The International Contemporary Dance Festival “New Baltic Dance” took place from April 27 to May 12, 2024, in Vilnius and Ukmergė. This year, “New Baltic Dance” once again invited audiences to experience the world through the language of the moving body. Traveling through contemporary dance events, festivals, and premieres, the festival team sought creators who could challenge preconceived notions and provoke thought in Lithuanian audiences—addressing the present and reflecting on global processes such as climate change, social, cultural, and political phenomena, as well as the power of art and laughter.
A total of 24 performances were presented in Vilnius and Ukmergė by 10 companies from 11 countries, attracting 5,500 viewers.
The festival opened at the National Drama Theatre with Greek choreographer Christos Papadopoulos’ performance LARSEN C, inspired by the slowness of melting glaciers, using it as a metaphor to speak about the vitality of life.
From April 28 to May 11, the festival showcased works by Lithuanian choreographers:
- Choreographer Lukas Karvelis offered a contemporary take on Baltic mythology in the performance SHE DREAMT OF BEING WASHED AWAY TO THE COAST, inspired by the legend of Jūratė and Kąstytis.
- Lithuanian-born, France-based choreographer Dovydas Strimaitis presented HAIRY, a performance for four dancers and their hair.
- The joint work INSOMNIA by Lithuanian and Ukrainian dancers Mariya Salo and Petras Lisauskas was created under extraordinary circumstances—amid rocket attacks in Lviv, fleeing the dangers of war to Paris, and finding solidarity and support in Lithuania.
On May 3–4, Canada’s dance rock star Frédéric Gravel creatively combined text, live music, and movement in his trademark energetic, uncensored, and brutally sincere style in the performance FEAR AND GREED at the National Drama Theatre, accompanied by a live band.
On May 4–5, choreographer Benjamin Kahn presented the solo performance BLESS THE SOUND THAT SAVED A WITCH LIKE ME featuring dancer Sati Veyrunes. The performance served as a cry of alarm, emphasizing the geopolitical, ideological, and ecological crises we are experiencing.
On May 7–8, Argentine choreographer Ayelen Parolin showcased her latest work ZONDER at the National Drama Theatre, offering a humorous perspective on life’s unpredictability and failures.
This year, the festival featured two performances by charismatic Dutch choreographer Cherish Menzo. Known for questioning norms and creating universes centered around the dark-skinned body, Menzo introduced Lithuanian audiences to her works JEZEBEL and her latest creation DARKMATTER.
On May 11–12, a free dance performance by the Swedish duo “Land Before Time” titled […IT IS CONTAINED IN…] was presented in outdoor spaces across various districts of Vilnius. The performance paid homage to water—the greatest source of life. The duo consists of dancers Joanna Holewa Chrona and Yared Tilahun Cederlund.
The festival concluded with Portuguese choreographer Marco da Silva Ferreira, who returned to the festival with his work CARCAÇA. Featuring a troupe of ten dancers, including Ferreira himself, the performance explored collective identity through physical, intuitive, and unpretentious choreography, built on elements of body, dance, and culture.