Roberto Olivan
Dance is the most flexible way of communication we can articulate. A dialogue without words that is able to say it all.
Roberto Olivan
Olivan’s tour around the world has clearly marked his way of understanding it. The contemplation and study of movement have led him to propose a more intimate universe through quality creations. Olivan is an open and questioning creator who constantly pursuits between the established and the insurgent. His love for taking risks makes him create continuous re-encounters between the old and assumed signs with the emergence of a new logic that is used as a mechanism to transgress the limits.
This international creator started training at Institut del Teatre in Barcelona and P.A.R.T.S. in Brussels. The Belgian capital was the key point that strengthened his artistic career. His career as a professional dancer started at the influential ROSAS dance company, directed by Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker. He also performed under the direction of renowned directors such as Robert Wilson, Tom Jansen and Josse de Pauw.
Currently, Roberto is the director of the dance company ROPA / Roberto Olivan Performing Arts, created in Brussels in 2001. He is also the artistic director and founder of Deltebre Dansa festival, an international event that has taken place annually since 2004. More recently, in 2016, Roberto Olivan opened and became the artistic director of l’Obrador Creation Space, a space dedicated to contemporary artistic creation focused on movement arts.
Olivan has been commissioned by dance companies, universities, dance institutions and schools all over the world. His career has been very versatile. In recent years, he has been teaching at different institutions around the globe and has worked as a choreographer and performer in the film industry.
Roberto has also been the artistic director of important cultural events and part of the jury at several dance competitions. In addition to this, he has also participated in meetings related to the dance field held by the Departament de Cultura de la Generalitat de Catalunya and he is a member of the Consell Assessor de Cultura de la Generalitat de Catalunya in les Terres de l’Ebre region, overseen by the Departament de Cultura de la Generalitat de Catalunya (Catalonia, Spain).
His career has been internationally recognised. He has received the following awards: Special mention at Premis de la Crítica d’Arts Escèniques 2019 for Deltebre Dansa festival 15th anniversary (Catalonia, Spain), Europe for Festivals, Festivals for Europe (EFFE) 2019 to Deltebre Dansa (Belgium), Premi Cultura Deltebre 2012 and 2017 (Catalonia, Spain), Premi Nacional de Cultura 2014 (Catalonia, Spain), Premi Ciutat de Barcelona 2013 (Catalonia, Spain), Premi FAD Sebastià Gasch d’Arts Parateatrals 2012 (Catalonia, Spain) and Prix SACD de la Création Chorégraphique 2001 de la Société des Auteurs et Compositeurs Dramatiques (Belgium), among other nominations.
- En la Cuerda Floja. Guest choreographer invited by ANA MORALES company (Seville, Spain).
- L’Inadaptat. Guest choreographer at Institut del Teatre de Barcelona (Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain).
- Heart Sorrow. Guest choreographer invited by the Dance Department at Stavanger University (Stavanger, Norway).
- Mites Moderns. Opera creation at Conservatori de Música de Tortosa. Production by Diputació de Tarragona (Tortosa, Catalonia, Spain).
- B(e)side. Guest choreographer at FONTYS ACADEMY OF CIRCUS AND PERFORMANCE ART (Tilburg, Netherlands).
- Socarrel. Re-creation and adaptation of the existing piece to indoor spaces at FESTIVAL ÉSDANSA (Les Preses, Catalonia, Spain).
- Timber. Guest choreographer invited by COMPANHIA INSTÁVEL. Creation with 6 dancers and 6 musicians. Collaboration with DRUMMING GRUPO DE PERCUSSÃO (Porto, Portugal).
- Quan tot penja d’un fil. Creation for Award Ceremony Creus de Sant Jordi 2019 (Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain).
- Meraki. Choreographer invited by Ajuntament de Tortosa for the XXIV Festa del Renaixement (Tortosa, Catalonia, Spain).
- Jury at Premi de Dansa 2019 of l’Institut del Teatre de Barcelona (Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain).
- Dall’alto. Guest choreographer invited by Milano Musica (Milano, Italy).
- Participation at Fòrum Cultura 2020, promoted by Cercle de Cultura (Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain).
- 1971. Guest choreographer invited by Teatro del Temple. Performance with live music by RAFAEL BERRIO. Coproduction with ZGZ ESCENA (Zaragoza, Spain).
