Ella Mesma Company

Diaspora Dance Theatre

Testimonials

Unabashedly emotional
Sanjoy RoyThe Guardian
Amazing, powerful energy in abundance
Dr Nathalie TeitlerDancing Words
She really pushes the form beyond battles and bravado
William DrewExeunt Magazine
Ella Mesma has a holistic approach to creativity, creating from a space of connectivity to self and purpose
Elsabet Yonas Dance Artist
Carrying that vital spark of originality
Graham Watts Chairman of Critics’ Circle Dance Section UK
The students really enjoyed both workshop and performance and found it interesting and inspiring
Antonio BorielloPhoenix Youth Academy Coordinator
The students really enjoyed both workshop and performance and found it interesting and inspiring
Antonio BorielloPhoenix Youth Academy Coordinator
Ladylike should be compulsory watching for the world
Chris Megginson Yorkshire Dance
F***ing brilliant. Very moving
Audience MemberOffbeat Festival
An absurd, comical, and emotionally charged ritual of dance theatre
Bristol 24/7
Totally swept away by the powerful performances of the four women! They do represent a diaspora of desires, fears and heroism
Casa Festival 2019South Social Film Fest
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About Ella Mesma

“Thanks for visiting our site! I am Ella of Ella Mesma Company. We are inspired to make work that undoes limiting beliefs and celebrates cultural and social identity to empower and inspire our audiences: just like our company name. We love to include audience interaction in some form in our work. We refer to the work we make as diaspora dance theatre, because we recognise that the roots of these folkloric dance styles lie in Africa, and that we are also making a new journey, (just as these dances did): taking influence from the past and making sense of them today .”

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Ella Mesma Company

About Us

Ella Mesma Company is a British based dance theatre company who use a diverse range of folkloric dance styles, inspired by director Ella’s background in Afro-Latin, Breaking and Contemporary dance, as well as the skills of each individual who has joined the company.

The company strive to use diaspora dance theatre (a term they created to communicate this unique meeting of dance styles) to allow transformation: telling personal and global stories to connect to our truest selves, and create powerful, personal and political work.

“If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” ~ Toni Morrison.

Ella’s incentive is to make dance work where BAME, women, LGBTQI and working class people are at the centre of the story, and these stories are told using the dance styles she’s always loved.

Ella Mesma Company also teach workshops and work with young people to create dance projects in the community.

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Quotes

An Under Water Love story tackles some big, serious issues, through some amazing choreography and in a way that I think will be accessible to lots of audiences. I think it’s probably going to leave people who see it with plenty to think about but having had a really entertaining night out. I’m delighted Kala Sangam has supported its creation
Alex CroftCreative Director – Kala Sangam
The dance is immense. So brilliant to see new movement vocabulary. You are generating a truly unique movement style which seems to come from everywhere; African, Spanish, Latin, hip hop, contemporary all entwined together. I was intrigued to see your work and this did not disappoint. The dancers and choreography are amazing. I got a little excited tingle watching the dance, you have got something good cooking with this production!
Selina McgonagleGeraldine Connor Foundation
The underwater world was a really powerful analogy of her ideas: they were coming through really strongly
Dawn Holgate
A really intricate mesmerising piece… I found it very empowering
LeannaAudience, Leeds
When you see people respond to a dance piece who may not normally come in such a passionate way then you know you’re on a winner
Joe Williams
I think she is one of the most intuitive artists I have ever met, an artist who really uses dreaming as a tool
David EvansArtist in the piece
Ella has a gift and she needs to share it
Benedicta ValentinaArtist in the piece
I thought the dancers were absolutely mesmerising
JenAudience, Leeds
I am a frequent theatre go-er, but seeing Ella Mesma Foreign Bodies – An Underwater Love Story was thrilling and thought provoking, elevating my consciousness – I am still getting goose bumps
Beverley Thomas
Artistically, scientifically and culturally significant… a powerful and dramatic work of richly layered relevancies
Katy NoakesOneDance UK
Ella has situated (Foreign Bodies) at a fertile intersection of styles and approaches to dance.
Dan CanhamArtistic Director, Stillhouse
I was absolutely mesmerised
Heidi SamsonYouth Worker, Creative Youth Network
A human dive in to a multi-sensory experience of dual parallels & contradictions. An important story that places the audience in the shoes of the protagonist
Elsabet Yonas
Strong idea and led by an amazing internationally known choreographer/dancer Ella Mesma with a fierce team. Can’t wait to see where this goes
Natalie Teitler
You have some wonderful dancers and it was a beautiful piece, while uncomfortable at times. The big jumps in unison gave me a huge surge of optimism
Anna Demming
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ELLA MESMA COMPANY

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Ella Mesma Company

Ella Mesma Company is a British dance theatre company who use a diverse range of folkloric dance styles, inspired by director Ella’s background in Afro-Latin, Breaking and Contemporary dance, as well as the skills of each individual who has joined the company.

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