Gaël Santisteva (FR)

Based in Brussels since 2007, Gaël Santisteva was born in 1977 in Auch (France). Throughout his youth he had an intensive circus practice until he became a student at the National Center for Circus Arts in Chalons en Champagne, from which he graduated with the Russian swing specialty in 2001. Always passionate about movement and theater, he naturally turned out of school to companies oriented towards choreography and theatrical performance. He has been working as a performer for various dance, dance-theater or musical theater companies for 15 years. Circus has not left his mind or his body, it is even what very strongly constitutes the uniqueness of his personality on a stage. After many years of reflection and contacts with different creators, he started a more personal search in order to produce pieces marked with his own identity. He continues on the other hand artistic collaborations as a performer in projects that engage a questioning and a renewal of his artistic vocabulary.

As a performer, Gaël has been working with Philippe Decouflé, Jean-Marc Heim, les Ballets C de la B -Koen Augustijnen, Cie Zimmermann/De Perrot, Eleanor Bauer. He co-created with Lara Barsacq two performances presented at Tanzhaus Zurich: Tonight, I love you ! (2012) and The Hide Show (2014). In 2016, Gaël Santisteva co-founded asbl Gilbert & Stock with Lara Barsacq.

In 2017, he created TALK SHOW before touring in France and Belgium. Parallel to that, he collaborates on other projects as a performer, artistic advisor or assistant for: Walking the Line by Benjamin Vandewalle, Noir M1 and Les Flyings by Mélissa Von Vépy, New Joy and Meyoucycle by Eleanor Bauer, Lost in Ballets russes, IDA don’t cry me love and Fruit Tree by Lara Barsacq.

Gaël’s latest project - Garcimore est mort - premiered on November 18th, 2021 at Le Manège de Reims - scène nationale.

In January 2022, Gaël Santisteva directed REAL // UGLY // SPARKLING, a collective show of 3rd year students from ESAC (Ecole Supérieur des Arts du Cirque, Brussels). In December 2022, he also directed Cabaret COSMOS for Ateliers Indigo, a Brussels association that supports artists with disabilities.

In July 2023, Gaël created Voie, Voix, Vois together with Saaber Bachir and Antoine Leroy, as part of Garden Party, in the frame of Festival OFF d’Avignon (Théâtre des Doms, Avignon).

Gaël Santisteva has started a research for a future production, Pinata Cake (creation in March 2025).