- Performance at the celebration gala for the 25 years of Colla Jove de Dolçainers de Tortosa, celebrated at Teatre Auditori Felip Pedrell de Tortosa (Tortosa, Catalonia, Spain).
- Meraki. Guest choreographer invited by Ajuntament de Tortosa for the XXIII Festa del Renaixement (Tortosa, Catalonia, Spain).
- Ritmes de la Mediterrània. Guest choreographer invited by Diputació de Tarragona (Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain).
- Speaker at the ADAS conference – Associació de Dones Agents de la Salut de Deltebre (Deltebre, Catalonia, Spain).
- Dans ton cœur. Guest choreographer invited by the circus company AKOREACRO (Le Havre, France).
- FlipArt project lecturer at Institut Can Planas, Barberà del Vallès (Barberà del Vallès, Catalonia, Spain).
- FlipArt project lecturer at Institut Josep Mestres i Busquets, Viladecans (Viladecans, Catalonia, Spain).
- Cuculand Souvenir. Large-scale performance created by ROPA / Roberto Olivan Performing Arts that mixes contemporary dance and circus, visual arts and music. Coproduction with: ICEC – Departament de Cultura de la Generalitat de Catalunya (Catalonia, Spain), Grec 2018 Festival de Barcelona (Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain), Teatre Nacional de Catalunya (Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain), Festival Sismògraf (Olot, Catalonia, Spain) and Kalamata International Dance Festival (Kalamata, Greece). With the support of: Xarxa Transversal (Catalonia, Spain), Fundación Municipal de Cultura de Valladolid/Teatro Lava (Valladolid, Spain), ATRIUM Viladecans (Viladecans, Catalonia, Spain) and Solidança (Catalonia, Spain).
- Natural Strange Days repertory creation at Stavanger University (Stavanger, Norway). Natural Strange Days is a performance created by ROPA / Roberto Olivan Performing Arts in 2001, awarded with Prix SACD de la Création Chorégraphique 2001 de la Société des Auteurs et Compositeurs Dramatiques (Brussels, Belgium).
- FlipArt project lecturer at Institut Damià Campeny, Mataró (Mataró, Catalonia, Spain).
- FlipArt project lecturer at Institut Manuel Blancafort in la Garriga (La Garriga, Catalonia, Spain).
- FlipArt project lecturer at Institut Joan Mercader in Igualada (Igualada, Catalonia, Spain).
- FlipArt project lecturer at Institut Can Vilumara in l’Hospitalet de Llobregat (L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Catalonia, Spain).
- Socarrel. Created by ROPA / Roberto Olivan Performing Arts. Co-production: Fira Mediterrània Manresa (Manresa, Catalonia, Spain) and Mercat de les Flors (Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain).
- Host of the last meeting of Simbiosis Artístiques project organised by APdC and APDCV at the Festival Vila-real en Dansa (Vila-real, Spain).
- Choreographic coaching for MagdaClan Circo company (Padova, Italy).
- Vulnerable. Performance of the solo created and performed by Roberto Olivan at Festival Endánzate (Medellin, Colombia).
- Participation in the new television show BALLAR, broadcasted on channel 33. First cultural programme co-production between Catalan television TV3 and ICEC – Departament de Cultura de la Generalitat de Catalunya (Catalonia, Spain).
- Choreographic coaching for Mur project by Nacho Flores’ company. Production: Camaleònica Produccions (Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain).
- Vulnerable. Performance of the solo created and performed by Roberto Olivan at Sheung Wan Civic Theatre under the frame of the Hong Kong International Choreography Festival (Hong Kong, China).
- Choreographic coaching for AKOREACRO company (Le Havre, France).
- Choreographic coaching for Fil d’Arena Dansa-Teatre company (Valencia, Spain).
- Plasma. Guest choreographer at the circus company Courant d’Cirque (Sierre, Switzerland).
- Say my name. Guest Choreographer at de !Kunsthumaniora (Antwerpen, Belgium).
- Artistic coaching at Centre Cívic Barceloneta (!Kunsthumaniora (Antwerpen, Belgium).
- Lecturer at FlipArt project at Escola El Pilar, Cornellà de Llobregat (Cornellà de Llobregat, Catalonia, Spain).
- FlipArt project lecturer at Institut Manolo Hugué, Caldes de Montbui (Caldes de Montbui, Catalonia, Spain).
