Programme: www.cialoumysl.pl
Ciało/Umysł is one of the oldest contemporary dance festivals in Poland, established in 1995. It consistently promotes independent, international art of dance with a particular focus on multi-cultural dialogue, promoting empathy, mutual understanding and respect. It presents thought-provoking performances that break with standard creative solutions and dialogue with the heritage of dance. Each year, the festival has its motto which expresses the idea behind the choices of the programme.
The slogan of the 21st Cialo/Umysl is FREE (or FREEDOM) TO DANCE! Edyta Kozak, Artistic Director of the Festival, writes about the different ways of understanding it and how it manifests itself in the works to be shown at the 21st C/U:
FREEDOM TO DANCE […] is a reminder of the real meaning of the one of the most important values, or maybe privileges or rights. This slogan expresses an alternative approach to understanding social, cultural and even historical spaces.
The artists invited to the 21st edition of C/U festival do not talk about the threat to freedom, but by pointing out the developed and acquired forms of culture, they suggest freeing ourselves from social stereotypes, cultural hierarchy and classical philosophy based on the separation of good from evil, and beauty from ugliness.
This year, C/U presents performances from Brazil, Portugal, Ukraine and Poland.
The C/U Festival has always been attentive to diversity, freedom of creation and experience. Therefore, step by step it’s building accessibility of the events with the focus on Deaf and Hard of hearing audience in 2022. Polish sign language translation and technologies that enhance sound transmission, i.e. high-tech subpacs and induction loops will be available this year. The initiatives are supported by Daniel Kotowski – a visual artist and a deaf person – in cooperation with the partners with an extensive experience in the field of accessibility: British Council (one of the Europe Beyond Access leaders) and the Culture Without Barriers Foundation.
Location: Warsaw and online
Tickets: available here
British Council is partner of this festival.