Dancing Through Adversity
How do you speak about war when words fail? You dance. Waacking, Popping, Krump – three urban dance styles, three personal stories. The protagonists of this film share a common experience: war, emotional paralysis, the loss of meaning.
At first, dance seemed pointless. Later, it became a way to feel, to connect, to continue.
Dance as a safer space. Dance as therapy. Dance as resistance. Dance as a language beyond words. Dance as a way to reach others. This film explores how, even in times of destruction, dance becomes a form of presence, resilience, and healing. Not as entertainment, but as a way to exist.
In English, with English subtitles.
The foyer will be open one hour before and after the event. Kseniya Lazorenko's short documentary essay They Dance for Life will be shown here: "Dance is a movement that goes beyond the stage — a movement for life itself, for the right of Ukrainians to exist and develop. This essay was created in memory of those who fell defending their homeland and in honour of those who continue the fight." A presentation by the Ukrainian Culture Network e.V.
| Datum | Rahmenprogramm |
|---|---|
|
17:00 |
Improv performance by Masha/Mariia Hrushova (Lviv) |
| 17:15 | Film premiere |
| afterwards | Talk with Lars Ksienzyk, Masha/Mariia Hrushova, Varvara Mozhaieva und Kseniya Lazorenko; Moderation: Ruby |
Masha/Mariia Hrushova
Masha/Mariia Hrushova is a dancer and dance educator in hip-hop and club styles (popping and waacking). She started out in a crew, now dances freestyle and takes part in battles. She loves jams, grooving and dancing in clubs – although clubs have become much less accessible since Russia's invasion.
Varvara Mozhaieva
Varvara Mozhaieva is a Ukrainian director and editor. She is chairwoman of the Ukrainian Culture Network e.V. in Düsseldorf and was involved as an editor in the documentary film Dancing Through Adversity.
Kseniya Lazorenko
Kseniya Lazorenko – Ukrainian journalist, project manager and creative copywriter at Ukrainian Culture Network e.V.
Ukrainian Culture Network e.V.
Ukrainian Culture Network e.V. is a non-profit organisation that showcases Ukrainian culture in all its depth, significance and contemporary relevance, and gives visibility to contemporary Ukrainian voices. In Düsseldorf and the surrounding area, it promotes cultural dialogue through cultural events and media projects with Ukrainian, German and international artists and cultural professionals.
Lars Ksienzyk
Lars Ksienzyk studied dance at the Centre for Contemporary Dance in Cologne. He then worked with Brig Huezo, Tony Rizzy, the notsopretty collective and the Ukrainian production company minimalmovie, among others, and presented his own choreographic works at tanzhaus nrw. Lars now lives in Berlin, where he works as a care worker for people with physical disabilities and studies law at the Freie Universität.
Ruby
Ruby is a dancer, choreographer, movement director and educator with deep roots in hip-hop culture. In 2019, she co-founded HoS (Hood of Sisters) and UBeKu e.V. to create supportive and evolving spaces for dance in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Trained in various street and commercial styles, Ruby has made hip-hop the core of her artistic practice.
Organised by tanzhaus nrw in cooperation with Ukrainian Culture Network e.V.
With: Mariia Hrushova aka Mohito; Vladyslav Kastyrin aka Allstar; Olha Svidinha aka Wanted; One more battle Kyiv; Dside dance studio; Stanciya dance center. Director, Camera and Production: Lars Ksienzyk; Editor: Varvara Mozhaieva; Project Coordination Ukraine: Yaroslava Zavalna; Creative Producer: Maurice Egen; Music: Carl Noë Struck.
