I was here

This performance is about physical and mental/spiritual communication and touch. Olga Zitluhina, Latvian choreographer and author of the concept, acknowledges that life is running very fast and questions, are we able to feel the real touch or the only communication we know is with the touch screens? Are we capable to value real touch between human beings, both physical and mental?

Olga Zitluhina is one of the most influential figures in Latvian contemporary dance. She is pioneer in the field, an educator, teacher, organizer, choreographer. Between 1996 and 2012 she led her contemporary dance company, created 20 works and performed in 18 countries around the world. Today she leads the Latvian Cultural Academy contemporary dance curricula and runs international dance festival “Laiks Dejot” in Riga.

Olga, this is your first piece created in Estonia- how you found this idea?

Olga: “There is a strong image from real life that is almost haunting me: I saw my mother and father holding hands for the first time in their lives only when they were 70 years old. Even if they had been together for a long time and shared their lives, their way of communicating with each other was influenced by the time and place they were born and raised. They did not talk about it. I saw how important is just a simple human touch, how powerful it is and what is it speaking about us as humans.

In “I was here” I wanted to speak about this – through movement and motion of human hands and arms and about movement in wider spectrum.”

More information:

https://www.fine5.ee/en/topical/i-was-here/

Olga Zitluhina and dancers

Choreography

Olga Privis, Helen Reitsnik, Tiina Ollesk, Simo Kruusement, Renee Nõmmik

Dancers

Kirill Safonov

Costumes

Valentin Siltsenko, Henry Purcell

Music

60 minutes

Duration

2019, Sakala 3 Teatrimaja

Premiere
Production