In  2009,  out  of  the  need  to  find  a  choreographic  language  that  could  satisfy  specific  choreographic  concerns,  AI  DŌ  PROJECT  was created  with the support of the  Basque  Country  Government.  AI  DŌ  PROJECT merges contemporary dance and Aikido to create a unique style and way of approaching movement.

The word "aikido" is formed of three kanji characters that are used in the modern Japanese writing system:

• 合 – ai – joining, unifying, combining, fitting.  

• 気 – ki – spirit, energy, mood, morale.

• 道 – dō – way, path.

AI DŌ (合道) PROJECT develops three lines of work:

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          - Creation and distribution of dance works.

          - Invisible Beauty socio-cultural project aimed at people with Alzheimer's. 

          - Training programme aimed at artists and teachers of the performing arts (dance, theatre and music). 

AI DŌ (合道) PROJECT  integrates the production of new contemporary dance works whilst teaching technical classes, workshops and repertoire to students and professional  dancers  in several countries, such as the  Anton  Bruckner  Privatuniversität  (Linz, Austria),  Institut  del  Teatre  (Barcelona, Spain),  CSDMA Dance Conservatoire (Madrid, Spain),  SEEDS (Girona, Spain),  LaCantera (México DF),  Academia  de  la  Danza  Mexicana (Mexico DF), CODARTS (Rotterdam, Netherlands) and Folkwang (Essen, Germany). 

Since the founding of AI DŌ PROJECT, several creations and collaborations stand out:

                    In front of the mirror I stand all alone.  México, 2014.

                    119.104. Spain, 2014.

                    Invisible Beauty. Spain, 2014.

                    Newman. The Netherlands, 2015.

                    Grooming. Spain, 2015-16.

                    Speaking Walls. Spain, 2016.

                    Plummet. Germany, 2017.

                    Ed.Elgar. Spain, 2017.

                    Schubert. Spain, 2019.

                    En Picado. Spain, 2021.

MAR RODRIGUEZ VALVERDE

Born in Almería, she graduated in Classical Dance in 2006. In 2012 she graduated in Choreography and Performance at the Conservatorio Superior de Danza María de Ávila in Madrid, obtaining the Extraordinary End of Degree Award together with Begoña Quiñones for her project FETCH.

Awarded on numerous occasions as the best performer in choreographic contests and competitions, she has worked as a freelancer in several productions for companies such as Dani Panullo Dance Theater Co., Ballet Teatres de la Comunidad Valenciana, AI DŌ PROJECT and Ava Dance Company - Avatâra Ayuso. She has premiered works at several venues in Europe, standing out European Centre for the Arts Hellerau (Dresden, Germany) and recently, "Provisional Landscapes" premiered at Sadler Wells (Lylian Baylis Studio).

After having taught technical classes and repertoire at the Escuela Profesional de Danza de Castilla y León and the Conservatorio Superior de Danza María de Ávila in Madrid, she currently works as assistant director and rehearsal director in several European companies such as AVA Dance Company, Dani Pannullo Dance Theatre Co., Daniel Abreu Company and Smadar Goshen, among others. 

Since 2020 she has been co-director and rehearsal director of AI DŌ PROJECT dance company. 

Born in San Sebastian, Basque Country - Spain, Iker Arrue first studied architecture before immersing himself in the dance world. 

He has worked as a dancer with several choreographers in Spain, Holland and Denmark.

As a creator, he has collaborated on projects with media artists,  musicians, sculptors and theatre   playwrights  in  places  like   Mexico,  China  and  Switzerland.  He  has  also  been a member   of    Dance  and  Performativity,   a  series  of  lectures  proposing   an  analytical  gaze  on  contemporary  dance while  trying  to  answer  some questions in  philosophy and aesthetics.

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Iker has taught several technical classes and workshops in professional companies, such as 10&10 Danza (Spain), Aracaladanza (Spain) Neuertanz (Germany), National Dance Company of Costa Rica (Costa Rica), FTS Folkwang (Germany) and A Poc A Poc Danza (México).

Currently, he is the house choreographer of AI DŌ PROJECT.