rambert School, Eliot Smith Dance, Phoenix Dance Theatre Youth Academy and Boston Dance Theatre. Early 2019 Mathieu launched his new company Rendez–Vous dance.
(he/him)
Andrew Gardiner
Dramaturg
Andrew Gardiner trained in and received BA (hons) in both Theatre and Dance, and has a PGDip from the Northern School of Contemporary Dance, with a distinction. He currently performs as a dance artist and actor.
Andrew has worked with ZoieLogic on SAFE 2015/16; the company’s outdoor work Stolen Wishes and in RIDE, 2016 which, continues to tour nationally. Andrew has also worked with a plethora of renowned choreographers and UK based dance companies such as Ben Wright’s bgroup, Luca Silvestrini's Protein with May Contain Food and Border Tales; Curious Seed with PUSH and Teenage Trilogy which, will premiere in 2018.
He has also worked with Smallpetitklein, Shaper Caper, James Wilton Dance Company, LaBanda in Struileag Children of the Smoke, as part of the Commonwealth Games 2014, Riccardo Buscarini including No Lander and L'eta dell'Orror, and Steven Hogget in Pixar’s How to train your Dragon 2.
Andrew is an associate artist and collaborator at Encounter Productions on their specific work I heart Catherine Pistachio and Streets in the Sky. He has also recently played The Dancing Bear in Jamie Fletchers Company’s Dancing Bear Trilogy and has completed working on Simon McBurney's The Rakes Progress (Igor Stravinsky) in collaboration with Festival Aix and The DNO.
(he/him)
Creative Collaborators
Paolo Pisarra
Performer
Paolo Pisarra is from Puglia, Italy. He graduated from the National Dance
Academy of Rome with honors in 2015. Through his career, he has danced for companies such as Scottish Dance Theatre and BalletBoyz.
As part of those companies, he was fortunate to collaborate with choreographers such as
Colette Sadler, Botis Seva, Fleur Darkin, Emanuel Gat, etc... He participated in the “Night of 100 solos”, the Centennial event for Merce Cunningham.
(he/him)
Tommaso Petrolo
Performer
Originally from Rome, Tommaso graduated from Balletto di Roma in 2009. he moved to New York to complete his studies in contemporary dance at Peridance Capezio Center where he graduated in 2012.
Tommaso joined Peridance Contemporary Dance Company, under the direction of Igal Perry. He has worked with choreographers such as Sidra Bell, Francesca Harper (William Forsythe company), Charlotta Hofverholm (DV8 Physical Theatre), Manuel Vignoulle (Cedar Lake Dance company), Gregory Dolbashian (The Ensemble), Marlena Wolfe (Robert Battle/Camille A.Brown)
Tommaso moved to the UK in 2016. He worked with Tavaziva dance company and Rob Heaslip Dance Company. He is currently involved in projects with Van Huynh Dance Company and Rendez-Vous Dance.
Tommaso is an active teacher delivering in renown institutes in the UK, across Europe, U.S.A., Latin America, India, and China.
(he/him)
Creative Producer
Rachel is co-director and founder of Moving Art Management, and is a freelance producer, teacher, dancer and creative entrepreneur, specialising in dance.
She also works part time with Live Nation/AMG to programme music gigs and comedy nights at O2 Academy Newcastle and City Hall.
(she/her)