Kontrasty. Fot. Yassiek (Janusz Matuszewski).
Cynada Theatre was founded in 1998, by Bożena Eltermann, dancer and choreographer, active on the Tricity dance stage since 1989. She was a leading dancer at Wojciech Misiura Expression Theatre and Krzysztof “Leon” Dziemaszkiewicz Patrz Mi Na Usta (Read my lips) Theatre; she collaborated with Wojciech Mochniej and Melissa Monteros’ dance theatre in Gdańsk. To date, the Theatre has produced six performances (choreography and idea by Elternann), i.e. solo Cynada (1998), Tranquila (1999), Lily Prince (2001), solo waran.las piniowy (2003), Tanzschule (2006) and solo Hexelolita (2009). The performances were featured by Tricity artists, including Jacek Kakarenko, Marek Kakarenko, Krzysztof Dziemaszkiewicz and Daria Jędra. Eltermann produced also a duo with Katarzyna Chmielewska, Turning point (2008). The group created numerous performances in co-production with Patrz Mi Na Usta Theatre. These include Radio Metaphysic (1998), National Drag Queen (2003), Welcome to Café Domino (2004) and Variete Cameleon (2005) – all directed by Krzysztof Dziemaszkiewicz.
As stated by Magdalena Hajdysz in Report on the status of dance in Tricity (2011), “the Theatre’s language is mainly based on movement using contemporary dance techniques, plasticity [of the body] and isolation as well as the expression of freezing and acting techniques. Sound and costume, also creating the content of the performance, are equally important.” Speaking of her group’s experiments, Eltermann prefers not to categorize or define, noting that “in all the diversity [of contemporary dance concepts] there is one common point. This is, obviously, the artist himself. In most cases we see personal art… The artist explores his, better or worse, concepts of the world, left to drown in the ocean of other ideas. He tries to find depth in the immense world of emotions, delves into the world of personal inner experiences. He lives in a concept built world, without joy or sense of humour. Of course, there are lots of beautiful works, which avoid these traps thanks to the artist’s intuition, one of the main indicators of talent. My observations make me think that I should search for inspiration outside of myself.”
The theatre is supported by the Grawitacja Foundation, founded in 2001 by Eltermann. Since 2001 Cynada, together with the foundation, has co-created Kolonia Artystów (Artists’ Colony), based in the former Gdańsk Shipyard. It runs a studio, where most of the Tricity dance scene groups, such as Good Girl Killer, Dada Von Bzdulow, Patrz Mi Na Usta and Cynada, as well as choreographers Julia Mach and Filip Szatarski, produce their performances. The studio collaborates with Wybrzeże (Coast) Theatre, the Baltic Culture Centre, Two Windows Theatre and the Gdańsk Shakespeare Theatre, being an inspiration and workplace for photographers, multimedia artists and musicians.
