Dancing Together, Again! Creative Residencies Programme

27 May-18 June 2023 Residency in Tbilisi, Georgia. Topic: AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT Dancing Again Together was a unique experience for our whole team. First of all, it brought together representatives from different countries such as Italy, Poland, Croatia and Georgia, with different cultural and social backgrounds. From the very beginning we had in mind to create special tasks for the participants: many different things to choose, introducing local communities and culture, giving theoretical presentations etc. We aimed at making emotional and impressionable visits to the countryside, meeting with local artists, activists, presenting our cases. And all of this must be like a special inspiration for their future creation, as their artistic feedback on what they see and feel from this residency, from the people with whom they meet or work with. From the very beginning, the first meeting with one of the bishops who runs an animation festival, an art school, a shadow theatre and many other init...

Working with Nico and Sandra each week was very interesting for me as an artist. First looking for peace in yourself and then underlining your weakness was something that I needed to focus on. First, it is about discovering yourself better and then opening yourself to your dancing partner, becoming one - is not too easy actually, and gives you many new skills to search. By Ana Talakvadze  ნიკოსა და სანდრასთან მუშაობა ყოველ კვირა ძალიან საინტერესო იყო ჩემთვის, როგორც მხატვრისთვის. ჯერ საკუთარ თავში სიმშვიდის ძიება და შემდეგ თქვენი სისუსტეების ხაზგასმა იყო ის, რაზეც ყურადღება უნდა გავამახვილო. პირველ რიგში, ეს არის საკუთარი თავის უკეთ აღმოჩენა და შემდეგ საკუთარი თავის გახსნა თქვენი მოცეკვავე პარტნიორისთვის, გახდომა - ეს არც ისე ადვილია რეალურად და გაძლევს ძიების ბევრ ახალ უნარს.  

This week was full of emotions for all the participants. Working with Kote as a director was a new experience. We all had a chance to express our feelings into something new, inexperienced feeling, which is losing your home, fleeing in some other place. So going deep into the subject of war, occupation, fear, death was quite harsh and interesting for me as an artist.  By Ana Talakvadze  ეს კვირა ემოციებით სავსე იყო ყველა მონაწილისთვის. კოტესთან რეჟისორად მუშაობა ახალი გამოცდილება იყო. ჩვენ ყველას გვქონდა შანსი გამოგვეხატა ჩვენი გრძნობები რაღაც ახალ, გამოუცდელ განცდაში, რომელიც კარგავს შენს სახლს, გაქცევას სხვაგან. ასე რომ, ომის, ოკუპაციის, შიშის, სიკვდილის თემაში ღრმად ჩასვლა ჩემთვის, როგორც მხატვრისთვის, საკმაოდ მკაცრი და საინტერესო იყო.

The End From where should I start?  From where should I start writing about the end of great life and artistic journey?  Let's be concrete, precise and short.  I am bringing with me a 1000 of pics in my head of my collegues smiling and having fun in the residency. Can not wait for meeting them all again somewhere?!  In Poland, Summer 2024.  By Toni Flego Დასასრული საიდან უნდა დავიწყო? საიდან დავიწყო წერა დიდი ცხოვრებისა და მხატვრული მოგზაურობის დასასრულის შესახებ? მოდით ვიყოთ კონკრეტული, ზუსტი და მოკლე. თან მომაქვს 1000 სურათი ჩემს თავში, სადაც ჩემი კოლეგები იღიმებიან და მხიარულობენ რეზიდენციაში. ვერ დაველოდებით მათ სადმე კიდევ ერთხელ შეხვედრას?! პოლონეთში, 2024 წლის ზაფხული.

The last week was for me personally the most inspiring time of my entire stay. It was a  special time of summing up the projects in process of each participant of the residency.  Watching each other's final performances was extremely moving. The connections without  words, the pure conversation between two bodies, the relationships we were able to establish  over the past week finally had the opportunity to be shown to a wider audience. The image of  a group of people walking along the river, carrying a red ballet floor on their shoulders, still  pops up in my mind from time to time. The floor is heavy.  A strong wind blows away their hair. Every now and then sand lands in their eyes. They don't give up. They keep walking. They must go on. Just one more climb uphill. Just one more turn. Although this road seems to never end. Participation in the performance directed by Kote Liparteliani was a very important, even  turning point of this residency f...

The last week of the program was very interesting for us. We now had a chance to show our products which we were working on for previous weeks. I myself was taking part in two performances (Nico’s and Kote’s) as a performer and it was interesting experience, as both of them are radically different works. We had a chance to meet all the members of residency program in Tbilisi, and to talk with each other, exchange our thoughts, tips and expectations for future continuing program. Generally, I would say that these tree weeks showed us what can we actually do with our plans, time managing and all together. How to exchange different cultures but to stay one unity as well. By Oliko Barbakadze გადაცემის ბოლო კვირა ჩვენთვის ძალიან საინტერესო იყო. ახლა ჩვენ გვქონდა შანსი გვეჩვენებინა ჩვენი პროდუქტები, რომლებზეც წინა კვირების განმავლობაში ვმუშაობდით. მე თვითონ ვმონაწილეობდი ორ სპექტაკლში (ნიკოს და კოტეს) როგორც შემსრულებელი და ეს იყო საინტერესო გამოცდილება, რადგან ორივე რადიკალურად განსხვავებულ...

In addition to the creative part, the technical side of Performance was interesting. During the procession of the artists, which went in live mode, the audience watched a 20-minute film created for the performance on the screen. We wanted actors entering process in the theatre and the end of the film to coincide with each other. Before head we had only one rehearsal. After the rehearsal, we had to change the plan for the performance, because the movie started late, and we had 10 minutes to go to the theater. That's why we improvised here as well and increased the procession, fortunately the actors' entry into the theater and the last phrase of the film coincided with each other. I think this played an important role both in raising the mood of the artists and in involving the audience in the performance, because the audience did not have time to get out of the emotion they got from the movie and the actors' words became easier to understand for them! By Kote Liparteliani შე...

The performances were among the most significant events of this past week in Tbilisi. Greetings, dinners and friends made and not left behind during the residency. I believe that in every place there are streets where every memory is cherished by the steps you take, by the patter of shoes on what is now hot asphalt. I decided to treat these reports of mine as logbooks and confidences, small moments of reflection between what happened and what my body took in.  Dust under my shoes, relief and melancholy, like when you find the shade of a tree in the middle of the city. By Iole La Sala სპექტაკლები თბილისში გასული კვირის ყველაზე მნიშვნელოვანი მოვლენა იყო. მილოცვები, ვახშმები და მეგობრები რეზიდენციის დროს გამზადებული და ჩამორჩენილი. მე მჯერა, რომ ყველა ადგილას არის ქუჩები, სადაც ყველა მოგონება იკვებება შენს ნაბიჯებით, ფეხსაცმლის ნაკვთებით, რომელიც ახლა ცხელ ასფალტზეა. მე გადავწყვიტე ჩემი ეს ანგარიშები ჩამეხედა, როგორც ჩანაწერთა წიგნები და თავდაჯერებულობა, მცირე ასახვის მომენტები მომხდა...

Feeling good By Josipa Bubaš   Თავს ვგრძნობ კარგად

The last week is filled with intense preparation for the premiere of the show. I am excited and looking forward to sharing what I’ve been working on.  By Monika Błaszczak ბოლო კვირა სავსეა ინტენსიური მომზადებით შოუს პრემიერისთვის. აღფრთოვანებული ვარ და მოუთმენლად ველი იმის გაზიარებას, რაზეც ვმუშაობდი.

In the last week of the residency, even more happened than in the previous weeks! Each participant had the opportunity to present what they had been working on during the tree-week residency in Tbilisi. The final week was a time for last rehearsals, performances, presentations, and being an audience member at the Movement, Physical & Dance Theater International Festival. However, the most memorable moment for me from this week was the shared meal - supra - at the curator Levan's home. We all gathered together at one big table filled with delicious Georgian food. We listened to the final toast and received certificates of completion for the creative residency "Dancing Together, again!". It was a wonderfully organized farewell! Thank you, Levan & Luri. By Jagoda Łukomska რეზიდენტურის ბოლო კვირაში კიდევ უფრო მეტი მოხდა, ვიდრე წინა კვირებში! თითოეულ მონაწილეს ჰქონდა შესაძლებლობა წარმოედგინა რაზე მუშაობდნენ თბილისში კვირეული რეზიდენციის დროს. ბოლო კვირა იყო ბოლო რეპეტი...

"Theory, practice, farewell" The last week in Tbilisi has been very intense, emotionally, and workwise.  The temperatures rose and it was a great rush between one theatre and another, between one meeting and another.  I was able to give my presentation on "The ritual of Clubbing: the subversive edge in social practice" in front of colleagues and new friends, trying to highlight how Clubbing is a very broad social practice that contains many dimensions in it: politics, ritual, practices of resistance, social costumes, and issues related to corporeality. I didn’t trace a straight road, but I have made continuous inversions and deviations, trying in a short time to give some points of reflections not only to researchers, but also to other artists who want to approach this dimension, or to exchange impressions.  I joined the beautiful dinner at Levan’s house, with so many toasts and so much wine and food, and it was like home, somehow: I really hope to go back soon in T...

The last residency week was the most intense. On June 12th I spent all the available time at the New Theatre, in creating my choreography: Trauma express . From the first moment I decided to create and direct the choreography without dancing. I wanted to have a clear eye of the ensemble. The eighteen performers who decided to be part of my project were completely committed to the rehearsals. I explained them the importance of starting the movement from the part of the body or from the emotion that the previous week, during the research we made, they chose to explore. Between them there were not only other residency colleagues, but also local dancers who dedicated their time and their artistry to me. This was a precious gift that I really appreciated a lot. Always on Monday I had the general rehearsal of Kote's project. With three cars, the other dancers and I reach the point from where we needed to walk through, in order to go back to the theatre and finish our performance. All thi...

So what is the most important part of the every artistic residency? I guess for me to search that powerful connection between my team and community, to connect and reconnect through people and art. This week was the peak of the last three weeks, very playful, creative but dedicated to the purpose and the meaning of the residency and that means Dancing together, again!! I am so happy, grateful I could connect especially during the last week with the people I did not connect in the beginning of the first week, simply was not the time, but when we started communicating and connecting through the movement, touch, breath, simple human gestures the connection began stronger and more sincere. Through this residency I will stay connected for a long time with Georgia and Georgian wonderful people. By Sandra Sok მაშ, რა არის ყველა მხატვრული რეზიდენციის ყველაზე მნიშვნელოვანი ნაწილი? ვფიქრობ, რომ მოვძებნო ძლიერი კავშირი ჩემს გუნდსა და საზოგადოებას შორის, დავაკავშირო და ხელახლა დავუკავშირდე ადამიან...

Previous week was very interesting for all the participants. We had a chance to take part in each other’s performances. So the whole week was full of practicing and working. It should be noted that we also worked with local dancers and actors, that made the process more enjoyable and fun.  Trips were very informative and interesting for partisans. Foreigner participants had a chance to get know Georgian Writer’s story. We met an artist who established the puppet theatre by himself in his own house, and so we were able to see couple of his mini performances.  Trip to Kakabeti and Sagarejo was also very interesting for us, as we saw ‘’ongoing project’’ by Levan and Iuri. We were able to listen their ideas about the new school and to explore the surrounding area.  By Oliko Barbakadze წინა კვირა ძალიან საინტერესო იყო ყველა მონაწილისთვის. ჩვენ გვქონდა ერთმანეთის სპექტაკლებში მონაწილეობის შესაძლებლობა. ასე რომ, მთელი კვირა სავსე იყო ვარჯიშით და მუშაობით. აღსანიშნავია, რომ ჩვენ ...

I started working with the actors on Monday. I conducted two workshops, the first part of which consisted of voice and body exercises, and the second part was devoted to Raza Box. Raza Boxing is an exercise where you awaken 8 emotions in a person and then express action with these emotions. Raza Box became the main structure of the performance. After the workshops, instead of the eight emotions, I left the actors with only those emotions that are related to Abkhazia for Jaba and the path that he has traveled. While feeling these emotions, artists have complete freedom of expression, whether they want to write, draw or move.  By  Kote Liparteliani მსახიობებთან მუშაობა ორშაბათიდან დავიწყე. ჩავატარე ორი სემინარი, რომლის პირველი ნაწილი ხმის და სხეულის ვარჯიშებისგან შედგებოდა, მეორე ნაწილი კი რაზა ბოქსს დაეთმო. Raza Boxing არის ვარჯიში, სადაც ადამიანში 8 ემოციას იღვიძებ და შემდეგ ამ ემოციებით გამოხატავ მოქმედებას. რაზა ბოქსი სპექტაკლის მთავარ სტრუქტურად იქცა. სემინარების შემდეგ, რვ...

Hi everyone…  This is my second report on our 2nd week and so far is so creative, full of dance and curiosity. In the end, ART can only save us and we can find ourselves in the art.  This is the street I am passing through every day if I want to reach a New Theatre and I am really enjoying that walk through the city. I am personally very happy because of my whole process of growing, but also because i am engaged in other work in progress and can be involved in other perspectives and see the truths from many angles. Big hug to you all, Sandra  By Sandra Sok Გამარჯობა ყველას… ეს არის ჩემი მეორე რეპორტაჟი ჩვენს მეორე კვირაში და ჯერჯერობით ისეთი კრეატიული, სავსეა ცეკვითა და ცნობისმოყვარეობით. საბოლოო ჯამში, ART-ს მხოლოდ ჩვენი გადარჩენა შეუძლია და ჩვენ შეგვიძლია აღმოვჩნდეთ ხელოვნებაში. ეს ის ქუჩაა, რომელსაც ყოველდღე გავდივარ, თუ მსურს მივაღწიო ახალ თეატრს და ძალიან მსიამოვნებს ქალაქში გასეირნება. მე პირადად ძალიან ბედნიერი ვარ ჩემი ზრდის მთელი პროცესის გამო, მაგრამ ასევე იმიტო...

Intensity, felt in knees, felt in belly, felt in mind. Walking around surrounded by contradictions, impossible connections, potentials, faith. Strength sometimes mocking us, inviting to streach out more.  By Josipa Bubaš ინტენსივობა, იგრძნობა მუხლებში, იგრძნობა მუცელში, იგრძნობა გონება. წინააღმდეგობებით გარშემორტყმული სიარული, შეუძლებელი კავშირები, პოტენციალი, რწმენა. ძალა ხანდახან გვცინის, გვპატიჟებს გაშლას მეტი.

The trip to the Marneuli region was proposed by Levan Khetaguri and Luri Mgebrishvili - curators of the Georgian Residency in Tbilisi. Marneuli, due to its location, is a region that combines Georgian, Armenian, and Azerbaijani culture and tradition. On the 9th of June, we had the opportunity to observe the work of the Marneuli Cultural Centre, where young people and children presented traditional folk dance. But the biggest surprise of the day was Armen Hovanesian's Puppet Theatre. We were invited to the actor Armen Hovhannisya's …. living room to expirence puppetry etudes inspired by legends of this region. We could admire the magnificent handycraft - both the scenography and puppets were made and designed by the actor himself. In the end, a couple of beautiful puppet scenes were presented, charming the whole group with the magic of it all - the flawless execution of the work, the concept and direction, as well as the movement of the puppets. Immediately you could see his lov...

On the morning of June 3rd and 4th, I attended the workshop of Atsushi Kakumoto, a theatre director, who founded the Tokyo-based company d’UOMO ex machina. His work was focused on the control of body movements which are really important also in dance choreography. He was really precise in explaining us directions and ways of walking. But the day I got to the heart of my residency was the 5th of June. That day I gave a workshop in order to find performers for the choreography I intended to create during my stay in Georgia. To my surprise, there were about twenty people to attend it. Sandra Sok was responsable for the first part of the class while I led the second part. Assuming that all of us have parts of the body that we are ashamed of, emotions that we try to hide, things about ourselves that we would like to change because they are not socially accepted, I invited the participant to move starting from the part of their body or from the emotion they were thinking about. I wanted to p...