2024 Contemporary Dance Saturdays in Piņķi
ENVIRONMENTAL DANCE Contemporary Saturday cycle in Piņķi, which over three summer weeks allowed to experience the synergy of the human body and the surrounding environment, freedom and creative imagination.
Within this cycle, everyone could get acquainted with environmental dance (both active participants and passers-by). During the contemporary Saturdays in Piņķi, we met 9 professional choreographers, 8 masterclass leaders, one dramaturg, one environmental aesthetics specialist, and dancers – both students, professionals, and amateurs, about 70 participants in total, 3 contemporary dance guest performances, one video dance and story exhibition, 3 lectures, with the help of 4 volunteers for the organizers. Also, throughout the cycle, viewers had the opportunity to discuss what they saw, understand the nuances of environmental dance in conversations with moderator Dīva Reiznieks, and enjoy various guest performances.
ENVIRONMENTAL DANCE artistic director Lilija Lipora: “I am grateful and satisfied with successful collaborations, responsive partners and local residents, talented choreographers who did a tremendous creative job and inspired, made the audience think, get involved and also laugh. I hope that the started cultural events will continue, that they will allow audiences and dance artists to meet on a personal level through conversations, movement, dance and environmental stories, promote the diversity, understanding and accessibility of cultural events in Mārupe region and Latvia.”
Contemporary Dance Saturdays are organized by the Mārupe region Babīte Cultural Education Center in cooperation with the ENVIRONMENTAL DANCE festival.
The Aesthetics of Boredom (08.06.2024.)
- Choreography - Sintija Žīgure and Kamilla Kūna
- Dancers - Anna Marija Puķe, Mārite Supe, Počina Filippova
A work staged by Sintija Žīgure and environmental aesthetics researcher “The Aesthetics of Boredom”. The dance performance invited viewers to experience the everyday, where boredom is transformed into an aesthetic event. Dance professionals Anna Marija Puķe, Mārite Supe and Počina Filippova seamlessly turned everyday movements into artistic solutions, living out the lives of apartment building neighbors on balconies and staircases.
Irises, Buttercups and Thistles (08.06.2024.)
- Choreography: Lilija Lipora
- Dramaturge: Tatjana Mezehova
- Dancers: Sarmīte Briuka, Laila Baumane, Indra Majore-Dūšele, Madara Marševska, Arta Lipora, Loreta Gadžiramazova, Šarlija Švarcbaha, Edgars Lipors, Viljams Plešs, Dzintars Lipors, Mārtiņš Rotke, Kamilla Kūna
- Music: Stanislavs Judins and Arvidas Kazlauskas
In the environmental dance performance “Irises, Buttercups and Thistles”, the tragedy, fragility, and strength of human interaction were highlighted even more by the reference in the production to the war of values and ideologies currently taking place in Ukraine. Participants of various ages and professions took part in the productions, as well as musicians – double bassist Stanislavs Judins and saxophonist Arvidas Kazlauskas.
The Season Has Begun (08.06.2024.)
- Choreography: Katrīna Albuže
- Dramaturgy - Tatjana Mezehova
- Performers: Daina Šteinerte, Vira Donets, Olga Kardovska
- Music: Arta Lipora
There are Different Truths to Living (08.06.2024.)
- Choreography: Lilija Lipora
- Dramaturge: Tatjana Mezehova
- Dancers: Madara Marševska, Loreta Gadžiramazanova, Šarlija Švarcbaha
- Music: Arvidas Kazlauskas
Work Makes the Worker (08.06.2024.)
- Choreography: Katrīna Albuže
- Dramaturge: Tatjana Mezehova
- Performers: Daina Šteinerte, Vira Donets, Olga Kardovska, Dzintars Lipors, Viljams Plešs, Edgars Lipors
Each of Us Alone Can No Longer Be a Stranger – We Must Be Strangers (10.08.2024.)
- Choreography: Lilija Lipora
- Performers: Babīte Cultural Education Center kokle ensemble "Balti" (conductor Valda Bagāta)
- Music: kokle improvisations and Dzintars Lipors' compositions for kokle "Strangers" and "Candles" performed by the ensemble "BALTI": Liene Dzilna, Linda Pudova, Kristīne Tukre, Dzintars Lipors, Roberta Indričāne, Marta Luīze Kampare, Valda Bagāta
Deeper than the Surface (10.08.2024.)
- Choreography: Katrīna Albuže
- Dancers: Julia Pogumirska, Loreta Gadžiramazanova, Katrīna Dišlere, Samanta Rakovska, Rūta Ločmane
- Music: Artas Lipora's violin improvisations
Choreographer Katrīna Albuže's site-specific dance performance “Deeper than the Surface” highlighted the theme of mutual communication and self-reflection. How genuine and serious is human mutual communication? Do we have the courage and ability to listen to our own “depth” and also to others (music – Artas Lipora's violin improvisations).
Virgins (10.08.2024.)
- Choreography: Artūrs Nīgalis
- Dancers: Anastasija Čornaja, Poļina Filippova
- Music: L. Beethoven "Moonlight Sonata" and EICNSCS improvisations
In the aquarium-like spaces of Via Jurmala Village Outlet, choreographer Artūrs Nīgals' site-specific dance performance “Virgins” premiered, created in collaboration with dancers and choreographers Anastasija Čornaja and Poļina Filippova, inspired by the space and the associations the environment provides. The choreographer managed to show the clash of two atmospheres and draw the viewer into the place of the performance's characters.
Let's do birds (10.08.2024.)
- Choreography: Olga Žitluhina
- Dancers: Daina Šteinarte, Mārtiņš Rodke, Madara Šulte, Dārta Sofija Žiba, Arvena Lote Kravčenko, Rute Elizana Strode, Marija Treija, Ieva Vilciņa, Zlata Pavlova, Elīna Barone
- Music: Johann Sebastian Bach - Double Violin Concerto in D minor
Olga Žitluhina's dance production “Let's do birds” – a dance with wings, a story about birds and flying. A wall painting with angel wings created the scenography, supporting Olga Žitluhina's choreography, the dancers' movements, and J.S. Bach's music. Poetic, emotional, poignant, and at the same time light.
