Anna Yen

Anna is a performer, movement teacher, theatre maker and director based in Australia.
A highlight of her work is the acclaimed one-woman show 'Chinese Take Away' and its film adaptation, which toured to festivals in Asia, Europe, Australia and USA.

Anna performed with Rock'n'Roll Circus (now CIRCA), Zen Zen Zo Physical Theatre, La Boite Theatre, Queensland Theatre Company, Encounters, Woodford Folk Festival and West End Live (Brisbane Festival 2010). She is a member of ‘Magnificent Object Workers’, a comedic performance group who performed 'The Case of All Things' in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.' Her collaborative physical / visual work was part of 'Undiscovered Country' at the OzAsia Festival.

Anna trained with Philippe Gaulier, Nanjing Acrobatic Troupe, Shanghai Circus School and Dell'Arte International School of Physical Theatre Summer School. She also studied with renowned European theatre teacher Monika Pagneux in Europe and Australia, including being invited to her Pedagogy Courses in recent years - Paris 1994, Barcelona 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010.
Inspired by Pagneux, Anna trained as a Feldenkrais Method ® Practitioner, graduating in 2000, and integrates this knowledge in her work. She is keen to share this work and in doing so, deepen her own investigation of how we as performers / creators can be more awake and present in every moment, ready to play.

Anna taught for QUT, University of Southern Qld, Griffith University, University of Qld, Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts, Vulcana Women's Circus, Playback, Drama Qld and QTC.  Anna directed shows for Vulcana Women's Circus, Backbone Youth Arts, University of Queensland, Amnesty International, Griffith University Applied Theatre, Queensland University of Technology, physical theatre performers, and was Assistant Director on Australian Writers Guild Award winning 'Kese Solwata' for the Out of the Box Festival. Anna directs the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom' s Performers for Peace, Brisbane.

Anna received the Best Actor (Female) Award at the 2006 Qld Short Film Festival, a Matilda Award Special Commendation for 'Chinese Take Away' and a Churchill Fellowship.

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