THE SPELL

"The Spell" is a choreographic project inspired by the work of one of the most important artists of the 20th century, Louise Bourgeois, her monumental sculptures and the intellectual legacy she left behind. The performance is an attempt to immerse oneself in the raw physicality of her works and find a way to translate it into movement and stage image. In Louise Bourgeois's work, the main theme is femininity and form, her works captivate with the complexity of emotions and rich symbolism, and personal stories intertwine with universal themes, showing the depth of human experience. Bourgeois's works are characterized by a recurring motif of the body experiencing different states: birth, life, fear, and challenge traditional representations of femininity, offering a unique, intimate perspective that touches on universal archetypes. In the project "The Spell" Marta Kosieradzka and Marta Luiza Jankowska try to capture and reflect on the themes related to her work, such as the tension between strength and sensitivity, presence and absence, intimacy and being for the audience. This project was born out of the need for a more focused dance practice, rooted in the physical experience of dance, the connection with the body and intuition.

Marta Kosieradzka Dance and visual artist originally from Warsaw, Poland living in Oslo. She graduated from European Academy of Arts in Warsaw and from Artesis Royal Conservatory in Antwerp, dance department. Since many years she is working as a freelance dancer, choreographer, and teacher. After her graduation she started her professional career with a production ‘’I can ride a horse whilst juggling, so marry me’’ choreographed by Jan Martens and then for several years she has worked with many choreographers in Belgium as well as artists from other disciplines: fashion, film, music, theatre. After returning to her home country, she has been working with several local choreographers and for five years she has been associated with Zawirowania Dance Theatre in Warsaw touring with pieces from their repertoire and conducing educational programs for young dancers. She has also worked as a contemporary dance teacher for professional ballet students at National Ballet School in Warsaw and Oslo National Academy of Arts (BA programe). Her interest in combining visual arts and dance has led her to working in a field of dance film, she is a co-author of several dance films and has been actively participating in international screen dance scene. She has also choreographed solo works that gained recognition on many international dance festivals and competitions. She works as a freelancer dancer in Poland, Norway and other places in Europe. Recently she has collaborated with an Icelandic theatre collective Vinnslan, took part in a research programe ''Dance Hack'' around dance and technology in Oulu, Finland and performed in a piece ''Museum of Bodies'' choreographed by Maria Stokłosa in Warsaw Modern Art Museum. Marta Luiza Jankowska Marta-Luiza Jankowska is a dance artist originally from Stavanger, Norway. She completed her education in KHIO in 2009 and spent the first years of her carrier freelancing for names such as Ingun Bjørnsgaard, Christopher Arouni, Hege Haagenrud and The Batsheva Dance Company. In 2014, she moved to Israel to work full time with  "Inbal Pinto and Avshalom Pollak Dance Company" and "Avshalom Pollak Dance Theatre". She stayed there until December 2022.  Marta is now based in Norway, collaborating with artists in and outside of Norway. She has been latest seen on stage with Hege Haagenrud "Do not stand too close" in Ice Hot Dance Festival 2024.