- Member of the Consell Assessor de Cultura, in the area of Terres de l’Ebre, from the Departament de Cultura de la Generalitat de Catalunya (Catalonia, Spain).
- Participation in meetings related to the dance field led by the Departament de Cultura de la Generalitat de Catalunya (Catalonia, Spain).
- Guest choreographer at the circus company Courant d’Cirque (Sierre, Switzerland).
- FlipArt project lecturer at IES Thos i Codina (Mataró, Catalonia, Spain) and at Institut Alt Penedès, Vilafranca del Penedès (Vilafranca del Penedès, Catalonia, Spain).
- Jury of the dance contest Certamen Europeo Mujer Contemporánea of the Festival Costa Contemporánea (Cabo de Gata-Níjar, Spain).
- Jury of the dance contest Competition of Young Dance Performers OPUS 1 – JSKD (Ljubljana, Slovenia).
- Forbidden to Forbid. Guest choreographer at the Department of Music and Dance of the University of Stavanger (Stavanger, Norway).
- La Primera Piedra. Guest choreographer at Créssida Danza Contemporánea (Mérida, Mexico).
- Takudixxi. Guest choreographer at the University of Malta (Msida, Malta).
- Rites of Passage. Guest choreographer at the Department of Music and Dance of the University of Stavanger (Stavanger, Norway).
- The secret of life. Guest choreographer at SEAD – Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance (Salzburg, Austria).
- New moon rising. Guest choreographer at The Danish National School of Performing Arts (Copenhaguen, Denmark).
- Intangible Bridges. Guest choreographer at Zagreb Dance Company (Zagreb, Croatia). .
- El viaje del héroe. Guest choreographer at Compañía Nacional de Danza de El Salvador (San Salvador, El Salvador).
- Artistic Director at the 65th TV Gala Celebration of the Catalan Literature Awards Nit de Santa Llúcia (Tortosa, Catalonia, Spain).
- Lonely Together.Roberto Olivan and Gregory Maqoma. Production: Mercat de les Flors (Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain), Vuyani Dance Theatre (Johannesburg, South Africa), Grec Festival of Barcelona (Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain), Dance Umbrella Johannesburg (Johannesburg, South Africa) and ROPA / Roberto Olivan Performing Arts (Deltebre, Catalonia, Spain).
- No one anonymous. Guest choreographer at CobosMika SEEDS (Palamós, Catalonia, Spain).
- Telegrama a los ángeles. Guest choreographer at CEPRODAC – Centro de Producción de Danza Contemporánea (Mexico City, Mexico).
- Covers. Guest choreographer at Compañía Nacional de Danza de El Salvador (San Salvador, El Salvador).
- Jury of the dance Solo Dance Contest – Gdańsk Dance Festival (Gdańsk, Poland).
- A place to bury strangers. Created by ROPA / Roberto Olivan Performing Arts. Production: Mercat de les Flors (Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain) and ROPA / Roberto Olivan Performing Arts (Deltebre, Catalonia, Spain)
- Flocking. Guest choreographer at CobosMika SEEDS (Palamós, Catalonia, Spain).
- Enclave 4/7. Guest choreographer at Teatr Dada von Bzdülöw (Gdańsk, Poland).
- Teia. Guest choreographer invited by Cia Nós No Bambu (Brasilia, Brasil).
- El Orden de las Cosas. Guest choreographer at CoDa21 Compañía de Danza (San Juan, Puerto Rico).
- Artistic assistance to Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker / ROSAS during the re-creation of the performance Drumming (Brussels, Belgium).
- Represensitive People. Guest choreographer at Créssida Danza Contemporánea (Mèroda, Mexico).
- Solo Program. Roberto commissioned a solo for Dancer Fellow Eddie Bruno Oroyan / University of Minnesota (Minnesota, USA).
- Opening of the creation space ENCLAVE, in Deltebre, as the official headquarters of ROPA / Roberto Olivan Performing Arts (Deltebre, Catalonia, Spain).
- Universal Melody. Artistic Director and choreographer at the CRECE contemporary circus project. Soundscapes and musical composition: Laurent Delforge. Project CRECE 2011 production by Escuela de Circo Carampa and Teatro Circo Price (Madrid, Spain).
