Kollektiv Knaster is a performance group with a wide artistic background who are working physically, visually, and musically. By contemporary circus, physical theatre, dance, live music and aerial acrobatics we create shows that are poetic, humorous and thoughtful. Our work are collective creations which inspires and allows us to constantly learn and develop in different fields of performing arts. By mixing disciplines we tend to question and reflect on the shape of performing arts and explore new tools, techniques and expressions on stage. Experimentally and playfully we tell stories and express emotions through physical movement, interaction with objects and live music.
Since the start 2013 we have been on a walking tour in the Himalayas, touring with Salto dance festival, doing site specific performances, visiting schools, interpreting books and holding workshops. We have been playing on big stages like Skånes dansteater, Lund stadsteater and Malmö live as well as in the streets and on festivals. We have been touring and performing in Sweden, Germany, Denmark, Holland, Austria, France and Nepal.
Artists that is, or have been, in our productions:
ALAYA VINDELMAN- Artistic director and founder of Kollektiv Knaster. Contemporary circus artist with disciplines such as aerial, acrobatic, dance and physical theatre. She have been a member of the music & contemporary circus group Circus Rabalder for many years and has performed with them around Sweden and Europe with over 300 shows. She has been a artist and co-creator of two contemporary cirkus shows at Karavan, in Malmö. She has also worked as project manager for Sarajevo Circus Project, a circus project for disabled children in Bosnia and touring with Clowns without borders. Educated at Circus Cirkör senior high school and after that in a variety of different dance and circus courses- among others "Community dance" at Stockholm university of the arts. Alaya is also a professional illustrator and graphic designer educated at Gothenburg academy of design and on Östra Grevie art school.
ANDREA HILARIO- Artistic director and founder of Kollektiv Knaster. Contemporary circus artist skilled in disciplines such as aerial, acrobatic, dance and physical theatre. She is educated at Scoula di Circo Vertigo in Italy and AFUK Contemporary Circus School in Denmark. Andrea has performed in productions, events and shows in Sweden, Denmark, Italy, Spain and Germany. During the recent years, she have been working with productions on the circus ship Johanne with the group Spinning compass performance. She is also a circus teacher in different courses for children and adults. During 2014 Andrea started to work with Clowns without borders and has done 7 tours, where she went to Palestine, Kongo, Greece, South Sudan and Philippines teaching and performing in refugee camps.
MATTI NILSSON- Music director and founder of Kollektiv Knaster. Musician, with string instruments, flute and song as main instruments. He has a wide experience of working with composition and musical creation. Among others he has played with: Band of joy, Faela, MattiMatti and Hold your horses. Matti created the film music for the Canadian documentary Where is home? and made the campaign song for the Swedish Green Party, Miljöpartiet, in 2006. He has been a member of the music & contemporary circus group Cirkus Rabalder where he is a musician and actor and as well touring with Clowns without borders.
KAJSA BOHLIN - Contemporary circus artist specializing in dance acrobatics and Cyr Wheel, educated at The University of Dance and Circus (DOCH) in Stockholm. She is one of the founders of Sputnik & Wild Wonder and has worked with companies such as Cirkus Cirkör, Le Sept Doigts de La Main, and Cirk La Putyka. She is also a poet, and has a passion for accidental absurdities.
JENS MOLANDER- Commedia del art artist who also works as a professional magician, musician and film maker. He is educated at Commedia School in Copenhagen, at the film school of Skurups Folkhögskola and at the Art academy in Visby. Jens has worked and performed in several productions in Sweden as well as in other countries. He is a member and founder of the physical theatre group SpectacLeCoeur, as well as the international storytelling troup MishMash. In 2012 he participated in the project Le Projet Suka, Mouvement des masques - Sustainable work for gender equality in Burkina Faso.
CHRISTOPH MATENAERS "MATTI"- Berlin based musician with a focus on percussion instruments. His way of playing rhythm and melody have become an integral part of Berlins street music scene. Matti plays with an unique sound that he explores especially through one instrument called "Hang". While playing, he dives into the hangs pure sound, and loops rhythmic soundscapes that often become dreamlike.
He is part of projects and bands like: Mattimatti, Franz Biberkopf and Kuya. He is also one of the founders of the Berlin based artist collective Makakali.
CLAUDIO GUERRERO- Contemporary circus artist specialized in dance acrobatics, juggling and partner acrobatics. Educated at Oreka circus school in Spain and Scuola di circo vertigo in Italy. He has mainly been working in Sweden, Spain and Italy in companies such as L’esclat theatre, Circo fele spain and Cirkus saga.
KASPER WIJLHUIZEN- Light designer edukated at Malmö universaty as stage technician. Have been working in a lot off different performingarts companys such as Cirkus Cirkör.
