Projekt graficzny: Piotr Zdanowicz
The celebrations of the jubilee of the Polish Dance Theatre will begin on the 45th anniversary of its foundation (12 September, 8 pm) with a presentation of Wszyscy jesteśmy bogami [We Are All Gods] at the Grand Hall of the ?Zamek? Culture Centre in Poznań. Directed by Tomasz Rodowicz, a former collaborator of the Centre for Theatre Practices ?Gardzienice? and co-founder of the Theatre Association ?Chorea? in Łódź, the piece will reflect Rodowicz?s artistic interests, which revolve around ancient cultures and the roots of theatre, in particular the unity of chorea, i.e. the ancient Greek oneness of sound, word, and gesture. Rodowicz stresses that the lead theme of the piece involves the journey of the human being ? both individual and collective ? towards their own divinity, as well as the search for the beautiful, the good, and the truthful in each of us, while striving to find hope in the tumultuous and menacing present. The project delineates a new perspective for dancers, who activate their voices while integrating it with the rhythm of their bodies. The music was composed by Tomasz Krzyżanowski based on the scant traces of ancient Greek songs that have survived until today. The sounds created in the process retain the polyrhythmic structures of ancient hymns while often producing a contemporary ambience thanks to the live performance by Andrzej Konieczny?s jazz quartet and Szymon Walenciak?s string quartet, united under Grzegorz Wierus?s baton. The costumes were designed by the well-known couturier Joanna Klimas, the first lady of Polish minimalism, who is also the first fashion designer in Poland to have been commissioned with designing opera costumes, among others in the Teatr Wielki ? Polish National Opera?s ?Oniegin? directed by Mariusz Treliński and featuring stage design by Borys Kudliczka. Other contributors to Wszyscy jesteśmy bogami include Andrzej Grabowski (stage design), Anna Królica (dramaturgy), and Iwona Pasińska (choreographic coaching).
The premiere will be accompanied by a photographic exhibition showcasing the 45-year history of the Polish Dance Theatre.
More about the piece:
And so he rejoiced, as he comprehended Zeus?s immortal thought. Since then, he has been known as Paean, the Healer, to us locals and to the holy community of Bacchus? artists that dwells in this city.
(excerpt from a Delphic hymn)
Wszyscy jesteśmy bogami [We Are All Gods] recounts the journey to one?s own divinity, one that must be found in the simplest human relationships and meetings with the Other. The Polish Dance Theatre has taken a risk and striven to find these paths in the polyphonic and polyrhythymic structures of ancient hymns.
In order not to go astray, one must draw movement with one?s voice, direct one?s body with song, and delineate a route to the entire group.
To sing oneself, to dance what is fundamental in us, to open the Other to their beauty, and to become wiser through the experience of such a fusion.
The project has marked a new perspective for dancers, who activate their voices, integrated them with the rhythm of their bodies, and open it in the organic process of movement-making.
This unconventional challenge has been taken up by the Polish Dance Theatre in search of a new, exuberant quality of communication with the audience through the means of songs created two thousand years ago, arranged by Tomasz Krzyżanowski, and through the tribalism of dance, striving to find hope in the tumultuous and menacing present.
(Tomasz Rodowicz)
Script and direction: Tomasz Rodowicz
Assistant director: Katarzyna Rzetelska
Music: Tomasz Krzyżanowski
Musical director: Grzegorz Wierus
Costumes: Joanna Klimas
Stage design: Andrzej Grabowski
Dramaturgy: Anna Królica
Choreographic coaching: Iwona Pasińska
Artists-dancers: Kacper Bożek, Julia Hałka, Paulina Jaksim, Katarzyna Kulmińska, Dominik Kupka, Volodymyr Makovskyi, Michał Przybyła, Adrian Radwański, Katarzyna Rzetelska, Sandra Szatan, Dominik Więcek, Emily Wong
Artists-musicians:
jazz quartet: Andrzej Konieczny, Krzysztof Baranowski, Kacper Krupa, Jakub Miarczyński
string quartet: Kinga Dobryniewska, Michalina Matias, Jan Bałaban, Szymon Walenciak
Lighting design: Przemysław Gapczyński
Sound engineer: Zuzanna Majewska
Projection engineer: Daniel Wiśniewski
Stage engineers: Grzegorz Potocki, Andrzej Przybyszewski
Production coordinator: Robert Chodyła
Graphic design: Piotr Zdanowicz
The Institute of Music and Dance is the honorary patron of the 45th anniversary season of the Polish Dance Theatre.
Co-organiser: ?Zamek? Culture Centre
Honorary patrons:
