Photo by Yaniv Cohen

Photo by Yaniv Cohen

Anna Thu Schmidt (born 1989 in Germany) is a dance artist with a focus on dance improvisation, interdisciplinary projects, site-specific work and integrated dance.

Her work is inspired by the connection and communications between humans and nature. Her interest in the relation of dance to other arts leads to international collaborations and research on the intertwinement of dance and installation art.

Her artistic work navigates around questions of accessibility in dance. Themes such as inclusion and exclusion in interaction with the audience are explored in a variety of performance formats through a multisensory approach.

Anna is currently based in Trondheim/ Norway after living in Germany, the Netherlands and Indonesia.

c u r r i c u l u m v i t a e

a c a d e m i c   e d u c a t i o n

2017-2019 Master in Dance Studies, NTNU, Trondheim/Norway      

2008-2012 Bachelor of Dance in Education, ArtEZ Institute of the Arts, Arnhem/Netherlands

f u r t h e r   e d u c a t i o n              

2023 Research project ‘Re-visiting Amerta’, workshops with Diane Butler/Dharma Nature Time, Ibed S. Yuga/Umah Solah, Galih Naga Seno/Amerta Sound, Bali and Surakarta/Indonesia

2020 Research project into Amerta Movement, Surakarta and Yogyakarta Indonesia

2015-2017 Darmasiswa student at Institute Seni Indonesia: Non-degree scholarship program for foreign students, study of traditional Indonesian dances, Surakarta/Indonesia

2016 Hatha Yoga Teachers Training (200 hours), Balance Yoga Jogja School, Yogyakarta/Indonesia

2015-2016 Monochord course in feeltone Sound Massage & Sound Therapy, Pulow/Germany  

2013 Simonson Method of Teacher Training with Lynn Simonson, Dance New Amsterdam, New York City/USA

S e l e c t e d w o r k s:

c r e a t i n g + p e r f o r m i n g

2024 ‘Altered States: From the deepest gong to the highest bell’ collaboration by ImproDans Trondheim and SiTron (Sinfonietta i Trondheim), part of Mulitpliédansefestival, Trondheim/Norway

2024 ImproLab with Trond Wiger, Knut Størdal at Vår Frue Kirke, Trondheim/Norway

2024 performance with Thea Grant at the Ibsen award ceremony at Ibsenhuset, Skien/Norway

2023 ImproStunt as part of the Contact Impro Festival at kulturarena Havet, Trondheim/Norway

2023 Intergalactic ImproLab with musician Arnfinn Killingtveit på Havet, part of Cultural Night Trondheim/Norway

2023 solo and duet performance at Regnbuemesse (part of Trondheim Pride) in Nidaros Cathedral with Karoline E. Wheeler and Knut Størdal, , Trondheim/Norway

2023 'How to read water #6' dance installation, live performance at Fossekleiva Kultursenter with Grant and Paasche and 1:1 ocean walks (solo walking performance outdoors), Berger/Norway

2023 ‘How to read water #6’ dance installation, live performance at Bygda 2.0 with Grant, Stokkøya/Norway

2023 ImproStunt site-specific performance as part of Kunstfest Rotvoll with Winsnes/Ellingsen Wheeler/Kolbeinsen/Smidt/Hegdal at Rotvoll kunstnerkollektiv, Trondheim/Norway

2023 Dansens Dager ImproStunt at HAVET with E.Wheeler/Sanders/Guo/Aksnes/Hynsjö, Trondheim/Norway

2023 solo performance at the closing event of Kanoko Takaya’s solo exhibition ‘Kune Kune' at Semarang Gallery/Indonesia

2022 ‘How to read water #5’ video and mixed media installation at TEKS with Grant/Geving, Trondheim/Norway

2022 ImproStunt site-specific performance as part of Trondheim Open with Wollny/Ellingsen Wheeler/Ellerhusen Holm/Smidt/Hoem Røysum/Butcher at Rotvoll kunstnerkollektiv, Trondheim/Norway

2022 ’Quantum Entanglement #3’ Løhre/Guo in collaboration with LIPA students, Museum of Liverpool, Open Eye Gallery, Liverpool/UK

2022 ‘Tracing Spaces - Leaving Traces’ performance as part of the Istanbul International Improvisation Dance Festival, Istanbul/Turkey

2022 ‘How to read water #4’ long durational dance installation at Heimdal Kunstforening part of Meta.Morf festival with Thea Ellingsen Grant Mina Paasche, Trondheim/Norway

2022 ‘How to read water #4’ long durational dance installation at Nils Aas Kunstverksted with Grant/Paasche/Geving, Inderøy/Norway

