"Presence", Movement and dance performance photos

Triptych of photographs from the choreographic performance "Presence"
Full Triptych size: A1

Choreographer: Liene Grave
Videographers: Andriy Bahlai and Olga Lebedyeva
Photographer: Yevhen Astafarov
Dancers: Artūrs Nīgalis, Roberta Gailīte (LV), Bahlai Diana, Artomov Dmytro (UA)
Shooting by Strumer Production

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About the movement and dance performance "PRESENCE"

Quoting from the book "Presence" by theologian and psychologist Indulis Peičs: "It is very important for each of us to feel from time to time that another person notices our existence - the fact that we exist. Only then can we function fully in this world."
This quote's validation can be found in the long-term study conducted by Oxford University on "The origins of happiness." Over several years, approximately 200,000 people were observed. One of the main conclusions of the study is seemingly straightforward. Individuals who prioritize relationships and the social aspect of life tend to rate themselves as happier.

However, a question arises: if the formula for happiness is so simple, why aren't we all happy? Why do we often prioritize material stability, careers, or external appearances as the most certain sources of happiness? Perhaps because they are concrete, attainable, tangible goals. This could lead to deep, endless debates about what's correct or better. But even without debates, everyone will agree that when misfortune strikes, when we realize that illness or another adversity might take away someone dear to us, we suddenly perceive that person differently, feeling their importance profoundly. When we pay attention to the self-evident, we recognize that nothing truly is self-evident. Uniqueness goes unnoticed if observed casually; in haste, we attempt to label numerous aspects of our lives as self-evident. One of the most apparent aspects is time. There seems to be an abundance of it. Yet, it only takes a single moment to change that perspective. Not much time remains. This occurs when we specify a certain number of time units, for example, 365 days. Suddenly, we realize that a day consists of 24 hours, and we yearn to transform each hour into an entire lifetime.

These reflections gave birth to the desire to infuse the dance performance with utmost presence. It's about an existence where two individuals dedicate their complete attention to their partner. Movements aren't executed for the audience's aesthetic pleasure. One dancer blends into their partner, as does the other. They merge into each other, recognizing and valuing each other. They breathe in each other's scent, relishing every movement and rhythm. Taking into account the aforementioned quote and study results, we can hypothesize that the audience witnessing this performance will observe two profoundly content individuals. If the audience truly sees, hears, and immerses themselves, they might experience a beautiful transformation: from passive spectators to active participants. Describing the performance's purpose is remarkably simple. We wish for those engaged in the performance to depart happier than they were when it began.

Check the performance video here: