Photo: Komuna//Warszawa.
On three successive nights, from 11 to 13 July 2014 (Friday-Sunday), at 8pm, Komuna//Warszawa (ul. Lubelska 30/32) will be presenting Europa. Śledztwo [Europe: An Investigation], a premiering theatrical experiment conceived by Magdalena Jędra, Weronika Pelczyńska and Iza Szostak (choreography and performance) and Agata Szczęśniak (dramaturge). The premiere is part of the series Przyszłość Europy[Europe?s Future]. After the performance on 11 July the piece?s creators will meet the audience. The meeting is going to be hosted by Grzegorz Laszuk.
About the piece:
A body. A corpse. An absence. Every investigation begins with the lack of something with the detective working to fill the gap created by someone?s disappearance. Here, three dancers will conduct an investigation concerning Europe?s future. They will go step by step, from one lead to another: from symbolism, utopian projects and high hopes to catastrophic diagnoses and new conflicts.
Is it a criminal investigation? Or a search for a follow-up? Who?s looking for whom? Maybe a director is all that?s missing?
Europe?s looking for a director.
Is it a piece on European identity? Or about the identity of the dancers? Why, instead of drafting treaties and holding talks, do the dancers switch from outfit to outfit, get dressed and undressed? Are they trying to lead us on?
Come and take part in the experiment. Four women, no director. Three dancers and a dramaturge investigating Europe?s future and looking for ways to cooperate.
The leads they follow are the writings of Peter Sloterdijk, Boris Buden, Ágnes Heller, Oleksij Radynski, Marcin Król, Przemysław Czapliński, Stieg Larsson, and authors of the labels sewn to our clothes.
chreography: Magda Jędra, Weronika Pelczyńska, Iza Szostak
dramaturgy: Agata Szczęśniak
lighting: Karolina Gębska
stage design: Wojciech Pustoła
Come to meet the piece?s creators on 11 July. The meeting will be hosted by: Grzegorz Laszuk.
EUROPE?S FUTURE ? About the series:
Europe is a special place: its culture and values are a reference point the world over. Regardless of geographical location or historical traditions, the modernising power of ideas born in ancient and modern Europe, such as democracy, personal freedoms, human and social rights, still holds.
In 2014 Poland is commemorating 10 years of its EU membership, which provides an occasion to reflect on the concept of European community, especially now when the continent is deep in crisis and pan-European enthusiasm is at a long-time low. Together with our guest artists we will debate the future of Europe, ridden with a crisis of democracy and economic problems, pondering where might frustration lead those pushed to the margins of society. We will try to investigate both scenarios foreseeing the breakdown of the European Union and pragmatic plans of its reconstruction and revival.
***
Magda Jędra is a dancer, choreographer, and performer. She began dancing having joined the Gdańsk Dance Theatre of Melissa Monteros and Wojciech Mochniej. She collaborates with Ramona Nagabczyńska, Anita Wach, Rafał Dziemidok, and forms an artistic duo with Anna Steller. In 2005, together with musicians Grzegorz Welizarowicz and Zbigniew Bieńkowski, the pair created their first joint piece ? Good Killer, which gave name to their newly-founded collective. Her pieces have a close affinity to performance art and the site specific approach. She teaches contemporary dance and improvisation.
Weronika Pelczyńska is a dancer, choreographer and culture manager. She graduated from the Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance (SEAD). In 2011 she debuted her solo Yvonne, Yvonne, a remix of Yvonne Rainer?s work,at komuna//warszawa?s RE//MIX series. In 2012 Pełczyńska co-created and performed in Fire is raging in your hair choreographed by Anna Nowcka, which won the HAU award at the 100° Berlin festival. Since 2012 she has been collaborating with and dancing for the Cocoon Dance Company from Bonn.
Iza Szostak is a dancer and choreographer. She graduated from the Roman Turczynowicz Ballet School in Warsaw and Codarts ? the Rotterdam Dance Academy. In 2007 she trained with Jan Fabre company, Troubleyn in Belgium. In the Netherlands, she collaborated with Michael Schumacher, Amy Raymond, Krisztina de Chatel and Felix Ruckert. Since 2008 she has been performing with Anna Holter + Company of Munich. In October 2012 she premiered her latest project RE//MIX Merce Cunningham, produced thanks to a grant awarded in a competition co-held by the Institute of Music and Dance.
Agata Szczęśniak is a co-founder and former deputy editor-in-chief of the Krytyka Polityczna magazine and website (until 2012). In 2005-8 she was an editor at Gazeta Wyborcza, Poland?s leading daily (Comments section and the Sunday edition). She graduated is sociology from the University of Warsaw. She also studied philosophy and was awarded a Yale University scholarship.
The project was supported by the Burdąg Foundation, Centrum w Ruchu, and Warsaw?s Wawer District.
The project received funding from the City Hall of Warsaw and the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of Poland.