- The Reclining Woman. Chamber opera for 3 singers and small ensemble. Direction and choreography by Roberto Olivan. Décor by Pépé Grégoire. Performance by Muziektheater De Helling and the Nap Ensemble. Dedicated to Klaas and Gerrie de Vries. Based on and inspired by the sculptures of Henry Moore. Libretto and music composed by Astrid Kruisselbrink. Commissioned by Fonds Podiumkunsten (Amsterdam, The Netherlands).
- Know your enemy. Guest choreographer at Artesis Royal Conservatoire of Antwerp (Antwerpen, Belgium).
- Històries intel·lactuals. Co Director together with Roberto Magro for the opening ceremony of TRAPEZI, the Circus Fair of Catalonia (Reus, Catalonia, Spain).
- Born, never asked. Guest choreographer at Contact Dance Company (Msida, Malta).
- Iwus’ secret. Guest choreographer at Klub Żak (Gdańsk, Poland).
- Only Real When Shared. Guest choreographer at BODHI PROJECT Company / SEAD – Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance (Salsburg, Austria).
- Fiemo. Guest choreographer at Hecho under the program ‘Jacobeo in Progress’ (Hecho, Spain).
- Mindset. Guest choreographer at SEAD – Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance (Salsburg, Austria).
- 0-risk policy. Guest choreographer at SEAD – Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance (Salsburg, Austria).
- Creation of the improvisation performances Drummer boy and While waiting (Leuven, Belgium).
- A Touching Experience. Guest choreographer at Centro Coreográfico Galego. Live music: Mercedes Peón. Co-production: Laboral Escena Gijón (A Coruña, Spain).
- Rober i Tober. Dance-theatre improvisation performed by Roberto Olivan and Roberto Magro at the Watt Festival in Budapest (Budapest, Hungary).
- Mermaid’s Call. Created by ROPA / Roberto Olivan Performing Arts, co-produced by CAER – Centre d’Arts Escèniques de Reus (Reus, Catalonia, Spain).
- Guest choreographer at the opera project Alba Eterna. Production: Orquestra Camera Musicae. Co-production: CAER – Centre d’Arts Escèniques de Reus (Reus, Catalonia, Spain).
- Kiosco das Almas Perdidas. Guest choreographer at Centro Coreográfico Galego. Live music: Mercedes Peón. Co-production: Laboral Escena Gijón (A Coruña, Spain).
- Motivos razonables. Guest choreographer at Institut del Teatre de Barcelona (Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain).
- Devoris causa. Guest choreographer invited by the company Escarlata Circus (Sant Esteve de Palautordera, Catalonia, Spain).
- In the name of the land. Guest choreographer at IDC – Iceland Dance Company (Reykjavík, Iceland).
- Guest choreographer at Conservatorio El Barco (San José, Costa Rica).
- Creation of the opening performance for L’Aula de Teatre (Matarò, Catalonia, Spain).
- Guest choreographer for the project Individus at the Festival Més Dansa (Reus, Catalonia, Spain).
- Rober i Tober. Dance-theatre improvisation performed by Roberto Olivan and Roberto Magro at Sala Trono (Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain).
- Landmark. Guest choreographer at ÉSAC – Ecole supérieure des arts du cirque. Artistic collaboration between the schools ÉSAC and P.A.R.T.S., with composition and live music by Riccardo Nova (Brussels, Belgium).
- Homeland. Created by ROPA / Roberto Olivan Performing Arts. Performance of contemporary dance, circus, theatre and music. Co-production: CAER – Centre d’Arts Escèniques de Reus (Reus, Catalonia, Spain), Mercat de les Flors (Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain) and Transversal Xarxa d’Activitats Culturals (Catalonia, Spain). Partners: Kc NOna – Kunstencentrum NONA (Mechelen, Belgium) and Banquine asbl (Brussels, Belgium). With the support of: Generalitat de Catalunya (Catalonia, Spain); Institut Català d’Acció Cultural (Catalonia, Spain); Ministère Communauté française de la Belgique (Brussels, Belgium); Service du Cirque, des Arts forains et de la Rue (Belgium) and Commission communautaire française (Brussels, Belgium). And the collaboration of: Theater op de Markt – Dommelhof Neerpelt (Neerpelt, Belgium) and SACD – Société des Auteurs et Compositeurs Dramatiques (Brussels, Belgium).
