Margarita Zafrilla Olayo is an artist balancing across contexts, practices and forms. Her work explores dance, performance, choreographic projects, film and painting, grounding herself on questions on how we are transformed by Dance.
Her performances, artworks, choreographies and dances have been presented at MACRO—Museo d’Arte Contemporanea di Roma (IT), Loop Barcelona (SP), Tate, Sadler’s Wells, Robin Howard Dance Theatre, Independent Dance, Siobhan Davies Studios, Barbican Art Gallery (UK), Watou Arts Festival (BE), Northern Sustainable Futures (SE), Ritratti d’Artista (IT), Tanzinitiative, Hamburg (DE), the 2022 edition of Mexico Art Fair Zona Maco (CDMX) and coinciding with the Venice Biennial 2019 at GAD—Giudecca Art District and Gervasutti Foundation, amongst others.
She was born in Madrid and is based in London.
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Her performances, artworks, choreographies and dances have been presented at MACRO—Museo d’Arte Contemporanea di Roma (IT), Loop Barcelona (SP), Tate, Sadler’s Wells, Robin Howard Dance Theatre, Independent Dance, Siobhan Davies Studios, Barbican Art Gallery (UK), Watou Arts Festival (BE), Northern Sustainable Futures (SE), Ritratti d’Artista (IT), Tanzinitiative, Hamburg (DE), the 2022 edition of Mexico Art Fair Zona Maco (CDMX) and coinciding with the Venice Biennial 2019 at GAD—Giudecca Art District and Gervasutti Foundation, amongst others.
She was born in Madrid and is based in London.
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After realising extended studies in ballet, flamenco, folk and Spanish classical dances in Spain at Real Conservatorio Profesional de Danza in Madrid and independent studies with María de Ávila, she was awarded with a scholarship (Spain & UK) to study completing BA (Hons) and PgDIP in Contemporary Dance and Performance from London Contemporary Dance School and MA Creative Practice from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music in partneship with Independent Dance and Shioban Davies Studios in South London.
For 20 years Zafrilla Olayo has been leading dance and movement workshops for education, art and non-profit organisations; most recently facilitating movement studies to investigate notions of trust, communication and support at University of Roehampton, Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance, Royal College of Art, Independent Dance, and Royal School of Speech and Drama in London, Conservatorio Profesional Superior de Danza de Málaga in Spain, The School of Hope’s international art program for young creatives in UK and OPPi Global.
Margarita co-founded the experimental dance research platform Spirals & Horizontal Connections (2012/14) and artists collective La Ventana (2002/2004). She collaborated as ID Ambassador and volunteering with artist-led organisation Independent Dance (2011-2021).
Zafrilla Olayo has also danced, performed and collaborated in the choreographic projects of Trisha Brown and Gordon Matta-Clark (Barbican Art Gallery), Jonathan Borrow & Matteo Fargion (Siobhan Dance Studios), Florence Peake (YSP Longside Gallery), Tai Shani (Hayward Gallery), Theo Clinkrad (UK tour), Pablo Bronstein (Tate Britain), DV8 (Tate Modern), Lina Lapelyte (DRAFT), Linda Remahl (Northern Sustainable Futures), Frauke Requardt (Sadler’s Wells, Young Vic and The Place Theatre), Franz Erhard Walter (London Frieze Art Fair), Eva Recacha (Spain tour), Aletta Collins (Opera North), Punch Drunk (site specific London), Carolyn Roy (Roehampton University), Cally Spooner (Serpentine Sackler Gallery), Richard Alston Dance Company (Joyce Theatre New York), amongst others.
For 20 years Zafrilla Olayo has been leading dance and movement workshops for education, art and non-profit organisations; most recently facilitating movement studies to investigate notions of trust, communication and support at University of Roehampton, Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance, Royal College of Art, Independent Dance, and Royal School of Speech and Drama in London, Conservatorio Profesional Superior de Danza de Málaga in Spain, The School of Hope’s international art program for young creatives in UK and OPPi Global.
Margarita co-founded the experimental dance research platform Spirals & Horizontal Connections (2012/14) and artists collective La Ventana (2002/2004). She collaborated as ID Ambassador and volunteering with artist-led organisation Independent Dance (2011-2021).
Zafrilla Olayo has also danced, performed and collaborated in the choreographic projects of Trisha Brown and Gordon Matta-Clark (Barbican Art Gallery), Jonathan Borrow & Matteo Fargion (Siobhan Dance Studios), Florence Peake (YSP Longside Gallery), Tai Shani (Hayward Gallery), Theo Clinkrad (UK tour), Pablo Bronstein (Tate Britain), DV8 (Tate Modern), Lina Lapelyte (DRAFT), Linda Remahl (Northern Sustainable Futures), Frauke Requardt (Sadler’s Wells, Young Vic and The Place Theatre), Franz Erhard Walter (London Frieze Art Fair), Eva Recacha (Spain tour), Aletta Collins (Opera North), Punch Drunk (site specific London), Carolyn Roy (Roehampton University), Cally Spooner (Serpentine Sackler Gallery), Richard Alston Dance Company (Joyce Theatre New York), amongst others.