Livia’s workshop allowed me – and it seemed others around me – to build a sense of trust of each other, and our facilitator, in the space. This came through a radical honesty in the lecture/talk part of the workshop, alongside many short physical exercises which allowed participants to quickly breakdown barriers in communication and express themselves directly. I found the writing and voice exercises that followed were incredibly rich and fruitful! (Dr. Alice Baldock, Okinaga Junior Research Fellow in Japanese Studies at Wadham College Oxford)
Livia holds a regular teaching position at Rose Bruford College London. She is available for tailored keynote speeches, talks, workshops & readings.
Her topics centre around theatre making, creative writing, exploration of voice, inclusion & diversity, Black History Month, implicit bias, racism & classism in the performing arts, empowerment for marginalised artists – especially black artists, LGBTQ+, overcoming fears, anxiety & mental illness, eating disorders & neurodivergence – arts practise with ADHD.
Workshop: Elevate Your Voice
In this workshop Livia will share techniques she uses to make work. Drawing from 2 decades of working in Circus, Cabaret, Music and Theatre. Livia focuses on ‘finding & elevating’ your voice through physical, vocal and creative writing exercises.
Keynote speech on Livia’s personal story:
Livia’ career is a story about resilience and perseverance. Despite being excluded from higher education in the arts Alour has resisted defeat and built a successful career as a black queer performer and activist. Starting in the nightclubs of London’s underground scene, then internationally touring as one of 3 black professional circus sword swallower’s known world wide and now as a critically acclaimed theatre maker, musician and writer. Livia will explain how elevating her voice in artistic work crossing the genres of classic entertainment, circus, and theatre has offered her the opportunity to defy stereotypes and institutional racism on the intersection of classist and sexist marginalisation and discuss the importance of the ongoing decolonising of the (performing) arts.
Previous engagements:
TEDx talk – University Kiel, Germany
Mayor of London – Sadiq Kahn, London City Hall, LGBTQ+ talks
Rose Bruford College Open Talks, London
British Library, London
University Brighton, U.K.
Tanzquartier Vienna, Austria (Internationally renowned dance centre)
The Coast is Queer Literature Festival
Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts
Polari Book Prize, London
The Common Press Queer Bookshop London
New Writing South, U.K.
Oslo Burlesque Festival
Juke Joint Festival Chicago
Livia Kojo Alour 