We are a professional dance company based in London, UK, under the direction of Giulia Iurza.
Giulia puts together dancers with personalities all different one from the other.
What particularly drove her interest was the connection between mind and body. Dancers are, by nature of their art form, aware of their bodies. Her research lies within how they can explore deeply the body sensations that arise from their memories, images or feelings to achieve a mindful awareness of this connection in their movements.
Our individuality and uniqueness are the main interest in the work we create.
The aim of the company is to create high quality dance work, focusing on dancers’ movement in itself and how it can be originated and challenged, and making it accessible to every kind of audience.
Who we are
J7s Dance Company
Dancers
Giulia Avino
Italian artist, Giulia began her studies when she was eight. After winning the Third Talent Prize at Praha Festival 2000, she attended the Opera Theatre School of Rome and graduated from National Dance Academy of Rome (2011). Then, Giulia turned her interests towards contemporary dance.
Technique and versatility are distinctive elements that turn Giulia in a first-order performer.
Graduated from Trinity Laban Conservatoire with a 1st Class Honours, she is currently collaborating in some projects with several artists and musicians.
Anna Borini
Anna grew up in Italy, where she originally trained in ballet. After being introduced to Graham, Cunningham and Mattox technique, Anna continued her contemporary dance journey at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music & Dance, working with artists including Rosemary Brand, Valerie Preston-Dunlop, Daniel Squire and Martin Hargreaves. She danced works from Rosas’ repertoire, under the direction of Nadine Ganese and Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker. During her training, she was invited to study with Martha Graham Dance Company and Phoenix Dance Theatre at ROH.
Aaron Chaplin
Born and raised in London, Aaron began dancing at Theatre Peckham. Beginning in Tap, Jazz and Ballet, his interest in rhythm and syncopation was sparked. He continued his training at The BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology, where he graduated with a Triple Distinction Star. Aaron continued at Trinity Laban Conservatoire for Music and Dance, where he had the opportunity to be a part of the 2016 restaging of Wayne McGregor’s FAR (2010) while too working with a plethora of internal and external choreographers including Jessica Wright and Dr. Naomi Lefebvre Sell.
Paola Drera
Paola began studying gymnastics at 4 and dance at 10. After training at “Steps on Broadway” in New York, thanks to a scholarship given by Desmond Richardson, she collaborated with other choreographers around Italy, such as Nina Dipla and Michele Pogliani. Paola joined the A.E.D.J. Group for three years and is now training at Trinity Laban where she has worked with artists including Kerry Biggin, Zoi Dimitriou, Ellen Van Schuylenburch and Jessica Wright. She also studied with Chantry Dance Company and Phoenix Dance Theatre.
Catarina Pernao
Original from Portugal, Catarina trained at the Portuguese National Conservatory Dance School and graduated from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, UK. She danced with Cinevox Junior Company in Switzerland and most recently joined the Centre National de Danse Contemporaine in Angers, France, under the direction of Robert Swinston. She has staged her own choreographic work and danced for fashion designers and film shootings. Catarina has and continues on teaching and performing internationally with a variety of choreographers and artists.
Giacomo Pini
Originally from Italy, Giacomo began his training in ballet and contemporary dance at Arabesque Dance Center, Rimini. He continued his studies with a BA (Hons) in Contemporary Dance at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, London, where he graduated with a first class honours. During his studies, Giacomo had the opportunity to perform in works by Merce Cunningham, Gary Clarke, Debbi Purtill and work alongside a number of companies and artists worldwide. Giacomo is currently performing as Company Member in EDge Dance Company.
Selene Travaglia
Selene started her professional studies with Susanna Beltrami in Milan. Selene trained at Trinity Laban, where she met teachers including Rosemary Brandt, Ellen van Schuylenburch and Gary Lambert and worked with choreographers as Naomi Lefebvre Sell, Kate Johnson, Adam Rutherford and Kerry Nicholls. She also danced ‘Polar Sequences’ from Wayne McGregor’s repertoire. Selene has been an understudy guest with Martha Graham Dance Company, Alonzo King Lines Ballet, Wee Dance Company and Phoenix Dance Theatre. Selene in now part of Transitions Dance Company, in London.
Gloria Trolla
Born and raised in Italy, Gloria began her dance training in Trento, studying Cunningham based and Graham techniques, and performing with LAM Dance Company directed by Wally Holzhauser. She continued her training at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music & Dance, UK, working with dancers and choreographers including Ellen Van Schuylenburch, Rosemary Brandt, Kate Lawrence, and Maciej Kuzminski. Gloria also worked with Wayne McGregor Company member Jessica Wright, and performed a main role in the restaging of McGregor’s FAR (2010) by Anna Nowak.
Choreographer
Giulia Iurza
Born and raised in Naples, Italy. Giulia began her dance training when she was 11 at a local dance school directed by Patty Schisa. Here she studied dance for 10 years, going through different techniques and obtaining a diploma in 2013. Giulia continued her professional training at Trinity Laban, in London, where she graduated in 2016 with a First Class Honours.
In those years, she has worked alongside international choreographers such as Kerry Nicholls, Zoi Dimitriou, Marina Collard, as well as having re-staged one of Wayne McGregor’s works, “Polar Sequences”, restaged by Neil Fleaming Brown.
She was also invited to be an understudy guest at Nanine Linning Dance Company in Germany and Martha Graham Dance Company in New York.
She performed in projects in collaboration with artists from different fields and performed in different context, indoor and outdoor.
During her training at Laban Giulia ripens her interest in choreography, especially in her last year, when she started working and developing her Indipendent Project, mentored by Dr. Naomi Lefebvre Sell. Straight after graduation, she has been selected for Resolution at the Place in London, where she will present her work, Shikishin Funi, in January 2017.