2022 Dansens dager ImproStunt at Trøndelag Teater with Hallem/de Beer/Guo/Aksnes/Hynsjö, Trondheim/Norway

2021 ImproStunt site-specific performance with Wollny/Bergh Ellingsen/Pettersen/Smidt/Stokke/Butcher/Geving at Rotvoll kunstnerkollektiv, Trondheim/Norway

2021 'Quantum Entanglement #2’ with Løhre/Guo/Haugerud/Skaslien/Danselaboratoriet/Danseteateret, Kristiansand/Trondheim/Stjørdal/Norway

2021 ‘Open’ site-specific interactive solo performance at Powerhouse Brattørkaia, part of ‘Byen i bevegelse’, Trondheim/Norway

2021 ‘How to read water #3’ outdoor performance at Rotvollfjæra with Thea Ellingsen Grant/Mina Paasche, Trondheim/Norway

2021 ImproSTUNT site-specific performance with Wollny/Bergh Ellingsen/Pettersen/Haugerud/Stokke/Butcher at Rotvoll kunstnerkollektiv, Trondheim/Norway

2021 ‘How to read water #2’ dance installation, with Thea Ellingsen Grant, VJ Mina Paasche, media artist Hanne Dahl Geving and Juliane Schütz at Stillverk 1, Trondheim/Norway

2021 ‘How to read water #1’ 1:1 performances, with Thea Ellingsen Grant (vocal) and Alexander Riris (double bass) at Stillverk 1, Trondheim/Norway

2020 ‘How to exit’ site-specific interactive solo performance, part of Mørkerommet at Rosendal Teater, Trondheim/Norway

2020 ‘Quantum Entanglement’ co-created and performed with dance artist Gunhild Løhre and Björn Guo (viola) at Babel visningsrom for kunst, Trondheim/Norway

2020 ‘Solur 60/360’ co-created/performed with musician Tor Haugerud, Klemenskirken, Trondheim/Norway

2020 ’I am not there I am here’ experimental improvisation based quartet with Aleksandar Isailovic and Georgia Wartel Collins (double-bass) as part of Mørkerommet at Rosendal Teater, Trondheim/Norway

2020 ‘Listening to the woods breathing in the dark’ solo performance with live music by Edythia Wirawan and Lawe Samagaha at Sharing time: Megalithic Millennium Art, Tubaba/Indonesia

2020 ‘Hadap2an’ Pop-Up Performance with Kalanari theatre movement, Langgeng Art Foundation, Yogyakarta/Indonesia

2020 ‘Remember the rain’ solo performance with live music by Galih Naga Seno, Dolly Nofer, Hanom Satrio and Luqmanul Chakimat at Srawung Seni Candi, Candi Sukuh/Indonesia

2019 ‘Quand le soleil’ solo performance Tanzbühne Jubiläumsgala, Rostock/Germany

2019 ‘For the time being’ Solo at the Dansens dager, music by Thea Ellingsen Grant Trondheim/Norway

2018 ‘Klangräume’ solo performance, Monochord concert, Klanghaus am See Klein Jasedow/Germany

2018 ‘Ankommen - Reise der Wartenden’ dance installation collaboration with Christina Rode, Peenemünde/Germany

2018 ‘Nattens Lys’ choreographer for Kammerkoret Aurum and dancer with Gisle Hass, scenekunstforestilling initiated by Christina Lindgren and Liv Kristin Holmberg, Vår Frue Kirke, Trondheim/Norway

2018 ‘Across the heavens, above the earth’ dance theater performance, collaboration theater collective 5toMidnight International, Rumata’ Artspace, Makassar/Indonesia

2017 ‘Jam Karet - perception of time’ one hour conceptual dance performance in collaboration with the 24h dancers at the World Dance Day at ISI Solo, Surakarta/Indonesia

2017 ‘Durchschaut’ dance with Otniel Tasman, visual artwork by Kanoko Takaya, shadow theatre and live music, ArtJog at Jogja National Museum, Yogyakarta/Indonesia

2016 ‘Mandala perdamaian’ ritualistic performance intiatied by Ellen Begw Jordan, Surakarta/Indonesia

2015-2017 Performing at Bedog Art Festival (Jogjakarta), International Mask Festival (Ubud), Festival Bantarangin (Ponorogo), Bangka culture wave (Bangka), Ziarah Tambora Moving Festival (Sumbawa), University of Malang (Malang), Closing ceremony Darmasiswa (Jakarta), Pendopo Taman Budaya, Taman Balaikambang, Pendopo ISI Solo, Srawung Seni Sakral, Festival Payung, Srawung Organic Taman Hutan Lemah Putih, Bukan Music Biasa (Surakarta)

t e a c h i n g

currently since 2023 Ecstatic Dance events at HAVET with DJ Morild, DJ Pastell and Dj Hi-Lo, Trondheim/Norway

currently since 2021: Praxis Trondheim initiative for and by local dance artists in Trondheim/Norway

currently since 2020: Yoga swing + restorative yogaswing, aerial yoga classes at Zenit Yoga in Trondheim/Norway

currently since 2019: ImproDans Trondheim (ImproJam, ImproLab, ImproStunt events) in Trondheim/Norway

currently since 2019: Rabalderdans, dance for kids (2-6 years old), Trondheim/Norway

currently since 2018: Contemporary dance for adults - Samtidsdans for voskne Trondheim at DansiT, Trondheim/Norway