JOHANNES STARKE- Contemporary circus artist specialized in juggling and partner acrobatics. He is educated at AFUK Contemporary Circus School in Denmark. Artistic director on the circus ship Johanne with the group Spinning compass performance.
Since the start 2013 we have been on a walking tour in the Himalayas, touring with Salto dance festival, doing site specific performances, visiting schools, interpreting books and holding workshops. We have been playing on big stages like Skånes dansteater, Lund stadsteater and Malmö live as well as in the streets and on festivals. We have been touring and performing in Sweden, Germany, Denmark, Holland, Austria, France and Nepal.
Artists that is, or have been, in our productions:
ALAYA VINDELMAN- Artistic director and founder of Kollektiv Knaster. Contemporary circus artist with disciplines such as aerial, acrobatic, dance and physical theatre. She have been a member of the music & contemporary circus group Circus Rabalder for many years and has performed with them around Sweden and Europe with over 300 shows. She has been a artist and co-creator of two contemporary cirkus shows at Karavan, in Malmö. She has also worked as project manager for Sarajevo Circus Project, a circus project for disabled children in Bosnia and touring with Clowns without borders. Educated at Circus Cirkör senior high school and after that in a variety of different dance and circus courses- among others "Community dance" at Stockholm university of the arts. Alaya is also a professional illustrator and graphic designer educated at Gothenburg academy of design and on Östra Grevie art school.
ANDREA HILARIO- Artistic director and founder of Kollektiv Knaster. Contemporary circus artist skilled in disciplines such as aerial, acrobatic, dance and physical theatre. She is educated at Scoula di Circo Vertigo in Italy and AFUK Contemporary Circus School in Denmark. Andrea has performed in productions, events and shows in Sweden, Denmark, Italy, Spain and Germany. During the recent years, she have been working with productions on the circus ship Johanne with the group Spinning compass performance. She is also a circus teacher in different courses for children and adults. During 2014 Andrea started to work with Clowns without borders and has done 7 tours, where she went to Palestine, Kongo, Greece, South Sudan and Philippines teaching and performing in refugee camps.
MATTI NILSSON- Music director and founder of Kollektiv Knaster. Musician, with string instruments, flute and song as main instruments. He has a wide experience of working with composition and musical creation. Among others he has played with: Band of joy, Faela, MattiMatti and Hold your horses. Matti created the film music for the Canadian documentary Where is home? and made the campaign song for the Swedish Green Party, Miljöpartiet, in 2006. He has been a member of the music & contemporary circus group Cirkus Rabalder where he is a musician and actor and as well touring with Clowns without borders.
KAJSA BOHLIN - Contemporary circus artist specializing in dance acrobatics and Cyr Wheel, educated at The University of Dance and Circus (DOCH) in Stockholm. She is one of the founders of Sputnik & Wild Wonder and has worked with companies such as Cirkus Cirkör, Le Sept Doigts de La Main, and Cirk La Putyka. She is also a poet, and has a passion for accidental absurdities.
JENS MOLANDER- Commedia del art artist who also works as a professional magician, musician and film maker. He is educated at Commedia School in Copenhagen, at the film school of Skurups Folkhögskola and at the Art academy in Visby. Jens has worked and performed in several productions in Sweden as well as in other countries. He is a member and founder of the physical theatre group SpectacLeCoeur, as well as the international storytelling troup MishMash. In 2012 he participated in the project Le Projet Suka, Mouvement des masques - Sustainable work for gender equality in Burkina Faso.
CHRISTOPH MATENAERS "MATTI"- Berlin based musician with a focus on percussion instruments. His way of playing rhythm and melody have become an integral part of Berlins street music scene. Matti plays with an unique sound that he explores especially through one instrument called "Hang". While playing, he dives into the hangs pure sound, and loops rhythmic soundscapes that often become dreamlike.
He is part of projects and bands like: Mattimatti, Franz Biberkopf and Kuya. He is also one of the founders of the Berlin based artist collective Makakali.
CLAUDIO GUERRERO- Contemporary circus artist specialized in dance acrobatics, juggling and partner acrobatics. Educated at Oreka circus school in Spain and Scuola di circo vertigo in Italy. He has mainly been working in Sweden, Spain and Italy in companies such as L’esclat theatre, Circo fele spain and Cirkus saga.
KASPER WIJLHUIZEN- Light designer edukated at Malmö universaty as stage technician. Have been working in a lot off different performingarts companys such as Cirkus Cirkör.
JOHANNES STARKE- Contemporary circus artist specialized in juggling and partner acrobatics. He is educated at AFUK Contemporary Circus School in Denmark. Artistic director on the circus ship Johanne with the group Spinning compass performance.
