Residencies
Creative Residency: Part ThreeAnthony & Kel Matsena
15 March - 19 March 2022
Currently Swansea based, practitioners Anthony and Kel Matsena have been invited by Mission Gallery to research and develop a new movement piece for potential performance in the gallery or in the public domain later in the year.
With multiple commitments working with their company or on solo projects, Anthony and Kel are taking this time to explore and create together, in a space in their home-town that is new to them. Bringing their richly multi-faceted, creative practices to Mission, Anthony and Kel’s residency will explore various personal and global narratives and considerations through movement and sound.
About | Anthony Matsena
Anthony is a Zimbabwean-born and Welsh-raised choreographer, performer and director working between the mediums of dance, theatre, music and poetry. His work often is politically charged, hoping to make sense of his experience of being brought up in an Afrocentric house and having Eurocentric schooling. He has built a love and curiosity for telling stories that express themes of culture, race, change and belonging.
Anthony co-founded Matsena Productions (formerly Matsena Performance Theatre) with his brother Kel in 2017 as a reaction to the lack of representation they were seeing in schools, on stage and on screen. They both felt there were very few companies that made work around black stories while using their different skills in African dance, hip-hop, contemporary, rap, theatre and poetry.
About | Kel Matsena
Kel Matsena is a Zimbabwean born and Welsh raised actor, dancer and writer. Kel began dancing in a street dance trio with brothers Anthony and Arnold, performing at festivals, charity events and appearing on television. He then began ballet and contemporary dance with Turning Pointe Dance Academy and County Youth Dance Company, later discovering his love for acting at Gower College Swansea. He recently graduated from the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and his recent credits include BBC Doctors, ‘BOING’ at The Bristol Old Vic and ‘A Monster Calls’ UK/US Tour. He co-founded Matsena Productions with Anthony Matsena and since then they have used the company to create a platform for bolder and more diverse storytelling. He recently co-wrote “Are You Numb Yet” which won the “International Infallible Award” for “best show” at 2020’s digital ED Fringe Festival.
About | Matsena Productions
Matsena Productions is a performance company, focused on the entirety of movement through the use of different performative arts. The company was founded by Anthony Matsena and Amukelani Matsena.
Born in Bulawayo and brought up in Swansea, the brothers lead the company as Co-Artistic Directors. They have spent the last few years researching movement and its relation to the human condition through performance. Having a background in traditional African dancing and a strong background in different styles of hip-hop and krump, they merge contemporary movements together to give performance a whole new meaning. Strongly moved by aspects of theatre, poetry and writing, the company's work tends to combine different aspects of the performative arts. Recent work has drawn national and international attention, with performances on the main stage of Sadler's Wells as part of Dancing Nation - a project co- ordinated by Sadler's Wells and the BBC.
Both Anthony and Kel are represented by United Agents
Upcoming Matsena Productions Events:
Codi with National Dance Company Wales
3rd March - 16th May 2022
Click HERE For more information
Residency at Mission Gallery, Swansea
15th - 19th March 2022
Shades of Blue at Sadler’s Wells
6/7th May 2022
Click HERE For more information
