João Maio is a contemporary dance artist and creative producer based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. In 2009, he enrolled on the 3-year professional contemporary performer course in Balleteatro Professional School, Porto. Following this, João moved to England to further develop his artistic practice at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance (NSCD), where he graduated with a First Class Honours Degree in 2015.

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   Whilst training at NSCD, João was invited to work with Carlos Pons Guerra’s DeNada Dance Theatre, playing the soloist role of the Virgin Mary in “O Maria”. Following this, he worked with Rosie Kay Dance Company in several projects (including the 2017 and 2018 U.K. tours of “MK Ultra”); Lizzie J Klotz in “This is a show about lying” and Gracefool Collective, as rehearsal director/tour manager on the tour of “This is not a wedding”.

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   After completing the MA in Dance & Creative Enterprise at NSCD (2018), João began to work as a Creative Producer independently and for Leeds-based community development organisation Open Source Arts. João continues to develop his interest in furthering his understanding of the national artistic ecology and enhancing it, also being the independent board member at Leeds Dance Partnership.