Vidomi

Biography

Janusz Adam Biedrzycki, photo Gosia Martynelis

Vidomi is an attempt to answer the question of what seeing is and what it is not. Do we realise the meaning of the sense of sight? By confronting the visually-impaired with the sighted, we are trying to develop alternative working techniques to overcome the physical limitations. We use the synergy of impulses – words, sounds, touch, movement – to create our own language for communication. We are learning to see with our whole bodies and to discover the world based on a different kind of seeing which does not have to be limited by a physical impairment or the ‘blindness’ of the mind, or by stereotypical judgments. This kind of work in theatre lets us go beyond the borders which the society puts in front of us in our everyday lives. Theatre becomes a medium in which differences between us become a creative tool. Visual impairment does not need to mean life in the dark. How do you see it?

The group is made up of young dancers who took part in CHOREA Theatre’s outreach and artistic projects, such as Oratorium Dance Project (2011) and The Ugly (2013), and of pupils from Special Education and Care Centre No. 6, Łódź. The group has met regularly since 2014 during dance and theatre workshops. Vidomi is the outcome of one year of work under the guidance of Janusz Adam Biedrzycki and Magda Paszkiewicz. Two new scenes were added to the show in 2015.

CHOREA Theatre
Direction and choreography ― Janusz Adam Biedrzycki, Magdalena Paszkiewicz
Performers ― Klaudia Ambroszczyk, Tomasz Amsolik, Przemysław Bitner, Tomasz Hołubowicz, Damian Kukiałka, Wiktor Moszczyński, Grzegorz Nasalski, Ewa Otomańska, Anna Piekarniak, Kamila Walentynowicz, Aleksandra Ziomek
Artistic consultant ― Tomasz Rodowicz
Music ― Joanna Filarska, Kamil Gędziarski, Kuba Krzewiński, Tomasz Rodowicz
Video projection ― Paweł Klepacz, Anna Świderska
Lighting ― Tomasz Krukowski
Sound ― Marcin Dobijański
Pedagogical supervision ― Hanna Jastrzębska-Gzella
Partners ― Art Factory in Łódź, Special Education and Care Centre No. 6
Premiere ― 28 November 2014

Trying to hide the fact that the dancers have no or limited sight is like trying to block out the knowledge that these artists are different and unique. To block out this knowledge because of the fear of the unknown. The show was not meant to prove that anyone can be a ‘nimble’ dancer. How insincere and condescending would that be? Vidomi does not try to hide anything – instead of solo dancing, which would be a relatively safe bet for a blind person, we get a group scene that encompasses almost the entire show, in which the effort involved in the emerging dance is plain for all to see.

Piotr Olkusz | teatralny.pl