Matilda Leyser

Matilda Leyser's work integrates aerial circus skills with physical theatre and dance. She is committed to creating dramatically effective, high quality and intelligent work which plays on as many different levels of meaning as it does of space. Matilda trained initially as a dancer and Alexander technique teacher. Between 1989 and 1998 she performed, choreographed and taught professionally with companies in England and Europe. In 1999 she attended Circomedia's foundation course in Circus Skills and Physical Theatre, and since then has been working as an aerialist, specialising in corde lisse, tissu and cloudswing.

She has toured with Dark Horse, Circomedia's award-winning circus-theatre company, and now teaches on the training course programme. In 2002 she appeared in Mamaloucos' The Birds at the National Theatre and in 2003 has been working with Company F/Z on a site-specific piece at the Chalons dans la Rue festival. Matilda has also collaborated with diverse circus, theatre and dance companies including Boilerhouse, Fabrik, Rosemary Lee, Cirque Bijou, Telling Times and Jointwork Dance.

Matilda's solo work includes Lifeline, a 25-minute corde lisse/theatre solo piece commissioned by Circus Space in 2001, and Several Stories High, a project to develop new ways of combining Circus aerial skills with Physical Theatre, which culminated in a showing at BAC in June 2002.

Her latest project, Silent Torque, will be a fusion of aerial cloudswing skills with live and pre-recorded text. Silent Torque will tour in the autumn as part of the Circus Bites showcase.

Matilda played The Daughter in Destination.

Find out more about Matilda at www.matildaleyser.co.uk
Contact her at info@matildaleyser.co.uk