photo: Andreas Schlagger®
Portuguese born Liliana Barros is an Independent dancer and choreographer based in Germany and works internationally across Europe.
Her choreographic work is defined by a highly visual and physically driven language, where visceral and archaic impulses meet precision, sculptural articulation, and a strong scenographic sensibility. Her works unfold as immersive stage environments in which movement, atmosphere, and visual composition are tightly interwoven.
She has created commissioned work for numerous prominent European repertory and national companies, including NationalTheater Mannheim GAIA (2019) , Saarländisches Staatsballett My NAME IS LEGION (2017), Gauthier Dance Company IN TANDEM (2021), MiR Dance Company PANORAMA (2021), Dance Company Theater Osnabrück HIGH RELIEF (2021), Netherlands Dance Theater 2 GROTTO (2022) , TanzKassel, at Staatstheater Kassel 100YEARS 100HEARTS_ Sleeping Beauty (2022), Ballet Koblenz LE SACRE DU PRINTEMPS (2023) , Staatsballett Hannover ARCHIUM (2024), Hessisches Staatsballett Wiesbaden FAUNO (2025) and National Dance Company of Malta Zfin IGNIS (2025). Her most recent creation Project IKARUS ( 2026) was commissioned for Origen Festival.
Alongside her commissions, Liliana produces her independent works and has developed a strong independent artistic voice. Her solo NERVURE (2017) received several international awards, including at the Copenhagen International Choreographic Competition and Solocoreografico, and toured extensively. Later works include MEMORABILIA (2019), INERTIA (2020) a digital project, TECHNO FAUNA (2021), and MATRIARCHS (2024), supported by the state of Lower Saxony and other major German cultural foundations. TECHNO FAUNA was nominated in 2022 by the Foundation of Lower Saxony as one of the most outstanding productions in the state’s independent performing arts scene and was presented at the BestOFF Festival.
Her choreographic work also extends into opera and theater, where she has collaborated with director and set designer Ben Baur for La Bohème at the Staatstheater Braunschweig (2018), the polish theater director Marta Górnicka as performer and choreographic assistant on JEDEM das SEINE at Münchner Kammerspiele (2018). In 2017, she worked with Christopher Hanninger on Allons, Enfants, and in 2012, she designed the stage and costumes for FaustKampf, a theatrical monologue after Goethe at Saarländisches Staatstheater (Sparte4).
She is also an experienced educator, leading workshops and masterclasses internationally at institutions such as DAF – Dance Arts Faculty (Rome), Copenhagen International Dance Festival, Cyprus International Dance Festival, NDT Summer Intensive (The Hague) and Equilibrio Dinamico Enssemble (Italy).
Liliana graduated in Dance BA from CODARTS- Rotterdam Dance Academy and has performed with companies including Compagnia Zappalá Danza, Pretty Ugly Tanz Köln , Saarländisches Staatsballett , Compagnie Marie Chouinard among others.
She has performed both existing works and creations by Marguerite Donlon, Amanda Miller, Roberto Zappalà, Itzik Galili, Stephan Thoss, Marco Goecke, Marie Chouinard, Kurt Jooss, Stijn Celis, Johan Inger, Jiří Kylián, and Alexander Ekman among others.
In 2011, she was awarded the Sponsor Club Preis for her outstanding performance as The Chosen One in Le Sacre du Printemps, choreographed by Marguerite Donlon.
She is also a certified Gyrotonic® trainer.
I'm interested in a better understanding of a primordial and universal behavior and how this acquired data moves through us.
With the body as a theme, how does this synchronicity through ordinary and personal rituals make our understanding of "WHAT MOVES US ?"
I'm inspired by other art forms and artists!
I'm inspired by life!
I like being curious! I like to have visions!
I'm interested in creating worlds, new dimensions and atmospheres.
In my work I like to depart from a state, be it physical, emotional or mental, and allow myself, within that energetic state to unveil a choreographic language that arises from that same energy.