2021-2023: teaching dance artist in the dance companies Danseteateret and Danselaboratoriet

2023 arranging and teaching at the Contact Impro Festival Trondheim/Norway

2023 ImproLab with Tone Åse, Jakob Nordli Leirvik, Intergalactic ImproLab with Arnfinn Killingsveit, CI with Ingeborg Dugstad Sanders, Trondheim/Norway

2023 Ecstatic Dance at Havet with DJ Pastell, Trondheim/Norway

2023 Contact Improvisation Workshops for Nalitari and Kalanari Theatre Movement in Yogyakarta, ImproJam at Taman Hutan Lemah Putih, Surakarta/ Indonesia

2022 Propellen Teater Fagdag: Er dette stedsspesifikk scenekunst?, outdoor workshop 'Sted og kropp’ Lademoenparken Trondheim/Norway

2022 Contact Impro class at Scenehuset Oslo as part of 50 years CI celebration by Oslo Kontaktimpro, Oslo/Norway

2022 Contemporary Dance Workshop + guest teacher for the advanced teacher training as dance leader for dance culture, Modul: Dance and Inclusion, hosted by LAG Tanz MV, Rostock/Germany

2022 Performance Workshop at International Improvisation Dance Festival, Istanbul/Turkey

2022 Praxis Workshop: Contact improvisation with Ingeborg Dugstad Sanders, Trondheim/Norway

2022 ImproLab with visual artists Unnur Andrea Einarsdóttir, Per Stian Monsås, Sigrid Voll Bøyum at Lademoen Kunstnerverksteder and musicians Andrea Blåsmo, Thea Ellingsen Grant, Are Lothe Kolbeinsen, Heidi Skjerve, Bjørn Marius Hegge and with ILL-Abilities at DansiT, Trondheim/Norway

2021 ImproLab with Sissel Vera Pettersen, Martin Smidt, Morten Berger Stai at Rotvoll kunstnerkollektiv, Udi Shlomo, Hildegunn Øiseth, Alexander Riris at DansiT, Trondheim/Norway

2021 Naboland outdoor workshop ‘Body in connection to place’ Lademoen, Trondheim/Norway

2021 Contact improvisation course with Ingeborg Dugstad Sanders at DansiT, Trondheim/Norway

2021 online Hatha Yoga classes with sound meditation on the Monochord

2020 Workshop in dance composition and contemporary dance, LAG Tanz M-V, Rostock/Germany

2020 Samtidsdans summer classes: site-specific outdoor classes, contemporary dance for adults, Trondheim/Norway

2020 ImproLab with musicians Daniel Herskedal, Bergmund W. Skaslien, Siv Trine Haldaas, Trondheim/Norway

2020 ImproJam at Taman Hutan Lemah Putih Surakarta, Contact Improvisation Workshop (CIW) for Nalitari and Movement Workshop for Kalanari Theatre Movement in Yogyakarta, CIW in Tubaba/Indonesia

2019-2020 Yoga and mindfulness, Trondheim Kommune Kulturenheten, Trondheim/Norway

2019 Yoga-Tanz-Monochord Workshop with Martina Gläser-Böhme at Yoga Love Festival, Alt Schwerin/Germany

2019 Proda Nord-Trøndelag Modern dance class and dance improvisation, Inderøy/Norway 

2019 ImproLab in collaboration with Tor Haugerud, Thea Ellingsen Grant, Matilda Rolfsson, Georgia Wartel Collins, Björn Guo, Sondre Ferstad, Trondheim/Norway

2019 Workshop/Tanztage with Tanzbühne Rostock e.V., Plau am See and Rostock/Germany

2018-2020 contemporary dance for teenager at Kultursenteret ISAK, Trondheim/Norway 

2018 Improjams and Contact improvisation workshops with live music at Rumata’ ArtSpace (Makassar), Studio Banjarmili (Yogyakarta), community art space Taman Hutan Lemah Putih (Surakarta)/Indonesia

2018 ‘Dance in the museum’ Collaboration with the Arma Museum and local musicians, Ubud/Indonesia 

