AΦE is a dance company founded by accomplished dance artists Aoi Nakamura (Japanese) and Esteban Lecoq (French) in 2016. As trailblazers in this area, they were the UK's first dance company to tour Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) productions internationally. They explore and develop unique experiences while incorporating cutting-edge technology into their performances.

AΦE creates original narratives and distinctive storytelling approaches that reinvent the audience experience while pushing the industry's boundaries and broadening the range of audiences. Through their past and current productions, they have successfully toured 15 countries, and over 60 venues and engaged with over 21,000 live audiences and participants worldwide. They continually strive to rethink the possibilities of live performances with a storytelling-centric practice that allows them to reach out to different audiences than traditional dance production with visionary approaches.

Supporting them on this journey they have partnered with high-end technology brands and research institutions such as Scan Computers, NVIDIA, Creative Technology, Epson, Framestore, Happy Finish, Arcade, SPECS-lab and The Scalable Display which they are inviting into the dance world to push its boundaries. In only 6 years, they have established their company as one of the leading dance companies working with technology and garnered the support of some of the most prestigious venues and organisations around the world including Sadler’s Wells Theatre London, Sydney Festival, Théâtre de Chaillot in Paris, Innovate UK and Arts Council England. Their work has also been presented at International Film Festivals including Geneva International Film Festival, CPH:DOX, LAVAL Virtual, VRHAM and LOIKKA International Dance Film Festival.

They started their curatorial practice in 2017 at Devonshire Collective’s visual art exhibition and digital weekender inviting 4 international artists to Eastbourne, followed by producing ALT*ASH, an outdoor interactive digital art programme that took place during lockdown in April 2021 on Ashford’s High Street, engaging 29,000 live audience members and 139,000 online.

In 2021 they became associate artists of the Institute of Cultural and Creative Industries – University of Kent (iCCi) and launched A+E Lab located in Historic Dockyard Chatham, UK. Across all their work, they engaged over 101,000 live audiences and participants internationally.

Individually, Aoi and Esteban have danced at major dance companies since 2006 in the UK and Europe including Jasmin Vardimon Company, Punchdrunk, Staatstheatre in Wiesbaden, Saarbruecken and Kassel. They began their choreographic practice in 2008 and started their collaboration in 2013.