ABOUT
ME

Debbie Bandara is the founder and Artistic Director of the Award-Winning Forest Tribe Theatre, a carbon-neutral, immersive dance digital theatre company based in the North West of England. 

 

Established in 2017, Forest Tribe the award winning, carbon neutral, immersive dance theatre company is pushing boundaries to reach new audiences. We create innovative immersive performances for local, regional & national venues, for all audiences including those with additional needs.

 

Recent works include making an immersive show called “New World” delivered in specials schools using 5G and haptics. She also works in collaboration with organisations who share the same ethos, most recent with Manchester International Festival.

 

“The children’s attention is held throughout by the performances; they are engrossed by the visuals and delighted by the interactive elements”

British Theatre Guide

 

She currently leads the Makers for the Royal Exchange Theatre Young Company in Manchester as well as making new pieces for audiences with additional needs. 

 

She runs workshops for creative practitioners and teachers to support their creative practice (dance, immersive theatre and theatre for audiences with additional needs)

 

Debbie has over 20 years’ experience of UK and International Touring where she began her training at the Royal Academy of Dance. She was the choreographer for The Oily Cart’s productions and the former Associate Director. She is a trustee of Theatre Porto in Ellesmere Port and England’s Champion of IIAN (International Inclusive Arts Network- part of ASSITEJ).

She was also part of the Artistic Director Leadership Programme, “Leader Of Tomorrow” supported by 20 Stories High, Freedom Studios, Talawa Theatre and Tiata Fahodzi. Currently she is part of the Board Shadowing Programme supported by the Artistic Director’s of The Future. The Lowry supported her role as a producer.
 
Her background stems from her BSc hons in Artificial Intelligence with European Studies (Spanish). Her knowledge of A.I. and computers/robotics naturally draws her to digital technology and ways to embed into pieces that are naturalistic in form. She has a clear passion to steer her work into this new era of digital technology and has dedicated her time to share her knowledge with others who appreciates this strand.

Her choreographic repertoire allows her to co-create work with, for and by all audiences. Her sensorial approach is collaborative, with the final piece being the harmonious sum of its’ collaborators and artists.

 

Please read her blog for Scenes, a commission immersive sensory show in Sweden for PMLD children: 

 

 https://scense.se/2018/11/14/debbie-bandara-the-magic-of-movement-a-universal-language-for-all/