NIŻYŃSKA piano forte

"NIŻYŃSKA piano forte" by Sztuki Nowej is an intimate choreographic performance inspired by the life and work of Bronisława Niżyńska, one of the twentieth century's key figures in dance avant-garde. It draws from pivotal moments in her life: personal crisis and the need for artistic self-expression as an impulse to forge her own subjectivity and choreographic language. Niżyńska's biography is not narrated here but transformed into a structure of movement, rhythm, and tension.

The performance enters into dialogue with "Les noces" (1923) - Niżyńska's groundbreaking choreographic work set to Igor Stravinsky's music, often described as proto-feminist. Choreographer and performer Daniela Komędera creates a performative portrait of the artist, exploring the relationships between body, rhythm, and structure. The sound layer is created live by Katarzyna Piszek (Kasai), treating music and voice as equal elements of dramaturgy. The performance raises questions about the position of the contemporary woman choreographer and dancer, and about building one's own creative language under personal, historical, social, and institutional pressure.

The main scenic element is a sports trampoline - both a stage floor and a choreographic tool. Throughout the performance, Komędera executes choreography based on bouncing, flight, and suspension of the body in air, transforming the heavy, historically laden dimension of Niżyńska's figure into vertical movement. The trampoline allows one to symbolically "lighten" ballet as a genre and seek a lightness that transcends gravity - both physical and cultural. The mobile scenography enables the performance to be presented in diverse spaces, aligning with the vision of the Teatr Polska programme.