- Sunny Side Up. Guest choreographer at Vertigo Dance Company (Jerusalem, Israel). Co-production: Spain, Belgium and Israel.
- Testudo. Teacher and guest choreographer at KNUA – Korea National University of Arts (Seoul, South Korea).
- Jury of a dance contest at KNUA – Korea National University of Arts (Seoul, South Korea).
- Il Combattimento. Guest choreographer at Music ensemble Walpurgis (Berchem, Belgium).
- Dansfabriek. Contemporary dance and breakdance fusion workshop at Kc NOna – Kunstencentrum NONA (Mechelen, Belgium).
- Hokhma. Guest choreographer at the opening of the new building of the school ArtEZ in Arnhem (Arnhem, The Netherlands).
- Grosso fugue. (GALA 2004) Performer at ROSAS / Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker (Brussels, Belgium).
- Creation of the International Contemporary Dance Workshop in Tortosa (Tortosa, Catalonia, Spain). Later on, in 2008, it became the festival Deltebre Dansa.
- Le vertige du Papillon. Circus-dance performance created by Feria Musica. Teacher and choreography assistant: Roberto Olivan (Brussels, Belgium).
- De Farra. Created by ROPA / Roberto Olivan Performing Arts. Live music: Pierre Bastien. Production: Theater Het Net (Bruges, Belgium). Co-production: Concertgebouw Brugge (Bruges, Belgium) and Mercat de les Flors (Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain). With the support of SACD – Société des Auteurs et Compositeurs Dramatiques (Brussels, Belgium) under the program ‘1500 hours to dance’.
- SS. Direction: Josse de Pauw and Tom Jansen. Choreographer: Roberto Olivan. Performance created under the frame Bruges Cultural Capital of Europe 2002 (Bruges, Belgium).
- Vulnerable. Solo performance created and performed by Roberto Olivan. Live music by Ramon Balagué (Bruges, Belgium).
- The hillside of the old crones. Music ensemble Walpurgis (Berchem, Belgium). Choreographer: Roberto Olivan.
- Impovisation workshop-performance: Directed by Roberto Olivan at the Beursschouwburg (Brussels, Belgium).
- Choreographer of the choir Gents Madrigaalkoor (about 60 singers) for the TV contest ‘Best choir of the year’. Awarded with the 1st prize and prize to the Original Stage Presentation (Gent, Belgium).
- Wortel van glas. Guest choreographer: Roberto Olivan. Performer: Stefan Perceval. Text: Josse de Pauw. Music: Eavesdropper. Production: HETPALEIS (Antwerpen, Belgium).
- Guest choreographer residency at Theater Het Net (Bruges, Belgium).
- Natural Strange Days. Choreographer: Roberto Olivan. This piece was awarded the Prix SACD de la Création Chorégraphique by the Société des Auteurs et Compositeurs Dramatiques (Brussels, Belgium).
- In Real Time. Performer at ROSAS / Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker (Brussels, Belgium).
- Achterland (REPRISE). Performer at ROSAS / Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker (Brussels, Belgium).
- I said I. Performer at ROSAS / Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker (Brussels, Belgium).
- Drumming. Performer at ROSAS / Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker (Brussels, Belgium).
- Woud (REPRISE). Performer at ROSAS / Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker (Brussels, Belgium).
- Just before. Performer at ROSAS / Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker (Brussels, Belgium).
- Common Essence. Choreographer: Roberto Olivan. 2nd prize at Certamen Coreográfico de Madrid 1996 (Madrid, Spain).
- Set and Reset (REPRISE) at P.A.R.T.S. (Brussels, Belgium). Choreographer: Trisha Brown.
- Prometeo. Artistic director: Robert Wilson. Event organised by P.A.R.T.S. and the Opera House La Monnaie (Brussels, Belgium).
- Symbiosis. Choreographer: Roberto Olivan (Brussels, Belgium).
- Fenix. Performer at Selene Lux. Choreographer: Pepe Hevia (Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain).
- Canción de cigarra. Performer at Selene Lux. Choreographer: Pepe Hevia. 2nd prize (shared) at the contest Ricard Moragas 1994 (Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain).
- Qué más da si no me quieres. Choreographer: Roberto Olivan (Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain).
- El lugar del silencio eterno. Choreographer: Roberto Olivan (Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain).