Karolina Garbacik − choreographer, dancer, dance teacher and promoter of dance events. One of the most important figures and dance artists in Białystok.
As a dancer she preformed in performances of Project Dance Theatre, including The Rose, Stages of Process (1999), Femina (1999, award at the National Dance Arts Festival in Skierniewice in 1999), Indiscreet Thoughts (2001, award at the National Contemporary Dance Festival in Konin), For that you need… time (2001, second prize in the National Dance Arts Festival in Skierniewice, first prize in the National Contemporary Dance Festival in Konin in 2002, main prize for the best performance at the Tychy Theatre Festival in 2003), Later (2004).
She took part in many dance projects, including those directed by Leszek Bzdyl. In 2005–2006 she participated in the project “University of Performing Arts” of the Silesian Dance Theatre in Bytom which initiated a degree course “Actor of Dance Theatre” at the Ludwik Solski State Drama School in Cracow in cooperation with the Silesian Dance Theatre.
Director and author of choreographies for the most awarded contemporary dance groups in Białystok – Project Dance Theatre and Grupa Przejściowa. For the latter, she created such choreographies as: Apple not fully riped (2001, Third Price in the National Dance Arts Festival in Skierniewice), The Source (2002), Reality Show (2002, main prize of the National Contemporary Dance Festival OKTW in Konin, 2003), TasteEgo (2007, awarded at the National Contemporary Dance Festival in Konin), Heilotes (2009, special guest of the 10th OKTW Festival in Konin), Identity (2010), Door Closed (2011, special guest of the 11th OKTW Festival in Konin).
Since 2004 Garbacik has been also an instructor and choreographer of a children’s dance group Kolor, which in the recent years is one of the best groups of IDO Polish Championships in hip-hop dance. As a choreographer, she produced 14 dance performances, around 50 short forms (études, hip-hop, jazz and show dance choreographies). She was awarded for her performances and choreographies over 30 times – at various dance and theatre festivals, including Tychy Dance Festival, National Contemporary Dance Festival OKTW, International Children’s Dance and Song Festival in Konin.
Her performances were presented in Poland and abroad, in Prague and Vilnius and other cities. Garbacik is often invited as a lecturer and dance teacher, she is a member of juries of regional and national festivals.
She has lectured Dance, Style and Gesture at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music (Branch in Białystok) as well contemporary dance and dance composition on the Professional Instructor Course for modern dance instructors in Białystok. Moreover, she is a teacher of contemporary dance at the Czesław Niemen Dance and Song College in Białystok.
She received a scholarship of the Mayor of Białystok in 2009 for young artists dealing with art creation, promotion of culture and historic preservation. In 2008 she was awarded Certificate of Open Mind by Gazeta Wyborcza – Białystok, and in 2009 she was granted Art Award of the Mayor of Białystok for creation and promotion of culture in 2008, as well as Golden Keys 2008, an award of “Kurier Poranny”.
Being an artist, she is also actively involved in promotion of dance in Białystok – in 2001 she initiated “Kaleidoscope” Festival. To date she has been a director (currently – together with Joanna Chitruszko) and main organizer of the festival. Since 2008 – founder and artistic coordinator of Podlachia Dance Association. In 2008–2009 initiator and co-organizer (together with Justyna Lichacy and Joanna Chitruszko) of Hip-Hop Groove Festival; since 2010 initiator and co-organizer of Free Mind Festival (together with Joanna Chitruszko). Founder and owner of DanceOFFnia Studio for Creative Activities and STUDIO A, an alternative dance space.
