Territory

Territory is a play about the need to define one's identity in the perspective of time and space. The heroines seek guarantees of control over themselves, others and the common territory. They try to tell their authentic stories with their own voices – competing for the dominance of the perspective. It is a play about the various strategies of expansion that each generation undertakes in its own way, as well as about the culture that makes us think that there is less and less time and space. Territory is a space of tension between disappearance, tightening and reduction and that which is constantly expanding and seizing. On stage, we will see two women who not only compete for the viewer's attention, but also struggle with their own image of perfection, which is passing or which they cannot live up to. This is a story about those of us who constantly submit to the pressure of questions about what and when we should do to feel "adequate". In response to the question "When...?" we find ourselves in murderous exercises, constant overtime at work, compulsive shopping, sex, restrictive diets or in the cookies we eat when no one is watching. It is also a story about the madness we border on, oscillating between control and discipline and unlimited freedom and greed. Territory addresses the issue of the fragility of the human being in the face of time and transience. Above all, it is a story about the desire to feel the meaning of one's existence.

Karolina Kroczak – dancer, choreographer, teacher, graduate of the Faculty of Polish Studies (major: Cultural Studies, diploma in cultural anthropology) at the University of Warsaw. As a dancer and choreographer, she works at the Zawirowania Dance Theatre. She has been associated with the group since 2006 – she took part in the performances: Nic tylko błękit, Chopin Ambiente, Innocent when you dream, Fuera de Campo choreographed by Daniel Abreu, Zbliżenia. In 2005-2007 she took part in the educational project Wyższa Szkoła Sztuk Performatywnych. She also took part in independent dance productions, collaborating with artists such as: Jaro Viňarský, Hilke Diemer, Georg Blaschke, Juan de Torres. Through her creative work she continues her research in the field of anthropology of performances, the use of depth psychology, process psychology and spiritual development in creative work. She carries out her own choreographic and directing projects (Tropiciele prepared in cooperation with Egurrola Dance Studio and with the participation of young dancers studying at the Studio; Voices; Rzeczy, rzeczy, rzeczy…), she collaborates on theatre productions (Teatr Capitol, the Arteria space for exchange of activities) and television productions (TVN – choreographer of the programme “You Can Dance – just dance”). She deals with contemporary dance and improvisation. She teaches contemporary dance classes, workshops, and lectures at instructor courses (including Egurrola Dance Studio, Zawirowania Dance Academy, Pro Art Festival). Zawirowania Dance Theatre was established in 2005. From the beginning, the artistic director and main choreographer of the group has been Elwira Piorun, a former soloist of the Teatr Wielki – Polish National Opera in Warsaw, who performed for several years in ballet and dance theatres in Germany. The group consists of dancers with diverse experience in bodywork techniques – from classical dance, through contemporary and jazz dance, to the art of mime. The combination of the dancers' different experiences gives an interesting stage effect, expanding the creative potential of the group. Director Włodzimierz Kaczkowski collaborates with Zawirowania, who is most often responsible for the dramaturgy of the performances. The main assumption of the creators of Zawirowania is to use contemporary dance techniques to create narrative performances. The group organized the 21st edition of the International Zawirowania Festival. In the years 2004-2025 the Zawirowania group performed 120 times abroad, including in Japan, South Korea, Peru, the USA, Mexico, France, India, Germany and Italy.