2017 ‘Dance in an Interdisciplinary context’ Project with Nalitari at Padepokan Seni Bagong Kussudiardja, Yogyakarta/Indonesia

2017 Hatha Yoga class with sound medicine, collaboration with sound therapist Galih Naga Seno, Surakarta/Indonesia

2014-2015 Dance teacher for the music theatre course at ArtEZ, Arnhem/Netherlands

2015 Movement workshops for Kalanari Theatre Movement, Yogyakarta/Indonesia

2012-2015 Introdans Interaction: Workshops and educational material for various target groups: 4 to 94 years, amateurs, professionals, people with special needs, in schools, Arnhem/Netherlands Special projects: ‘BeVoice‘ Berlin/Germany; ‘Obah-moving to move’ Yogyakarta/Indonesia

2009-2015 Stichting Kunstbedrijf: modern dance, jazz dance, street dance,ballet, dance for children, Arnhem/Netherlands

p e r f o r m e r        

currently since 2018: Dancer in the integrated dance group Danselaboratoriet, Trondheim/Norway

2023 'Risle Rasle' children's performance by Barbro Djupvik part of the Læven festival at Rosendal Teater, Trondheim

2023 ‘Circles and Swing!’ by Nønne Mai Svalholm at Godsbanen in Aarhus and at part of CPH Stage at Dansekapellet Copenhagen/Denmark

2022/2023 ‘Risle rasle på papir’ by Barbro Djupvik kids performance (4-6 year old) at Kunsthall Trondheim and Nils Aas Kunstverksted Inderøy/Norway

2022 ‘Circles and Swing!’ by Nønne Mai Svalholm with Danseteateret, Aband(on)ed by Ingeborg Dugstad Sanders with Danselaboratoriet at Rosendal Teater, Trondheim/Norway

2021/2022: ’Flekk’ kindergarten tour under artistic director of Yaniv Cohen, Trondheim and Kritistiansund/ Norway

2021 ‘Naboland’ by Rønning/Nielsen part of bridges festival at Kunsthall, Trondheim/Norway

2019 ‘Distant Voices’ by fieldworks/ Heine Avdal and Yukiko Shinozaki, Rosendal teater, Trondheim/Norway

2019 ‘Deceptive Cadence’ by Martin Palmer and Bella Buxbom, Multiplie dansefestival, Trondheim/Norway

2019 ‘Yet, still we rise’ dance film by fieldworks/ Heine Avdal and Yukiko Shinozaki, Trondheim/Norway

2019 ‘All - A physical poem of protest’ by Mia Habib part of the Isfit festival, Trondheim/Norway

2018 ‘Sweet Dreams Sweet’ performance art piece by Melati Suryodarmo at Hamburger Bahnhof - Museum für Gegenwart, Berlin/Germany

2016 ‘Walang Kadung’  by Suprapto Suryodarmo (Amerta movement), Surakarta/Indonesia

2013 Performance Project with Diane McCarthy at Dance New Amsterdam, New York/USA

c h o r e o g r a p h e r

2023 ‘FreiRaum’ site-specific outdoor performance for stundents of the dance department of ISI Yogyakarta/Indonesia

2021 ‘Hidden Stories’ site-specific performance project with LAG MV, Rostock/Germany

2018 ‘Nattens Lys’ long durational performance initiate by Christina Lindgren + Liv Kristin Holmberg, Trondheim/Norway

2015 ‘Andy’ ArtEZ Bachelor degree program musical theatre production by Martijn Vorstenbosch, Arnhem/Netherlands

2015 ‘Geheimen’ site-specific dance theatre performance, Stichting Kunstbedrijf, Arnhem/Netherlands

a r t i s t   r e s i d e n c y

2023 ‘How to read water #6’ in Stokkøya and Fossenkleiva Kultursenter Berger, Norway

2022 ‘How to read water #4’ with Grant/Paasche at Heimdal Kunstforening, Trondheim/Norway

2022 ‘How to read water #4’ with Grant/Paasche/Geving at Nils Aas Kunstverksted, Inderøy/Norway

2021 ‘How to read water’ with Grant/Paascheat Stillverk 1, Trondheim/Norway

2020 ‘How to read water’ at Verkstedhallen with Grant/Paasche supported by Trondheim Kommune, Trondheim/Norway

2020 Quantum Entanglement with Guro/Løhre at DansiT, Trondheim/Norway

2018 Rumata’ Artspace, Makassar/Indonesia  

p u b l i c a t i o n s

2022 Propellen Teater Fanzine Site Specific vol.2., Article: Sted og kropp

2021 Propellen Teater Fanzine Site Specific vol.1., Article: Re-think Space

l a n g u a g e s

German (mother tongue), English (fluent), Dutch (fluent), Indonesian (fluent), Norwegian (fluent)