#109 Final presentations in Poland

"Communication" - It sounds sophisticated when put into words, but I feel it is very difficult to put into practice. Because to practice it, at least one person is required, and there are various things to think about the person:

I'm having fun, but is the partner enjoying it too?

I feel a comfortable distance, but does the partner feel the same?

Are both of us expressing our true feelings and not lying?

I guess we unconsciously think about these things to communicate better.

It is the same when we dance. However, I think there is one unique method in communication while we dance, which is, dancers try to communicate using the will of their whole body, such as skin, eyes, hands, and legs, as if it were words. I love dance, which communicates to others with my whole body and there is no doubt that through the dance to build relationships with dancers, staff, and audiences is one of the happiness in my life.

At this "Dancing Together Again!", I participated in two performances:

"Trauma Express" directed by Nicola Campanelli

"277,403" directed by Kosta Liparteliani

I learnt a lot from both which had its own unique method in communication. The days from its rehearsals to the presentation made me truly delighted.

First, in "Trauma Express,” we communicated with partners as they changed all the time and, we danced along one rule of intensively using the one part of the body that had experienced trauma. I was not good at moving my hips freely which made me feel annoyed the whole time, but by focusing on moving only it during the rehearsal time, I guess I was able to move it a little more diversely like a sense of increasing my vocabulary. It was very interesting for me to dance with partners using my body vocabulary that increased day by day. It felt like I was opening my trauma to a friend and recovering from it. Additionally, looking back now, I think what was also important was acceptance.

Next, I see that what we challenged in "277,403" was the dialogue between myself as an artist and the 277,403 refugees who fled the conflict from Abkhazia, Georgia. Although it may not be a dialogue, we focused on imagining and understanding the emotions of the refugees who experienced unbelievable “sorrow," "grief," "pain,” “anger," "anxiety" and tried to express those emotions, which really exist inside us as well, truly and honestly through the body. All the rehearsals and technical practicings were focused on "to be true" to make "277,403" filled with genuine emotions and energy on the presentation day. Yet, I still haven't reached to, and I just want to keep working on this program until I understand totally.

Lastly, I would like to express my deepest gratitude and to send my love to the dancers and staff who I met and accepted me this time. I'm looking forward to "Dancing Together Again!" in the near future.